Those with autism spectrum disorder are more likely to be upset by changes others would find only mildly irritating, such as making a trip to the supermarket and finding the shelves bare of familiar supplies.

Wagga's Kris Redden, who was diagnosed with autism about a year ago, is adjusting to life in lockdown and its "rapid changes in society".

"One of the biggest problems with autism spectrum disorder is that we can't handle change. If we have to change, we have to change slowly," Mr Redden said.

"It's created complete and utter chaos in my mind of how things have got to happen and how I've got to behave."

Mr Redden said it was challenging for those on the spectrum who "like things done in a certain order" and might only eat particular foods or use particular products.

"When I first heard about the panic buying, I went to the supermarket here in Wagga. And it was the same here in Wagga. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't get the stuff I needed," he said.

He "only just made it into the car" before he went into a meltdown from the stress.

"It was a very hard situation. And it still is now. If I go in and what I need isn't on the shelf, I can't reassess and say, 'Oh, well, I'll buy something different'," Mr Redden said.

"I just have to walk out. I can't do it."

Mr Redden said he was going to the supermarket much more often than usual because of item limits and seeing the shelves empty was "overwhelmingly stressful" as a person with autism.

Mr Redden is a tall, solidly built man and he said his physical stature could frighten people if he went into a meltdown, which he described as an uncontrollable tantrum which an autistic person is "unable to switch on or off".

"Mine is I usually end up in the car, punching the steering wheel, banging my head on the steering wheel and crying," he said.

On some occasions he has been restrained mid-meltdown by security guards or police.

"And then you try and explain the whole situation to police and a lot of them don't understand either," Mr Redden said.

Mr Redden, who is 40-years-old, said it had been "a huge relief" to receive his diagnosis.

"I always thought I was the strange one out, the weird one. That there was something wrong," he said.

"I've always seen myself as different and I didn't know why. Now I know why."

Wagga's Rebbecca Kotzur said navigating the supermarket during the coronavirus outbreak had been "a nightmare", as she and two of her four children have autism spectrum disorder.

"It's made me as a single parent have to go into [the supermarket] quite regularly ... because you can't get enough food for a week," Ms Kotzur said.

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Ms Kotzur visited a supermarket the other day accompanied by a friend who was acting as her support person and was confronted by a staff member at the checkout.

"She said he needed to move away from me, to go all the way outside the service area and stay outside, because we're only allowed to have one person at the till itself," she said.

Ms Kotzur described the situation as "extremely anxiety filled" and said she ended up going into a meltdown at home.

"With the increased changes that have happened, it's just become so hard to deal with everyday life," she said.

She said it was very difficult to explain social distancing to her children on the autism spectrum, who have had "so many emotional explosions" since the restrictions were introduced.

Ms Kotzur and Mr Redden both said they felt ashamed and embarrassed after having a meltdown and asked for greater mindfulness from those in the community who are not on the autism spectrum.

"If a person is asking for something [like having a support person at the checkout], nine times out of 10 there's a reason behind it," Ms Kotzur said.