Do you work with the public?
- Thread starter knr9311
- Start date
BlueDays
1
For me it makes it worse.:sad:
Unfortunately most of the manufacturing jobs/companies where you didn't have to deal with the public, have moved off shore to the cheaper labour countries. :thumbdown:
I wish I had a talent for writing. I could stay in my house just writing for the rest of my life.
But these days you need to stand out from every other writer out there and produce top notch work to be published.
Unfortunately most of the manufacturing jobs/companies where you didn't have to deal with the public, have moved off shore to the cheaper labour countries. :thumbdown:
I wish I had a talent for writing. I could stay in my house just writing for the rest of my life.
But these days you need to stand out from every other writer out there and produce top notch work to be published.
I totally understand what you're saying about writing. In fact, I have started writing my own novel. Not sure that it will ever get published, but we'll see.
On the other hand, I think that working with the public has increased my people skills in certain ways. In some ways, it has made it worse.
On the other hand, I think that working with the public has increased my people skills in certain ways. In some ways, it has made it worse.
FriendlyShadow
Well-known member
Speaking of writing, I only ever accomplished to finish one short story which is 12 pages long. But what's draining about it is where the revision comes in and I have to keep revising my story to make it absolutely perfect. I'm not even sure if I'll ever get that one published.
Oddsallover
New member
I work at the front desk of a hotel and I find it easier to deal with people at work than when not at work. I guess it's just the idea of having control and staying busy. However if there is a lobby full of people waiting to check in or needing other things it gets very difficult to maintain the routine that I have gotten myself used to. I am so thankful that my boss knows and is understanding of my issues and lets me work the overnight shift so that I don't get overwhelmed and freak out. I tried to hide my anxiety from her at first, but I had a panic attack once when she was there so I had to come clean. I thought I would lose my job but she was very nice and also interested as to "how the hell someone with social phobia works in a public place!" lol.
IntheLabyrinth
Well-known member
I also work at the front desk of a hotel. I agree but I think it's because it is all superficial, rehearsed conversations. They rarely ask me personal questions or things that are going to embarrass me. People are always asking me how someone with SA can handle it. It's because we have to eat! I had a panic attack a few times in the beginning in front of my boss too so I had to tell him why I needed to wipe my face with a towel because I was drenched with sweat after making a tiny error. I think it takes all my energy, and by the end of the day I am exhausted. I'd rather have a job that didn't deal with the public. One with just a couple of co-workers that I am comfortable with sounds perfect.
very_shy
Well-known member
I work in the library for the last five years. Yes, it helped my social anxiety a bit, but on the other side I feel still uncofmortable around people younger than me, like the kids.
And dealing with public at work means I need peace at home, so I do not go anywhere, because I have enough social interaction at work. I do not call anyone, do not have this need anymore. Once my colleague asked me why I did not call him the whole summer, I replied because I was tired of people. I feel I am stagnating in this way, like I am zero outside my work.
And dealing with public at work means I need peace at home, so I do not go anywhere, because I have enough social interaction at work. I do not call anyone, do not have this need anymore. Once my colleague asked me why I did not call him the whole summer, I replied because I was tired of people. I feel I am stagnating in this way, like I am zero outside my work.
Opaline
1
I hear you... I've had a few service jobs and yes in some ways they are good practice, but also yes they can make some aspects of your anxiety worse. It's to the point now where I dread having to work at all, I get butterflies in my stomach before my shift starts and by the time my day's done I feel like I've been through a war :/
I have actually found most of my coworkers and the public to be decent and mature. Out of every hundred interactions or so there are usually one or two truly unpleasant people (my blood pressure rises when someone is angry). When this happens it helps to remember good interactions, even though our brains seem to prefer remembering the bad. If anxiety paralyzes me now, I attribute it less to my own deficiencies, and more to the normal tension of the human condition. I guess time and meeting lots of people has improved my mood.
Odo
Banned
I used to be an ESL teacher.
It's good in some ways because you get lots of practice with your public speaking skills and after a while you have no problem speaking in front of the students.
