10 Career Options For People With Social Anxiety
The difficulty in social interactions that typically comes with social anxiety can make it challenging to work many common jobs. However, there are still many career options for those living with social anxiety that do not require as much interaction. These can include working as a health or medical technician, gardener or landscaper, information technology worker, counselor, chef, tradesperson, computer programmer, accountant, writer, or animal care worker. Although these jobs can lessen the requirement to interact with others, it can still be highly beneficial to work with a licensed mental health professional to alleviate symptoms of social anxiety. Online therapy can be a convenient way to connect with a therapist and begin your mental health journey.
What Is Social Anxiety?
Social anxiety is generally defined as a condition in which an individual has a fear of being evaluated or judged by others. The thought of this happening can bring about feelings of depression, humiliation, inferiority, inadequacy, self-consciousness, and embarrassment. In social interactions where someone with social anxiety is feeling particularly self-conscious, there may be physical symptoms, like shortness of breath, elevated heart rate, sweaty palms, and dry mouth. The individual might stutter and stammer, or they may find themselves unable to speak at all.
There can be varying degrees of social anxiety. Some people may only feel anxious if they suddenly become the center of attention, while for others, the very act of being out of doors and outside of their comfort zone can be enough to bring about a pronounced fight-or-flight response.
Social anxiety can be a serious mental health disorder that may require professional treatment. For individuals who have yet to discover an effective method of combating it, everyday life can present a significant challenge. Severe social anxiety can significantly hinder a person’s life, making it difficult to make friends or have any interpersonal interaction. Furthermore, severe anxiety symptoms (whether experienced in social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, or other conditions) can have a significant effect on one’s mental health and emotional wellness.
As you can imagine, this kind of anxiety can affect every step of career development. From the job application, interview, hiring, orientation, and daily responsibilities at work, every aspect of almost every career can involve social interaction to some extent. It can be rare that one’s job duties do not include any form of interpersonal interaction, which can make many careers challenging for those living with social anxiety.
10 Careers For People With Social Anxiety
Because people who have social anxiety often fear being scrutinized, the best jobs for them are often ones that don’t require much face-to-face interaction. These types of jobs may allow employees to work independently, and they may also have fewer deadlines and unhealthy pressure to complete work projects. There can be many career paths that have these features, and some don’t even require a bachelor’s degree. Here are some potential career paths that may present the ideal solution for those with social anxiety.
Health Or Medical Technician
There are generally a variety of jobs available in the medical field, and while someone with social anxiety likely doesn’t want to become a nurse or a doctor, you may wish to consider becoming a health or medical tech, since your interactions with patients and coworkers may be relatively minimal.
You may not be able to get through an entire day without some face-to-face interaction with others, but it's often nowhere near as much as some other jobs. Medical scanning technicians, biomedical engineers, and ultrasound technicians can be some of the positions in this field.
Gardener Or Landscaper
If you love the great outdoors but you're not so keen on people, then a career in landscaping or gardening might be worth looking into. You could run your own landscaping or gardening business, or you might work for a company or another individual. It's not likely you can go through every day without speaking to anyone, but for the most part, you may be left alone with your plants.
Information Technology Worker
IT, or information technology, is a field where you can have minimal direct communication with humans, and in some ways, it can be the ideal job for someone with social anxiety. Most of your interactions may be with machines, and there are often dozens of different positions in this industry, from data analyst to network administrator. You may even be able to telecommute and work from home. IT jobs can be extremely lucrative, but you usually need to be good with computers and technology in general. If your strengths don't lie in this area, then this may not be the career path for you.
Counselor
At first, this might seem counterintuitive. If you're a counselor or mental health therapist, aren't you talking to people all day? The reason that counselor can be a job that some people with social anxiety enjoy could be that they may be in complete control of their work environment. You may be talking to people about their mental health concerns, but you'll likely spend your time actively listening and occasionally encouraging others to speak. People with social anxiety tend to be excellent listeners. They may be able to empathize with others because they know what it's like to experience similar challenges.
