Visiting Manchester city centre on a Saturday is not ideal if you are prone to experiencing sensory overload. To get the most out of life, however, complete avoidance of such scenarios isn’t the perfect answer. It’s different for each individual, but I find that it is best for me to only venture into crowded cities when I know the pay-off is worth it, and I will just stay for the minimum amount of time required.

Today, we took my mum to Tattu, a lovely restaurant in Manchester (it was a birthday present we gave her in July). We had delicious food — I opted for Kung Po tofu and Asian pear with sticky toffee pudding — in a delightful setting, and it was great to see her enjoying the occasion.

The only negative for me — but probably not for the majority of diners — was the music playing over the speakers. It wasn’t that loud, but combined with the general sounds of the restaurant, it was a bit too noisy for me. Browsing a few shops after lunch was harder, as it was incredibly crowded, noisy, hot and there were lots of strong smells from the perfume stands. It was overwhelming. My brain was struggling to function at full capacity.

This was our cue to leave and head back home (my wife was also feeling uncomfortable), albeit via a crowded tram journey. Like I said, though, the excellent lunchtime experience meant that it was worth it. And as soon as it became unenjoyable, I removed myself from the situation.

Later on, I found myself feeling anxious again when the others were having a conversation while the TV was on. This is something that often affects me, with the competing voices within the room and on screen becoming totally overwhelming. It’s not anyone’s fault, just a situation I struggle with. It only lasted a few minutes, and then we had some homemade Chinese food, so all was good again!