What are some jobs for 16-year-olds with social anxiety?
What are some jobs for 16-year-olds with social anxiety?
When 16 years old with social anxiety try to search for jobs, they must keep in mind that avoiding interaction completely is not possible.
Apart from that avoiding interaction might also not contribute to overcoming one fear of judgment, criticism, and rejection.
Some jobs for 16 years old with social anxiety are:
1. Restaurant staff
16 years old with social anxiety can work as a restaurant staff without directly interacting with many people. Many restaurants hire workers to clear out and wash dishes or even prepare food. These jobs help the teenagers to stay in the kitchen Without having to interact and face and anticipate humiliation from other people.
Food preparation, dishwashing does involve some amount of interaction with a co-worker but wouldn’t require teenagers to handle customers or their complaints. To avoid any confusion with the role provided at the restaurant the teenagers should check for the job description before applying for it.
2. Stocker
As a stocker, a 16-year-old is responsible for arranging all the products and getting the merchandise ready for sale along with help in its display. other duties of a stocker might include doing an inventory of products and helping with cleaning the store.
Many stocker positions prefer high school diplomas and require an individual to be at least 18 years of age.
3. Cleaner
As a cleaner a 16-year-old might have to work washing windows, cleaning bathrooms, dusting, sweeping, mopping, collecting, and washing towels or linens.
If a teenager is comfortable with carrying out these duties, they can consider a cleaner job as it requires much less interaction with other people.
4. Tutor
Another job for 16 years old with social anxiety could be tutoring. Many children require distance studying. Here might be required to teach students over an online medium a subject that they excel in, and a student has a demand for.
Considering the nature of the job and duties of the teenager as a tutor that is very little scope for humiliation or rejection.
Many tutoring companies require you to be at least 18, but some do hire 16-year-old if they have the necessary skills.
5. Kennel assistant
16 years old who feel calm around animals and working with a pet as of kennel assistant or attended can consider a similar job profile.
Kennel assistants work at veterinary clinics, animal shelters and carry out duties such as helping bathe the pets, working and playing with their pets, feeding, and providing pets with water, cleaning cages.
Working at the kennel or shelter can also offer teenagers a future career as a vet or a pet groomer.
6. Library page
As a library page, a 16-year-old will spend most of their time working independently in the library shelf books, shelf reading, and keeping books and other materials where they belong.
Other responsibilities might include checking books, helping prepare the librarian for storytime and other events.
working as a page might be a great fit for that 16-year-old who is looking for a job that requires very little interaction with other people.
7. Childcare assistant
Childcare jobs may involve some amount of interaction with the parents but often 16-year-old with prior training and experience speak to the parents only when required.
8. Warehouse associate
Warehouse associates spend most of their time working independently and carrying out duties such as placing boxes, performing quality control, and moving products.
9. Work with a friend
16-year-olds with social anxiety can also consider starting up a business with their friends. Having the support of someone that they trust can make it easier for them to get comfortable interacting with strangers.
when teenagers with social anxiety try to search for jobs, they must keep in mind that avoiding interaction completely is not possible. Apart from that avoiding interaction might also not contribute to overcoming one fear of judgment, criticism, and rejection.
What is social anxiety experienced by some 16-year-olds?
16 years olds experiencing social anxiety might feel uncomfortable being in social situations to an extent that it hampers their daily functioning, it’s sometimes referred to as a social phobia.
They consider public spaces as potential spaces of humiliation and embarrassment. Social anxiety affects how a person Interact with the world around them.
Social anxiety can be differentiated from shyness. In that shyness does not affect an individual’s daily life and functioning, moreover shyness is short-lived.
On the other hand, social anxiety is persistent and negatively impacts various aspects of an individual’s life like their ability to work productively or even develop or maintain close bonds with people outside their family.
What are the symptoms of social anxiety experienced by some 16-year-olds?
The symptoms of social anxiety can be both physical and psychological.
The most significant physical symptoms of social anxiety are:
- Nausea
- Excessive sweating
- Shaking or trembling
- Light-headedness or feeling dizzy
- Increased heart rate
The psychological symptoms that individual experiences during a social anxiety attack are:
- Excessive and intensive worry about the social situation
- Worrying days or even weeks ahead of an important social event
- Trying to camouflage themselves in the background all we need to avoid the social situation on a whole
- The need for intoxication to face a social situation
- The constant worry of being observed by other people
- To avoid social contact an individual might also miss out on school or work.
