Jobs for 16 year olds with social anxiety

It’s easy for anxiety to get in the way of our daily lives. When it comes to teenagers, there are already sporadic hormones to contend with that having anxiety can make them feel as though they’re spiraling out of control. Still, there are jobs for teens with anxiety that can help them feel more in control.

For those who find themselves in this situation, we’re here to help you seek out low stress jobs as well as ways to manage your anxiety so you may live a healthier life.

Quick Rundown

If you don’t have time to browse our full discussion yet, here’s a quick breakdown of some key topics:

What is the best job for someone with anxiety?

Some of the best jobs for teens with anxiety include jobs that have limited social interactions. This includes working in a library, offering one-on-one tutoring services, working with animals (e.g. dog walker, assistant to a groomer), graphic designer, and more similar jobs.

What is the easiest job for a teenager?

Office jobs come easy for teenagers, especially for those with anxiety. They can be a good head-start to a further career. It’s things like working as a secretary or an assistant, being a mail clerk or file clerk, tutoring jobs, dog walking, or pet sitting.

How do I get a job with anxiety?

A good start is understanding your anxiety and learning your limitations. This way, you know exactly what type of jobs to seek and just how much social interaction you’re able to handle. From there, work on a plan of action like prepping for potential interviews so you know what to expect.

What is a good career for someone with social anxiety?

For someone with social anxiety, there are a few good career paths. Things, where you work alone or remotely from home, are worth getting into. This includes being a data entry clerk, transcriptionist, writer, web developer, graphic designer, programmer, IT manager, and editor.

Teens and Anxiety

For teens with anxiety, getting through school or day-to-day life can seem like a chore at times. Never mind trying to get a job so you can start making your own money.

There are ways to work with your anxiety though. It starts with learning more about it as well as ways to treat and manage it so that it doesn’t interfere as much.

Causes

There are a few common causes of anxiety, but some are specific to teenagers and young adults. Because of that, it can be tough sometimes to narrow down the exact cause. So, it’s best to take things on an individual basis and speak with a healthcare provider to better understand everything.

Even so, here are some known causes that can lead to anxiety:

• Hormone Changes: Although hormonal changes can occur at different stages in life, it’s obvious in teenagers. The heightened estrogen in females and testosterone in males can increase emotional responses. Combined with stress, and it can easily lead to anxiety.
• Body Changes: Besides hormones, a teenager’s body is ever-changing, and these changes can cause some mild to severe stress from vocal shifts in males to the pain that can come with a female’s menstrual cycle. Many teens can worry that their body is too awkward or going through too many changes in a short amount of time. There’s also the development of sex organs that create heightened emotions that can translate to anxiety.
• General Stress: Teenagers are naturally going through stressful situations from school performance, to socializing, and any extra activities such as school clubs and sports. Some can manage it all, but it’s common for many to feel overwhelmed with the prospects before them. This has a chance of leading to anxiety.

Symptoms

There are some obvious signs to look out for in yourself or in others that are good indicators of anxiety. Recognizing these signs is a good start to accepting the anxiety and soon accepting treatment.

Some of the emotional symptoms include:

• Unable to cope with criticism
• Obsessively worrying something bad will happen
• Panic attacks
• Fear of making mistakes or failing
• Being unreasonably angry or cranky
• Random crying

There are behavioral symptoms as well to look for:

• Distancing from friends and family
• Avoiding school or activities
• Not socializing often (especially if they socialized before)
• Doesn’t participate in class
• Compulsive behavior

Other signs to look for are physical symptoms:

• Insomnia or trouble staying asleep
• Distracted or hyperactive (without an ADHD diagnosis)
• Headaches
• Change in eating habits
• Excessive sweating
• Stomachaches
• Muscle tension

Of course, not everyone will experience the same symptoms. Even so, these are good signs to watch out for, especially if they’re sudden or frequent.

Treatment and Management

Not treating anxiety can have a lasting effect in teens. There’s a strong chance that their symptoms can worsen. This can lead to poor performance in school and other activities, as well as making it difficult to find and keep jobs for teens with anxiety.

So, it’s important to see a doctor to get a proper diagnosis. This way, it’ll be easier to determine if it’s just anxiety or if it’s an anxiety disorder such as social anxiety or even separation anxiety.

If it is general anxiety, then there are some good management skills that family and friends can assist with.

Ensure that teens get plenty of rest. This helps restore both the mind and the body, and this can lead to lower stress levels.

Also, connecting with loved ones is a good way to help with anxiety. This can allow a teen to feel more supportive and cared for.

Of course, seek help from a professional as they can offer further guidance as to what can be done at home.

If the anxiety is severe and the symptoms are completely interfering with everything in their life, then doctors and family can look toward therapy sessions.

Talk therapy is a safe route. There are many types such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that can help teens understand their emotions better and learn to regulate them in healthier ways.

Not all therapy works for every individual, so it is important to discuss this thoroughly with a professional to determine which therapy is best.

Those suffering with social anxiety may feel comforted to know that you don’t even have to see a therapist in person. There are online therapy sessions that teens can take advantage of, giving the freedom to share their concerns in a safe space they feel most comfortable in. Some organizations may even have text-only therapy for teens who feel more comfortable typing their feelings than speaking them.

Sometimes, teens need a bit more help managing severe symptoms of anxiety. If this is the case, the teen in question, parents/guardians, and healthcare professionals should all discuss the benefits (and concerns) that come with taking medication.

