Help finding a career

As for jobs with SA, personally I'm always cautious about giving advice to posts such as yours on careers you can do with social anxiety - because I dont believe you should allow your life to be dictated by a treatable condition.

It may seem a great idea now to live a life avoiding social things as much as possible, but can you guarantee in 50 years time you'll be pleased that you never folllwed your dreams and instead allowed social anxiety to dictate you. Because that's what I see people doing, I see people to afraid by their own inbuilt fears to pursue anything they want that they just end up coasting through life..and that's fine if youre happy with that, but I'm not sure so many are especially those who wanted to do things but did not because of SA.

But how did I choose my career?

I dropped out of uni and took time to myself.

Kids now days are thrust through various forms of education and expected to intuitively know their desired career field or spend their years either choosing any job out of necessity or aimlessly drifting - or so the choices often seem here in the UK anyway.

It was when I was working the factory floor, -10 and bored out of my mind that my eyes were drawn to the people there, and the expression on their sunken faces. Especially the older people, who invariably knew they'd live life like this until they retired - but had always hoped for more - a hope that was ever fading. It was not that there was anything wrong with a good honest wage, but - I think it's inherent that most people want at least some sort of progression to show through life, and for many that comes from a good career.

I walked to my fathers side of the factory and pondered how he too had lived life depressed and unable to change his fortunes, uneducated and knowing he too would retire with a minimum wage job to show for his name.

And so my mind a drift I went out for a ciggarette and sat next to a dear family friend and work friend and asked her bluntly if she was happy here, and if she'd wished she had done more with her life.

Taking a long considered drag she said ' yes of course, If there's one thing I'd tell you or any youngins here it's that you never want to end up here when you're older unless you have to, your life is short but precious and you should always strive for your goals even if you fail, because it's better to be able to look your grand children in the eye and tell them you tried, then to say you never tried at all'.

And so that stuck with me - it was then I knew I had to figure out what I wanted from life. On the one hand society is very good at dictating what you should do, on the other - once you look past these meaningless invisible walls and dare to rise above your given status and afflictions in life -.the world is vast open and expansive and opportunities are there if only you dare to reach higher up the tree.

So I set about taking up voulntry positions and spent a good year to myself to really consider what I wanted from my life. And eventually I knew - I wanted to teach. I looked at my life, what I enjoyed doing, and if I could do anything what would it be? And it was then I knew. I think most people have a hidden dream, just society crushes it out of you.

I'm actually doing an IT course myself, and dont much care for it either, however its taking me where I need to go, so a suitable means to an end I'd say.

My advice would be to either try and take some time out to figure out what it is you want from life, or see where your chosen degree can take you, because the one good thing about IT is that it's very transferable, and if you can begin to gain focus and get over the programming components you'll at least leave with a transferable degree.

Of course moving subject is always an option too, however whilst rate of employment and wage are good factors to consider for a career I'd probably say you need a little more than that firing you up to progress as a doctor or dentist.

Another thing to consider is where you say your attention span and ability to focus are non existent, do you feel that's because of a lack of passion for the course or just in general? As you might end up with similar issues elsewhere

Anyway, I'm not sure how helpful this is advice wise, more a ramble I hope youd might find useful in someway, but I'm sure you'll get much better practical advice .

All I'd say is never be afraid to take your foot of the gas and assess your options, and good luck whatever you do.

/r/socialanxiety Thread