Francis, in her early 20s, is intelligent, motivated, conscientious and armed with glowing letters of recommendation about her schoolwork from her college professors. She’s the type of young woman who should be able to land and keep a job without breaking a sweat — if not for her debilitating social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia.
In high school, Francis was petrified at the prospect of talking with fellow students and would stall around the house in the morning because she didn’t want her father, Joseph, to drop her off at campus a moment before the first bell rang. Her crippling fear, which hasn’t wavered, has affected her job history, too. As a teenager, Francis, who lives in California, worked filing documents at a health care office but was too anxious to ask colleagues for direction. She later worked at three bakeries, decorating cakes. Though she didn’t have to deal with customers, interacting with co-workers and supervisors proved too stressful, and she believed colleagues were always talking about her and judging her harshly. Francis left each job after a few months. (Joseph shared his daughter’s story under the condition their last names not be used to protect her privacy.)
Landing a job that matches your interests, skills and temperament can be challenging under the best of circumstances. For the estimated 15 million American adults who struggle with social anxiety disorder, finding fulfilling employment is complicated by their condition, which is often accompanied by other issues, such as depression, alcoholism or drug addiction, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Social anxiety disorder is characterized by disproportionate fear of social and workplace situations and causes symptoms ranging from mild anxiety to heart-pounding dread. Physical manifestations include profuse sweating, confusion, difficulty talking, blushing, a fast heartbeat, upset stomach or nausea, dizziness, headaches, muscle tension, feelings of detachment and loss of self-control.
[See: Am I Just Sad — or Actually Depressed?]
These symptoms, as well as fears of being humiliated or judged harshly, can be intensified by a job interview, says A.J. J Marsden, an assistant professor of psychology at Beacon College in Leesburg, Florida. “It exacerbates that fear,” Marsden says. “They’re already hypersensitive to the fact they’re being judged. That hypersensitivity goes up to a new level, and if they say something they see as a mistake, they dwell on that and make more mistakes.” Normal job interview questions could cause people with social anxiety to “stammer and try to cut the interview short,” explains Stefan Hofmann, professor of psychology and director of the social anxiety program at the Center for Anxiety & Related Disorders at Boston University.
Even if a job candidate manages to overcome his or her anxiety and get the gig, “it could be a disaster, because then they’d have to start the job and meet new people, which can be excruciating for them,” Hofmann says. “It’s like going from bad to worse.”
There’s no doubt that finding, attaining and keeping a job can be challenging for people who grapple with social anxiety disorder, but there are approaches that can improve their chances of locating and maintaining fulfilling work. Experts recommend these strategies:
Carefully consider the type of job you want. If someone with social anxiety wants to avoid stress, he or she “isn’t going to work as a stock trader or an air traffic controller,” says Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist in New York City and author of the 2012 book “Be Fearless: Change Your Life in 28 Days.” People who want to keep their anxiety to a minimum can explore jobs that may not require much interaction with other people and could even allow working from home. Consider, for example, jobs in which one can work in relative solitude, such as writing, editing, accounting or telemarketing. People who like being outdoors could become a dog walker or trainer or try their hand at landscaping. People with social phobia who opt for a less stressful job should continue to work on their issues with a therapist, Alpert says. They may change their minds about the kind of job they want down the road if they get better.
[See: How to Find the Best Mental Health Professional for You.]
Look for a workplace culture that suits you. Target employers who promote and encourage independent work and individual contributions and who offer the flexibility to work from home, says Jessica Holbrook Hernandez, president and CEO of Great Resumes Fast, a resume writing service based in Jacksonville, Florida. “Culture fit will be the best indicator of long-term career satisfaction for job seekers with social anxiety,” she says.
Emphasize what you do best. “If working as part of a team isn’t a strength, that’s perfectly fine,” Hernandez says. “There’s an abundance of employers who are seeking dependable individual contributors who can thrive in an environment where they work independently, not needing to be micromanaged. When you write your resume, focus on your strengths. Possibilities might include taking the initiative, being a self-starter, thriving as an individual contributor, being task-oriented, never missing a deadline, the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously or impeccable writing skills. Instead of focusing on what you want to avoid — and what causes anxiety — focus on marketing your strengths and what you do very well.”
Prepare for the interview. People with social anxiety are disproportionately fearful of looking stupid or feeling humiliated, emotions that are exacerbated in job interviews. To mitigate such trepidation, ask a trusted friend or relative to help you prepare for the interview and provide honest feedback. Research the prospective employer, and have your partner portray an interviewer asking questions about how you would fit in at the company, what you could bring to the job and how you might handle certain situations. Study lists of frequently asked job interview questions that are available online. The better prepared you are, the less anxious you’re likely to be during the interview.
Structure your work environment in the healthiest way possible. Work with supervisors to modify your work day to produce less anxiety and increase productivity, suggest Dr. Vicki Knight, director of the mood program at Sierra Tucson, a residential treatment program in Tucson, Arizona, that treats mood disorders and other mental health conditions. For some, that might mean taking more frequent breaks during the work day to decrease stress. If you’re worried about a work meeting or function where there will be a large group of people, get there early so you can meet people one at a time, which is typically less stressful. If you have to converse with a group of colleagues, find a friendly face or two in the group and talk to them. Again, it’s usually easier to talk to individuals than a group. If the company has an employee assistance program, take advantage of the resources, which could include confidential referrals to a therapist.
[See: 9 Tips to Tame Work Stress.]
Maintain realistic expectations. Don’t expect to know everything about your new job on day one, remember you’ll likely have a learning curve and keep in mind your bosses understand this. “A lot of anxiety comes from uncertainties, over what others expect us to do or what is reasonable for us to expect of ourselves,” Knight says. “If we have more realistic perspectives and expectations about what we can reasonably accomplish, it can go a long way toward diminishing those feelings of anxiety. Getting feedback from co-workers and supervisors can be valuable to keep your expectations reasonable.”
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How People With Social Anxiety Can Find, Land and Keep a Rewarding Job originally appeared on usnews.com