In addition to these individuals with social anxiety may avoid social interactions such as asking another person a question when in doubt, potential job interviews, shopping call mom using public services like transport or washrooms, carrying out activities in public such as speaking or even eating in that matter.
How can 16-year-olds manage social anxiety using self-help techniques?
Lifestyle changes
Apart from therapy and medication what works best to manage social anxiety is certain lifestyle changes. These may include:
- Regular exercises
- Having a balanced diet,
- Socializing and talking to people about their anxiety,
- Journal writing to express and understand one’s feelings and
- Avoiding alcohol or drugs.
Take control of your breathing
It is normal for anxiety to bring about changes in your body, for instance, increased breathing. these changes often make an individual feel uncomfortable.
One can take control of this discomfort by carrying out a few simple steps such as holding one’s breath for two seconds and slowly letting it out through their mouth.
Repeating this step several times until one feels relaxed. This is most effective when one sits down in a comfortable position with their back straight.
Carry out progressive muscle relaxation
Research indicates that certain activities such as walking, or jogging can help in killing anxiety. Another effective technique to kill anxiety is progressive muscle relaxation.
Progressive muscle relaxation involves flexing and releasing a group of muscles in one’s body which helps to maintain their attention on the feelings of this contraction and relaxation.
Prepare ahead of situations
It is best advised that people who experience social anxiety must plan ahead of these situations that make them nervous to increase their confidence.
Start small
to kill social anxiety people must start small. Those individuals must avoid big social situations and start with the situation that they are compatible with.
For instance, one can start by going for lunch with friends and family members rather than with a set of individuals that they’re not familiar or confident with.
Push back negative thoughts
One very effective way to kill social anxiety is to focus and work on one’s negative thoughts actively.
Think about the negative thoughts that one has about a particular situation and write them down. Following which the person is required to write down positive thoughts that challenge the negative ones.
Sensory awareness
One’s senses can help them calm down while they feel anxious in any situation. For some people trying to look at photographs that give them a sense of happiness or using a particular scent that can help to distract them from the negative thoughts and reconnect with more positive ones can help to kill the anxiety at the moment.
How can 16-year-olds manage anxiety using other methods?
Like other physical conditions, even social anxiety has different approaches for its management and treatment. Some people might only need a single type of treatment while others might require a combination of approaches.
Some of the ways to manage are:
Cognitive-behavioral therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps an individual to control their anxiety by using strategies like relaxation and breathing. It works on the principles of replacing negative thoughts with positive ones.
Exposure therapy
Exposure therapy is a kind of therapy in which an individual is exposed to a particular situation that they usually fear in a graded manner.
It usually starts with exposing the individual to a situation that is least triggering when the individual gets comfortable with this situation introduced or exposed to them with each session individuals become comfortable with a real-life situation that is otherwise anxiety-provoking.
Group therapy
As the name suggests group therapy usually involves two or more individuals who are experiencing similar symptoms and problems.
It is based on the principle that when an individual interacts with other people who are suffering from the same condition or fears they might not feel left alone or isolated.
This kind of therapy also helps in developing and maintaining social skills or techniques to interact with people in other social settings.
Prescribed medication
Social anxiety can also be treated with the help of medication prescribed by a health professional. There are different types of anxiety medications each with its benefits and side effects.
Online therapy
Individuals with social anxiety can also seek therapy online. This would involve interacting with the therapist one-on-one over an audio or video call.
Conclusion
Although the number of employments accessible for individuals with anxiety is exceptionally restricted there are a couple of occupations that might allow 16-year-olds to overcome their fears and give a few sorts of budgetary steadiness that in turn makes strides their certainty.
Those who can’t carry out a steady life and have problems with financial steadiness can actively seek professional help.
Frequently asked questions
Can a 16-year-old have social anxiety?
Social anxiety affects about one out of three adolescents between 13 and 18 years of age. Over 19 million people across America tend to suffer from social anxiety. It is one of the most common anxiety disorders and the third most common mental health disorder in the country.
What is a good first job for someone with social anxiety?
Those looking for an entry-level job can consider taking up a tutor’s role as a starter. As it allows those with social anxiety to comfortably practice social interactions.
What kind of job should I get if I have social anxiety?
Individuals with social anxiety can take up various roles such as:
- Tutoring
- Kennel assistant
- Stocker
- Freelancing
- Librarian
- Warehouse assistant
Citation
https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/15-low-stress-jobs-for-people-with-anxiety
https://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/tips-for-living-with-social-anxiety