# I don't understand how introverted people handle jobs



## jman128 (Jan 31, 2012)

I don't think I could even deal with hanging out with my friends for 8 hours every day.


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## ScorchedEarth (Jul 12, 2014)

Without getting into detail, I've done an 8-hour job with *lots* of people around (and occasional talking with customers) and it was fine because I could sort of zone out and autopilot most of the time. Getting the job was the hard part. I'm about as introverted as they come.


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## iCod (Feb 17, 2015)

I wonder this as well. How the hell do people on here (who suffer from SA) Get and even hold jobs, where you have to talk and deal with people?
I get nervous talking to my own family, how the **** am I going to deal with strangers and co-workers?

Maybe I'll just live up to the stereotype and be a government welfare leech, because there is no way I'm getting a job with my crippling SA....


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## nubly (Nov 2, 2006)

Survival. Sometimes you just have to face your fears and do what needs to be done.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## crimeclub (Nov 7, 2013)

It's not easy, facing 8 hours a day is ****ing hard. The first couple hours aren't so bad, but then you start losing your energy and then "resting b****-face" sets in, and you just want to avoid everyone, and when they notice that kind of stuff it makes you feel even more exhausted, then you go the last couple hours being a weird quiet a**hole to everyone. Then you get home, give a big sigh of relief, and lay in bed with your laptop.


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## andy0128 (Dec 19, 2003)

It's best to not get too familiar with people unless they seem really cool. The rest you should be polite to. Say good morning, good evening and try and smile at from time to time. Besides that be careful what you say as some people will find the tiniest excuse to make your life hell. Some days are tough, but it gets easier with experience i find.


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## visualkeirockstar (Aug 5, 2012)

nubly said:


> Survival. Sometimes you just have to face your fears and do what needs to be done.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Pretty much this.


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## twitchy666 (Apr 21, 2013)

*why is armed forces so sociable?*

why do footballers hug & kiss all the time in a game, & before & after?

is it because they have a lot of money? So they are fragile, dainty old grannies


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## Jack365 (Jan 25, 2013)

crimeclub said:


> It's not easy, facing 8 hours a day is ****ing hard. The first couple hours aren't so bad, but then you start losing your energy and then "resting b****-face" sets in, and you just want to avoid everyone, and when they notice that kind of stuff it makes you feel even more exhausted, then you go the last couple hours being a weird quiet a**hole to everyone. Then you get home, give a big sigh of relief, and lay in bed with your laptop.


Lol haha yeah you're right about that. First few hours are ok then all the sudden you're like "I want to leave" but you can't 'cause you need the dough. Oh how sweet it is.


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## Strychine (Jul 7, 2015)

I thought I couldn't do it either, and now here I am working 10h shifts 5 days a week!
I do get my ups-and-downs every day though, either I am super quiet or I all pumped up and happy


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## jesse93 (Jun 10, 2012)

You kind of just get use to it as time goes on, at first you feel all awkward and want to quit because you don't fit in with anyone, but then time goes by and people get use to seeing your presence and it gets easier to handle, I mean it still sucks. I hate 8 hour shifts, because it feels like I spend my whole day working just go home for a couple of hours to just chill out after the long day, only to have to go to bed and do it again the next day. You kind of just go on autopilot, it becomes something you have to do, so you do it. It's the days where you mess up or make a fool of yourself that are terrible. Those days seem to go on forever, and all you wanna do is run away from the problem, but you can't.


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## silentstruggle (Jul 16, 2014)

I don't understand it either. I used to work 5 days a week, 8 hour shifts and it was ****ing hell. I seriously could NOT handle it. Everyday I told myself this was the day I'm out of here. Eventually I did it and quit. I felt terrible but it was better than suffering everyday. I don't know how people can get used to it. 

You are ****ing lucky if you can.


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## Hayman (Dec 27, 2014)

I've been in the working environment for the past 14 years. Over those years, I've held two jobs. The first one was for a fraction over nine years and my current (second) job, I’m just coming up for five years. You could say my situation when it comes to employment is relatively stable by modern standards of people chopping and changing every few years.

