10 Worst Jobs for People with Anxiety and Panic Attacks

These 10 worst jobs for people with anxiety and panic attacks are the absolute no-go for people suffering from them.

If you are suffering from an anxiety disorder and looking for a job, a good starting point would be a list of 10 Low-Stress Jobs for People with Anxiety and Depression Disorder. But before you go there, first read about the jobs you should stay away from.

There is plenty of advice out there telling people not to let their disorder limit their job search, and if you can do that, kudos to you. But unfortunately, it isn’t possible for everyone. There are people who have to take into consideration the level of stress and human interaction at a job and determine what is the acceptable level for them. If your job is triggering your panic attacks on a daily basis, there’s not much point in sticking to it, not to mention you’ll probably get fired. This doesn’t mean that you should let the anxiety win; there are so many things to do and see out there in the world and you don’t want to miss them by staying in your bed all day. Just be careful and don’t hesitate to consult with your doctor about any job you are interested in.

To determine the list of 10 worst jobs for people with anxiety and panic attacks, we took a look at a list by VeryWell and crossed it with the list of the most stressful jobs of 2016 at the CareerCast. The two things most of these jobs have in common are a high level of interaction with other people and huge levels of stress. It isn’t uncommon for people who don’t suffer from anxiety disorders to develop one while working on them. We tried to concentrate on the most common jobs on the market, the ones you encounter almost daily and have dropped the more exotic ones, like an airline pilot.

Of course, these aren’t set in stone. Anxiety disorders come in many shape and sizes, and the only person who can tell whether you would be able to perform on a job is yourself. A standup comedian sounds like a terrible career choice for people with anxiety and panic attacks, but it doesn’t mean it is an impossible goal, just a very hard to achieve one. Given enough time and preparation, that dream can be reached. Starting with something smaller and less demanding on your disorders and gradually working your way up sounds like a sound plan. Don’t be afraid to take small risks, but also don’t hesitate to admit that some things just aren’t for you. Now let’s see our list of worst jobs for people with anxiety and panic attacks.

10. Police Officer

Police officers interact with criminals on a daily basis. If talking to ordinary people is a difficult task, imagine having to deal with a large tattooed gang member with prior convictions for violence.

9. Enlisted Military Personnel

Combat is definitely not a place for panic attacks. People who aren’t prone to them commonly experience them during a firefight, so it is a definitely one to avoid for people who suffer from them regularly.

8. Firefighter

A house fire is one of the most stressful situations you could find yourself in. Now imagine that you are responsible not just for putting it out, but for saving everyone inside it.

7. Waiting staff

People can be very rude to waiters and servers, most of the time for things that aren’t their fault.

6. Taxi Driver

Alone with a strange customer in a dark alley, confined inside a taxi, is the last place a person suffering from panic attacks to find themselves in.

5. Broadcaster

In fact, anything that involves live performance should be avoided for people with anxiety and panic attacks. The stress of having to perform in front of an audience can be overwhelming.

4. Managers and Corporate Executives

Managing other people is a very tough job requirement and not for everyone.

3. Middle and High School Teacher

Kids can be very cruel and unforgiving and are very quick to exploit any perceived weakness. Plus, teaching, that indeed is one of the worst jobs for people with anxiety and panic attacks, has a component of live performance in front of a bunch of teenagers who are most of the time not very interested in what you have to say. Then, there are parents to deal with.

2. Cashier

We all have witnessed at least once in our life a disgruntled customer yelling at a cashier and taking out all of their frustration on them. Just imagine yourself behind that register in that moment.

1. Salesperson

On the top of our list of 10 worst jobs for people with anxiety and panic attacks is a salesperson. Not only you have to interact with a large number of people and convince them to buy your product, but most of these jobs are commission-based, meaning that your earnings are tied up to your performance, adding another level of stress you don’t need.