Jobs for Social Anxiety Sufferers

Jobs for social anxiety; jobs with your mental health in mind.

Do you suffer from social anxiety? A large amount of the population does, which is exactly why jobs for social anxiety have recently risen to prominence. As people come to understand that their career has a direct effect on their overall lifestyle, it’s important that you’re doing something that’s good for your health – and not just your bank statement.

Careers for Social Anxiety Sufferers

When you have social anxiety, you might sometimes feel like a big ball of nerves when you’re forced into overtly social situations. Large crowds of people, loud noises, and general busyness can be anxiety provoking in the worst way.

Most of all, it can leave you feeling uninspired and can make you dread having to get out of bed in the morning. That’s no way to feel, not at all.

The best jobs for anxious people follow these three simple rules:

• They’re focused – there aren’t a million other distractions and last-minute projects getting in your way. You’re able to focus, to do what you need to do and to succeed at it at your own pace.
• They’re quiet – anxiety can often be provoked by sudden bursts of movement, or general busyness, so the best jobs for people with anxiety usually involve quiet spaces and quiet work. Shouting at people is going to be a no-go when it comes to anxiety-friendly positions.
• They’re independent – good jobs for anxiety sufferers usually revolve around limited interactions with other people, whether that’s superiors, coworkers or customers. When a job is individual-friendly, it is also anxiety-friendly!

The Best Jobs for Anxious People

When it comes down to it, everybody has to work. It’s the way that we pay our rent, how we buy groceries and generally how we entertain ourselves and stay alive. Working shouldn’t be a punishment, and it definitely shouldn’t be a hazard to your health.

If you have social anxiety, and you’re looking to get out into the workforce (or if you’re looking to make a change), you should focus on some of these career goals…

Prep, Cleaning and Landscaping

The best jobs for people with anxiety usually involve making sure things are running smoothly, without having to deal with a whole bunch of customer service and interactions with others, in general. That’s why a good job for this is working in a kitchen as a prep cook, or working as part of a cleaning crew. These are quiet areas of what are typically considered noisy industries, and they allow you to simply go about your work and to do what you need to do.

Working with Kids & Animals

Dealing with children and animals can be a lot less intimidating than dealing with adults, for those with social anxiety disorders. It still gives you the opportunity to love and care for someone else, too, so that you’re not totally isolated. Besides, who doesn’t love working with puppies and kittens? Working in early childcare, and in animal clinics, can make for a great job for those with social anxiety.

Counseling Work

Social anxiety can be a struggle, and for some, they might want to help others with that struggle. Counseling work is typically one-on-one, and it’s a great job for social anxiety because it allows you to exercise empathy. You can work with someone who is going through similar problems, and coach them on finding their own path to feeling calm and at peace.

Writing & Design

Especially on a freelance basis, writing and design can make for great jobs for social anxiety. They’re mostly done online, and you can make your workplace wherever is the most comfortable for you (whether it’s a quiet coffee shop, or simply your bed). It might be difficult to turn this into a full-fledged career, but it is a great way to remain creative without the stress of a high-demand workplace.

Bad Jobs for Social Anxiety

As much as there are good jobs for those with social anxiety, there are also really bad jobs. Here’s a quick roundup of the positions you shouldn’t consider, so hold back those resumes before you start applying to be:

• A salesperson – constant phone calls and meetings? That’s no way to feel more anxious.
• A teacher – working with kids might be soothing, but all of the extra work that goes along with it (meeting with parents, etc.) can be incredibly stressful.
• A Cashier – things are moving a mile a minute, and it can be incredibly stressful to keep track of all of the rules and handle all of the interactions.
• A Server – talking with people all day is what a server does, as well as handle complaints, push out orders and make sure everyone is happy quickly.

Finding Your Role with Social Anxiety

There are so many great jobs for social anxiety, you shouldn’t count yourself out if you’re currently in a role where you feel nervous all of the time. Do some research, find the one that could be right for you, and stop dreading going into work every morning. Your health is too important to sacrifice it going to work.

Feel less stressed, and find a job that suits your needs today!