How have I held my positions for so long? I don’t know. You tell me. It could be just pure luck, or it could be that I can 'hide' my SA reasonably well from others. I can put on 'false' confidence to try and appear more normal which has some effect, but not quite enough to avoid the usual daily snubbing or relentless criticisms/probing questions people with SA who work have to endure. Not many months pass by where I don't feel like just standing up and walking out, but I'd have to deal with the financial consequences of being out of work – and believe me, that’s even worse. I loathe most of the people who I've ever worked with and I’m pretty sure the same people have felt the same way about me. I just keep my head down, do my work, only speak when spoken to (saves 'ammunition' being fired in your direction if you attempt to start a conversation – and fail) and go home at the end of another grueling day. I've worked for so long now that I've heard just about every conceivable insult and false accusation aimed at me. It's becoming like water off a ducks back to me, now. At school I was snubbed or made to feel three inches tall. The situation at work is exactly the same. I'm used to it.

Basically, I have to cope. I have to make myself ill and work. Why? Well, put it this way. Both my father’s salary and my salary combined is just about enough to keep us 'existing'. It keeps a roof over our heads. I have to literally make myself ill by working to keep us in a house. If I didn't work, the situation would be almost untenable. I don't know what the heck I'm supposed to do when he retires in just over two years time. I will literally be working to purely cover domestic bills. There will be pretty much nothing left over for 'luxuries' such as food or drink. He's considering carrying on for a bit, but that's only really delaying the inevitable struggle. 

Barring the first few months of my working career back in 2001, I've never had the pleasure of a working day which has lasted for less than nine hours – never mind eight. Nine hours has been the bare minimum. This doesn't include the daily early starts or the semi-regular late finishes. My average working week is around the 48 hour mark. 

I don't want to work, but I have to. Believe me, if I ever come into a serious amount of money, or even enough money that would see me financially secure for say, the next 10 or 15 years, my resignation would be handed in quicker than I could blink and you wouldn't see me for dust. One of my only ambitions in life is to save as much as I can so I can retire earlier than the retirement age. As I don't waste money on socialising, I can save more than the average person. All this goes into a bank account I have set to one side which is purely there to be a retirement fund. Again, as soon as there's enough there to see me through to state pension age (even if it's only going to help me by for a matter of a few months or a year), my notice will be handed in. 

There was a time when you worked to live. Sadly in today's economic climate, it seems we now have to live to solely work. Working to me is like being in an 'Open Prison'. It's not something I want to spend every second of my life doing. I’m not a lazy person by any means. I don't even think it's the work that I object to. It's people who I don't like. Sadly, there isn't jobs available for people like us who are perfectly happy keeping ourselves to ourselves.

This is what the government and employers simply don't grasp the concept of.


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## acidicwithpanic (May 14, 2014)

You've just got to find the right jobs. But of course that's easier said than done these days.


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## My Name Isnt Dave (Jun 23, 2015)

Find a job where you work alone. 
I have one like that, and its amazing.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## feels (Jun 18, 2010)

Well, I don't really feel like I have much of a choice. I either deal with it or ****ing die I guess lol. But yeah it's better when you can find a good fit for you. Like, I hate retail but I love working at a restaurant. People are always gonna be exhausting to deal with, and some days are harder than others, but it becomes routine and gets easier with time. It's nice when you have cool coworkers too.


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## Lasair (Jan 25, 2010)

I work 7 12hour shifts a fortnight. It is difficult at times and very tiring. My days off are usually spend in bed or alone recovering. I love my job, wouldn't give it up for the world and that helps too.


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## LeviiStar (Jul 13, 2015)

We don't. 

Or, we find ways to earn money without having to leave the house/talk to people.

(I'm a freelance web designer and love it!)


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## fonz (Oct 15, 2008)

My Name Isnt Dave said:


> Find a job where you work alone.
> I have one like that, and its amazing.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


What do you do?