But sometimes I would have really bad days where I felt like I was on the verge of a very public, very humiliating and very painful meltdown... and when you're up in front of people with all of their eyes focused on you, it's not always a good feeling. Sometimes I would be in the middle of explaining something, look out into the class and realize that I could easily have a breakdown at any moment and was just barely holding it together... and all the while my body was on autopilot, explaining things in my normal teacherly way.
But there was at least one time where I needed to sit down and could NOT stand up until everyone had left the room... that was really bad. I felt like if I stood up I would have easily fallen down or passed out or something... I was having a really rough go of it and there were some students who had been acting up and being really nasty to me and I was at my wit's end.
So yeah, I'm not sure that exposure therapy is always the way to 'cure' SA. But on the other hand, I do think it's easier for me to handle conversations now and my social skills are sharper, even if my anxiety levels are still high.
It's good in some ways because you get lots of practice with your public speaking skills and after a while you have no problem speaking in front of the students.
But sometimes I would have really bad days where I felt like I was on the verge of a very public, very humiliating and very painful meltdown... and when you're up in front of people with all of their eyes focused on you, it's not always a good feeling. Sometimes I would be in the middle of explaining something, look out into the class and realize that I could easily have a breakdown at any moment and was just barely holding it together... and all the while my body was on autopilot, explaining things in my normal teacherly way.
But there was at least one time where I needed to sit down and could NOT stand up until everyone had left the room... that was really bad. I felt like if I stood up I would have easily fallen down or passed out or something... I was having a really rough go of it and there were some students who had been acting up and being really nasty to me and I was at my wit's end.
So yeah, I'm not sure that exposure therapy is always the way to 'cure' SA. But on the other hand, I do think it's easier for me to handle conversations now and my social skills are sharper, even if my anxiety levels are still high.
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I also agree that the conversations are usually rehearsed. Although, at my work some of the customers like a little more interaction. A job that I don't have to deal with a bunch of people and work with just a couple people is hopefully what I'll get by the end of August. I hope.
Yes, I am a server/waiter at a restaurant. I think it can be helpful with SA.
You do have the chance to speak with strangers who you will often times never see again. That kind of gives you a chance to look at each table as a "new start" to try new things.
But on the other hand, there are some groups (usually kids my age) that flair my anxiety up pretty bad. Mainly because I feel that kids/young adults are much, much more judgmental compared to older adults. When I think about that, along with the fact I am basically on stage in front 2, 3, 4+ people who are judging me, it doesn't help and it isn't fun..
However, other jobs that I have had working with the public (ie. fast food, retail) were no problem for me.
You do have the chance to speak with strangers who you will often times never see again. That kind of gives you a chance to look at each table as a "new start" to try new things.
But on the other hand, there are some groups (usually kids my age) that flair my anxiety up pretty bad. Mainly because I feel that kids/young adults are much, much more judgmental compared to older adults. When I think about that, along with the fact I am basically on stage in front 2, 3, 4+ people who are judging me, it doesn't help and it isn't fun..
However, other jobs that I have had working with the public (ie. fast food, retail) were no problem for me.
AlienGeranium
Well-known member
I work in a kitchen, so not with the public, but I've found simply working with people has i,proved things for me. Specifically, when I was promoted to cook which requires a lot more communication. I was actually really scared to become one because I didn't think I would be able to handle it, but to my surprise I didn't have much difficulty adjusting. I'm still very quiet, but I feel I am able to handle more than I once was able to.
PugofCrydee
You want to know how I got these scars?
Yea I do work with the public. I tend to put on my 'work mask/hat' lol.
Having said that I've found work is a good place to put things I've learned into practice in trying to cope/improve my anxiety etc.
Of course some days are better than others, but I have learned to cope a lot better with most situations.
Having said that I've found work is a good place to put things I've learned into practice in trying to cope/improve my anxiety etc.
Of course some days are better than others, but I have learned to cope a lot better with most situations.
IntheLabyrinth
Well-known member
Good Luck! I hope I find something just like that.
Panhead901
Member
I work as a cashier and will soon be working at a call center, I don't think it's really helped me much to be honest. I pretty much just go into customer mode when having to deal with them and pretty much just recite whatever lines I'm supposed to.