Chef
Some people with social anxiety may feel safe working in the confines of a kitchen. You generally do not have to be out on the floor talking to customers, though there may be a certain amount of interaction with your coworkers. You may feel more in charge of things and less anxious if you run your own restaurant, so that may be a goal toward which you can aspire if you pursue this career path.
Tradesperson
If you're a tradesperson, then you're usually working "behind the scenes," so your interactions with people may be reduced. Careers in the trades can be ideal jobs for people with social anxiety because much of your time will likely be spent fixing things, setting them up, or tearing them down. These careers can be somewhat labor-intensive, so that’s something you may wish to keep in mind if you’re considering this path. Some possibilities can include plumbing, carpentry, painting, and electric work.
Computer Programmer
A job in computer programming may be helpful for a person with social anxiety because interactions with other human beings are generally minimal. If you're capable of long periods of independent focus, this might be the job for you. There are many resources online that can teach you to code, so you might give it a try in your spare time and see if you have an aptitude for it. Some of the jobs in this field can include UX designer, mobile developer, and full stack web developer.
Accountant
If you love math and you have social anxiety, then becoming an accountant might be the perfect job for you. It's usually an office job, so there may be some interaction with other people, but not nearly as much as many other careers. A lot of your day-to-day tasks and responsibilities will likely be independent.
Writer
Being a writer is another job that seems almost tailor-made for people with social anxiety. There are many types of writing that you could focus on as your niche, from fiction to technical writing, copywriting, and content writing. You may also write under a pseudonym if you’d prefer to maintain incognito, which can be appealing for people living with social anxiety.
If you choose to become a freelance writer, you may never have to communicate with others face-to-face. There may even be opportunities in which video calls and phone calls are not required, and communication may take place primarily through email or messages on different platforms.
One thing you may wish to consider, however, is that writing can be entirely solitary. Some interaction is generally healthy for everyone, even those with social anxiety, and writing as a career can be isolating. It may be important to ensure you still spend time with loved ones regularly if you choose a career in which you never have to communicate face-to-face with others.
Animal Care Worker
Working in animal care can be another option for those with social anxiety. If you work with animals, then a little interaction with pet owners may be unavoidable, but most of the time, you may only interact with animals. You might work in veterinary clinics or be a dog walker, pet groomer, dog trainer, or zookeeper.
Treatment For Social Anxiety Is Available
While there may be plenty of jobs that are suitable for people experiencing social anxiety, it can still be wise to make efforts to treat your anxiety. You can go through your entire life avoiding humans as much as possible, but it can make things challenging, as unexpected situations may arise where you need to interact with others.
For those with social anxiety, it can be nerve-wracking to meet with a new therapist in-person. Visiting an unfamiliar location and speaking with a stranger can be anxiety-inducing, but one way to alleviate some of this discomfort may be connecting with a licensed mental health professional through an online therapy platform. This way, you may attend sessions from the comfort of your home, and you may speak to your therapist via phone call or messaging if you do not feel comfortable talking on a video call.
This study explains that online therapy can be as effective as traditional in-person therapy for a variety of mental health concerns, especially various anxiety disorders (such as social anxiety) and the effects of stress. If you believe you’d benefit from working with a therapist, please don’t hesitate to reach out and get the help and support you deserve.
Conclusion
Social anxiety can make it difficult to work many common jobs, as the majority of careers often require quite a bit of face-to-face communication with others. Still, there may be many careers suited to those who live with social anxiety, such as the following:
Health or medical technician
Gardener or landscaper
Information technology (IT) worker
Counselor or therapist
Chef
Tradesperson
Computer programmer
Accountant
Writer
Animal care worker
Even if you have a job that doesn’t require you to engage in much social interaction, it can still be helpful to work through your social anxiety with a licensed therapist, whether you choose to do so in a traditional therapy setting or through an online therapy platform.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
What jobs can I do with social anxiety?