There are some antidepressants approved for use in adolescents to manage some anxiety symptoms. These do come with risks, so again, it’s vital to have a thorough discussion with a doctor before going this route.

Working with Anxiety

Despite feeling overly stressed to the point that it interferes with your life, there are still jobs for teens with anxiety out there. You just have to find the right one.

Ideal Job

The ideal job for teens with anxiety is one that doesn’t place a lot of stress on them. Thankfully, there are many low stress jobs that will help.

When we speak of these types of jobs, we mean occupations where the work is either solitary, or there is minimal socializing. This way, teens can focus just on the task at hand rather than their racing, anxious thoughts. It’s especially useful for those with social anxiety.

Also, we speak of jobs that aren’t too difficult for a teenager to handle. As such, always focus on choosing a job you are not just comfortable with, but one that you have the right skills for.

It’s easy to get excited about a perspective job, only to feel the anxiety build back up when it involves a skill you may not yet have.

Finding something too far out of your comfort zone can do the opposite in helping you gain control over your anxiety.

Jobs to Consider

Keep in mind your interest when searching for jobs. If you are good with pets, then a nice job to take up is dog walking or pet sitting. It’s easy for younger teenagers to do too.

Older teens can even consider working in a veterinary office. If working at a front desk appears too stressful, you can always ask if they’re looking for assistance to help with clean up and the animals.

Animals are also known to have a calming effect on people. Doing any animal-related job may help anxious teens feel more at ease.

Don’t like animals? There are plenty of other low stress jobs available.

If teens are doing good in a particular subject in school, tutoring is a good option. It’s a nice way to normalize some socialization, but on a smaller scale that isn’t overwhelming.

Plus, it can help teenagers hone their own skills and keep their grades up.

Teenagers can also seek out something that’s quiet. Places like a library or even a small doctor’s office are good areas to check out, and they may be willing to hire teenagers for certain work.

For the library, this can include putting away books, DVDs, etc. that are checked in. At an office environment, doctor or otherwise, teens may get secretarial work or an assistant position to a secretary.

Teenagers that want to be more hands-on labor-wise can seek out landscaping opportunities. This can be something as simple as mowing lawns, or it can be doing more things around the yard if you have the experience with it.

It’s a job that younger teens can do as well. Meanwhile, older teens might even seek out landscaping companies who are willing to hire adolescents.

During summertime (or year-round if you live in warmer areas), a good position to seek out is lifeguard duty. It’s great for those who enjoy being around water, and it requires minimal socializing unless needed. Plus, it keeps teens outside, and getting fresh air is a good way to lower anxiety.

Remote Work

There are some teens out there who simply can’t handle or don’t want to work out in public, and that’s perfectly fine. If staying inside at a familiar location makes anxiety feel better, then that is the proper option.

A good remote job to look for is one that has to do with computers. For teens good with technology, web design or programming is a comfortable and challenging path to go down. Coding is another great job source, and if you don’t know how to do it, there are many programs that will teach you so you can gain the skill.

Other remote work to consider involves writing. If you feel you’re good at it, you can always kick off a blog. This isn’t an instant way to make money, but if your blog gets popular enough, it can lead to advertisements and eventual income.

For those interested in creating fictional worlds, perhaps head over to sites like Wattpad that has launched many young authors into stardom.

Keep in mind your skills and get to searching the internet for what you like to do to see if there are any available remote jobs and if you meet the minimum age requirement for them.

Where to Find Work

It’s easy to go the traditional route when searching for work by looking for “Help Wanted” signs around where you live.

If this doesn’t seem appealing, then you can hit the internet. There are many places to search for jobs such as on job board sites like Indeed. It’s easy to narrow down your search too, finding jobs that are both within your city as well as remote work.

You can even check out places designed to help teens with anxiety find work. There are even websites geared toward finding remote work for those with mental health concerns like anxiety.

Places like that can help teens feel a little less alone and a little more in control of the type of work they can find.

Takeaway

Anxiety is an unfortunate part of life. Sometimes, it can help us focus on what’s important. In most cases, it can cause us to lose focus as well as experience any number of symptoms that interferes with our daily life.

For teenagers, those feelings can be completely overwhelming. Anxiety occurs during a time where teens are already experiencing mood swings and bodily changes. The stress of all this and school can make their anxiety worse.

Still, that doesn’t mean there is no help available. There are ways to treat and manage anxiety so that adolescents can lead a better life and properly prepare for adulthood, and this includes seeking work.

Getting the first job is nerve-wracking enough, and if you already have anxiety, it can feel like you might never get the opportunity to earn your own money while still in your teen years. Being sometimes challenging doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

There are jobs for teens with anxiety available whether you’re working outside the home or inside remotely. Keep your skills (and age) in mind when looking, but you are sure to find something that can help improve your confidence and get you one step closer to conquering your anxiety for good.

Sources

• Anxiety medications for teens: Treatment options for your child. (2018, May 29). Psycom.net – Mental Health Treatment Resource Since 1996. [online, retrieved March 9, 2022]
• How to teach programming to teenagers. (2020, July 2). freeCodeCamp.org. [online, retrieved March 9, 2022]
• Khan, G. (n.d.). Does your teen need therapy? Here are the best services. Healthline. [online, retrieved March 9, 2022]
• Understanding separation anxiety in teenagers to conquer it. (2021, August 6). TeenWire.org. [online, retrieved March 9, 2022]
• Which talk therapies work best with teens and children? (2018, August 14). Psychology Today. [online, retrieved March 9, 2022]

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