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## EmotionlessThug (Oct 4, 2011)

It's compatible for them, just like socializing, freaking NSA robots


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## My Name Isnt Dave (Jun 23, 2015)

fonz said:


> What do you do?


I don't want to say specifically, but I work in a production based plant. There are many departments, and I am lucky enough to be in one that only requires one worker!


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## bluegc8 (May 17, 2014)

I think that after awhile, people get used to you being quiet. As long as you do your job well then people will leave you alone...for the most part.


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## MaePa (Jul 1, 2015)

For the most part, I can handle "business" interactions just fine. Basically, I'd categorize any situation where the intended outcome is something besides social gain. I may get anxiety over making a phone call, but eventually I'll get around to it because I needed to make that call to maybe pay a bill. This is pretty much what work is. It's a necessity to survive and make a living to help my family where I can, so for the good of my family and my co-workers/higher-ups/etc, I suck it up and just deal with whatever discomfort I have. Although, I've lucked out and my last couple of jobs have involved minimal interpersonal activity, which is nice.


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## LadyApathy (Dec 2, 2014)

crimeclub said:


> It's not easy, facing 8 hours a day is ****ing hard. The first couple hours aren't so bad, but then you start losing your energy and then "resting b****-face" sets in, and you just want to avoid everyone, and when they notice that kind of stuff it makes you feel even more exhausted, then you go the last couple hours being a weird quiet a**hole to everyone. Then you get home, give a big sigh of relief, and lay in bed with your laptop.


 Lol yup, this is me too whenever I work an 8 hour shift and let me just say my resting ***** face game is strong xD
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## LadyApathy (Dec 2, 2014)

My Name Isnt Dave said:


> Find a job where you work alone.
> I have one like that, and its amazing.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Lucky!! What type of job is it? I need one like that asap.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## JamesM2 (Aug 29, 2012)

You gotta do what you gotta do. I just try and keep a low profile, and focus on my work, but this can prove quite difficult when you are surrounded by a whole lot of rowdy extroverts chatting and goofing off. Luckily they tend to be morning people, so they come in and leave earlier than I do, which means the last couple of hours of the day are generally more peaceful.


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## thinkstoomuch101 (Jun 7, 2012)

I work as a medical contractor and work in different parts of the country, sometimes i'll have contracts in Alaska, Hawaii, Virgin Islands or Canada. They last for 13 weeks. When the contract is over i have the choice to extend or go elsewhere.

I tried working full time on a few occasions, and i have finally came to accept that i can't. Day in and day out, the politics, the cattiness (nurses and female co-workers in general), etc. I learned that nurses/females in general just can't come in, do their job and leave.. No, many of them have crappy home lives (which is why they are nurses - they are "care takers" so they pick loser-boyfriends or husbands) then come into work and take it out on their CNA's (certified nursing assistants) or each other.

Then you have the "pat on the head-seekers".. They spend their entire days, back stabbing, manipulating, etc. just to get that "special smile" from the physicians and higher ups.

It's not just one place, it's in every single facility i've worked. *Same clowns, different circus.*

When i worked full time, i would be driving down the street every day, and start getting depressed. I'd look up and there's the same damn hospital, with the same damn depressed, crusty looking personnel, playing the same damn silly games, etc. They try to get me involved in their petty games, i shut down, the depression sets in, and i have to bail.

I sometimes get this vibe on the forum that "people who work - don't "really" have SA". Yeah.. of course we do.

I have SA - but i have to survive. thus, i can't let this disease come between me and my paycheck.

I've just found a creative way that works for me to do so.


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## plastics (Apr 11, 2010)

Survival is the only reason I've had jobs. I had one for 4 years, until I couldn't handle that one anymore. Now I have another one I just started that I can't handle. But I still go in every day unfortunately.


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## Packwolf (Oct 20, 2014)

My job personality is very different from my true personality. I am an introvert and am very shy but when I'm on the job I can get around that. The difference is talking to people on a professional level instead of a personal one. Not to mention my job is 85% customer service.

I'm very happy with it, too. I think these forced interactions have helped improve my SA over time. It's still awful, but no longer crippling like it was.


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