The Job Challenges Facing People Who Suffer From Anxiety

People can face a variety of different challenges when it comes to finding employment and holding down a steady job. One such challenge is living with anxiety, where around one in seven Australians are managing the condition. What are the job challenges people who have anxiety face and what types of jobs would suit them?

This article is going to be taking a look at specific challenges in the employment world that people who suffer from anxiety have to deal with.

It Can Prove Hard To Hold Down a Job

It’s not easy for someone with major anxiety issues to be able to hold down a job over the long term. A fast-paced environment, too much pressure throughout the workday, bosses or employees that are difficult to deal with and a host of other stresses can make it virtually impossible for an anxious person to work effectively and efficiently.

These job-related issues can be tough enough for anybody to deal with, but it’s that much harder for a person who suffers from severe anxiety.

Merely Getting Up and Facing the Day Can Be a Challenge

While it won’t be the case every single day, on some days, someone with anxiety will even struggle just to face the day ahead at work. This is particularly so if there’s some ongoing problem in the workplace, or something stressful they’ve been having to deal with. Sometimes a person can simply be anxious about nothing in particular. This is just something people with anxiety often live with.

Fatigue Can Result From Anxiety

Whether the person with anxiety is already working a job or in the process of trying to find a job, ongoing anxiousness can lead to severe fatigue, which makes it extremely difficult to be focused and motivated. Feelings of worry and nervousness can put a major strain on the body and mind and this can make it difficult to face work or to look for work. Anxiety can become quite debilitating for some people.

People With Anxiety May Feel Ashamed of Their Condition

Feeling shame because of anxiety can create even more issues in the workplace, as an individual feeling this way likely won’t tell their boss or even a coworker about their anxiety problem. Instead, it’s kept secret and bottled up, which will likely result in an explosion of emotion at some point.

Someone who suffers from anxiety really needs to let their employer know about their condition so they are aware and possibly also confide in a trusted coworker who can look out for them.

The Process of Searching for a Job Can Even Be Difficult

For those with anxiety who are currently out of work but need to find a job, even the process of looking for suitable employment can feel daunting and stressful. Not only can it be hard to know what type of job would suit them, but the thought of contacting employers, going through job interviews and ultimately starting a new position can be somewhat scary.

Some Recommended Jobs for People With Anxiety

Let’s now take a look at some possible jobs for people with anxiety.

To discover the types of jobs that would suit a person who suffers from anxiety, it’s often easier to list the things to try and avoid. For starters, you won’t want a job that involves lots of tight deadlines to get things done. People with anxiety usually don’t enjoy constant interaction with other workers or customers. Roles that are high-stress and high-pressure are definitely off the table too. A little bit of good stress is okay, just not job roles that are highly stressful with too much responsibility.

Jobs that are more autonomous can be a good fit for someone with anxiety. Being able to work predominantly alone on tasks such as research, analysis or something creative is good. If there’s an opportunity to work remotely from home, this can be a blessing for someone who has social anxiety.

Here are just a few potential job roles for someone with anxiety:

• Trade work and construction
• Information technology
• Financial services
• Research assistant

The Takeaway

Suffering from anxiety has its challenges when it comes to employment, but finding and keeping a job is highly possible with treatment of the condition and finding the right position.