In addition to the jobs mentioned above, you could also try being a freelancer or business owner. In both careers, you may get to be your own boss and take charge of your own schedule. You can also work in your own home and control your environment to limit social interactions as much as possible. There can be many routes to take when starting your own business. For example, you could be a freelance virtual assistant, a data entry clerk, help companies with their financial transactions or financial details, or offer writing services.
However, if you are looking for a more traditional career instead of being a business owner, then you could try computer science, web development, truck driving, data entry and transcription, a specific trade, or accounting. These careers generally don’t require too much social interaction, so they could be a perfect fit if you live with social anxiety.
What is the best job for someone with social anxiety?
Some of the best jobs for people with social anxiety disorder may be writing positions, data entry jobs, animal care jobs, graphic design, or dog walking. People with social anxiety can choose a job that limits interaction with others, but developing social interaction skills over time may still be one of the best options for people with anxiety disorders.
Can you get disability for social anxiety?
If you live with social anxiety that stops you from leaving your home on a regular basis, severely limits you from interacting with people, causes you to avoid human interaction, makes you work from home, or impedes your job search progress, it’s possible that your social anxiety may qualify as a disability.
How do I get a job if I have anxiety?
Living with anxiety can make it difficult to pursue your dream career. However, there are a few things you can do to keep anxiety from interfering with your job.
First, you can aim to look for a job that won’t trigger your anxiety. That could mean finding a flexible job with minimal social interactions and stress. Though every job is likely to have some pressures, it can be best to find a company that cares about your challenges and is willing to make some accommodations.
You should also do what you can to adjust to the working world. This could mean practicing interactions with coworkers and clients, as most jobs require some form of social interaction to succeed. You may overcome some of your social fears and practice interacting with others by joining a Toastmasters club or similar group.
No matter what job you have, you may benefit from a focus on self-care. Even the right job can become stressful or involve overwhelming social interactions. Therefore, you might make time each day to relax and unwind. You could partake in deep breathing, develop a hobby, and get some fresh air to keep your mind relaxed. Self-care can be essential to maintaining your own success in your career.
Finally, if your anxiety seems to be taking over your life, you may consider talking to a mental health professional for treatment. As your treatment progresses, you may find yourself able to tackle the situations that once gave you anxiety and face your career with reduced anxiety symptoms.
Can social anxiety prevent you from working?
Social anxiety can prevent some individuals from working. Anxiety and depression may impact a person’s full-time career, cause them to work from home to limit social interaction, and more. In severe cases, social anxiety disorder can be detrimental to mental health and limit job options.
How do I get a job with crippling anxiety?
The best way to get a job when living with serious mental health anxiety disorders could be to find a job that avoids the triggers of your anxiety. However, it can also be important to address the anxiety by working with a licensed mental health professional.
How can I get rid of social anxiety fast?
Overcoming social anxiety can be a long but rewarding journey. Aside from seeking the help of a mental health professional, there can be other options for people living with a social anxiety disorder. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America outlines that practicing breathing exercises, improving overall health, and goal setting can all be helpful strategies for mitigating the symptoms of anxiety. You can also aim to practice social interaction so that you can become more desensitized to social settings.
What are the happiest jobs?
There are a number of happy full-time career paths, but the job most frequently at the top of the list is typically engineering. This is usually followed closely by teachers and nurses. However, a person’s happiness in a job often depends upon how well the job suits their personality and career goals.
What career is least stressful?
When looking for a low-stress career, you may want something that doesn’t require large social settings, stressful deadlines, or too many priorities.
Is HR a stressful job?
As for career paths that are faced with stress on a regular basis, HR professionals often feel more stress than those in other careers. They are generally expected to deal with major challenges in an organization and there can be a certain element of economic pressure involved.
- Previous ArticleCan't Sleep? Anxiety Could Be Keeping You Up
- Next ArticleExercise And Anxiety: Does Exercise Help?