What is Social Anxiety Disorder?

What are the advantages of a person working as a nurse when they have a social anxiety disorder?

• I bet your first instinct is to say, "a nursing job is not a good job for someone with social anxiety disorder" and I do not blame you. In fact, I can think of one hundred reasons why the job may not be a good fit for someone who has a psychosocial impairment. However, I am not asking why an individual with social anxiety disorder should not be a nurse or why it is not a good match. The tricky part is trying to see the advantages or positive aspect as to why a nursing role may benefit an individual who has a psychosocial impairment but is on medication, and essentially functions along with any other person in society. This person may only have a few set backs, similar to someone who suffers from epilepsy or another illness. But all around appears healthy, mild mannered and intelligent. Kindly, do not waste your own time by answering if you are ignorant or unaware of mental health issues. Thank you for your time, and your thoughts! Most always interesting.

• Answer:

  Hello! I am a nursing undergraduate student with IBS, which has lead me to kind of have a "social anxiety disorder" because of me being afraid my symptoms will show. I still chose nursing as a major because: -As a nurse, you are the "one in charge" so to speak. If you are having a moment where you just need to get away from people for a minute, you can tell the patient or resident you will be right back and you can do that without being questioned. (Just don't be a surgery nurse! ;)) -In my experience, at my workplace (where nurses are present), they are constantly walking around, which may lesson your stress because you aren't surrounded by a group of people in a cubicle-like setting. -There are nursing jobs where you don't really have to deal with people. You could work for a nurse hotline for an insurance company, etc. etc. etc. -Even if you work at a hospital or nursing home, there is a lot of things nurses do that don't even have to deal with interaction. A huge part of their day consists of charting alone on a computer.