I don't want a job

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I've never had a job and I'm terrified of getting one, I have really bad anxiety and other mental problems aswell as aspergers. The smallest things stress me out - after I've cleaned my room I feel like punching someone. And even the smallest tasks seem extremely complicated for me, I wish I could just stay at school all my life. what should I do?

Honestly, not trying to be glib, you should probably get a job. If you don't at least try it, you'll never know for sure and will just worry yourself sick.

Avoid high stress jobs such as waiting tables or bar tender work, and maybe apply to work in a quiet shop/library, or behind the scenes somewhere.

If you can handle school, you can handle a job - you'll just need to figure out what you could enjoy doing. For me, it's always been critical that I really, really like the work. If I love what I'm doing, then the other people I have to be around don't bother me so much. Even better if it's something I can do in a room by myself, without someone always checking up on me. My old job was like that and I did it for years. Sat in a room alone, playing music and talking to myself (on the radio). And they paid me for that.

What I do now (tattooing) actually requires me to talk to people, sit next to them and even touch them (thank goodness I get to wear latex gloves), but once I get started, I get so wrapped up in the work, I don't even notice the stupid people any more. Honestly, since it involves me poking them with needles, they're more nervous than I am. Next thing I know, it's done and they're leaving and thanking me for hurting them.

I would never have guessed you were a tattoo artist... if I thought about it at all, I would have said 'accoutant' or something (dunno where I got that from though...profile pic maybe)

(Sorry that was a bit odd). I seriously considered tattooing in high school. I'd be too afraid of botching up the job though; it's not like paper where you can just start over or rub it out...

Hey, if you dig school then STAY! If you like school, you're probably rather good at it and might qualify for some scholarship or grants too! Keep on going, move up through the degrees, get Master's and PhD and before you know it, you'll have a career in academia. Might be in research or as a prof or a substitute or even a university specialist of some kind.

You'll probably find teaching easier than you think since you don't need to make eye contact if you don't want to and you're mostly lecturing and answering the odd question. Heck, check it out!

<That profile pic is an official USPS Charlie Chaplin 'The Little Tramp' commemorative stamp. A Tramp Stamp. Get it?

Oh, BTW - the actual name for the much maligned lower back tattoo - 'Vanity Belt'




That's why you spend months apprenticing under an experienced professional, practicing on grapefruits, honeydew melons, latex foam pads and finally tomatoes, before you ever touch actual human skin. It also helps to spend some time studying up on your dermatology, so you understand exactly what you're doing when you inject ink between layers of skin tissue. And why in most cases, you draw the design on paper until you're sure its the way you want it - then you transfer it onto a temporary carbon stencil which adheres to the skin, and follow the stencil. Even so, one of the skills you learn is how to make those tiny mistakes look like they were supposed to be that way, same as when you shade something into a drawing instead of erasing it, or subtly smudge colors together in a painting rather than trash it all and start over.

There are tattooists who will just freehand straight onto the skin, but I have to admit my b*lls aren't that brassy. I'm way too critical of every detail of my own work to do something that risky and careless.

That's brilliant!

Society says: Do you want a job or not? Too bad!

working is mostly overated and underpaid.

I could barely handle school, had to drop out of college due to mental health. The only problem is I really don't enjoy doing much, I spend most of my time on my computer listening to music or playing video games. I looked at college courses in video game design but the amount of work and stuff is too complicated for me, I feel like people are going to force me to work one day then I'll have to run away and live in a forest or something.

Have you tried talking to a doctor about anti-anxiety meds? They might help.

And hey, running away to live in the forest could also be an option - if you learn the skillls needed for homesteading. If the pilgrims could do it, we could do it too!

I totally get the feeling you have. I got that anxiety at my first job too. But it's a part of life, you gotta work man. You can't live if you don't work. The stresses of jobs, like being around people, talking to people, not worrying about screwing up become a lot easier to handle after a little while. You gotta give it a shot. Like I said dude, I totally get why you feel this way, and I did for the longest time too, but just give it a shot.

Like JCPatriot, I too know how you feel. My anxiety levels are off the charts lol. (No, not really but I get anxious over the tiniest of things). I just recently got my diagnosis of AS with a nice little laundry list of anxiety related disorders.

As for the whole job thing, yeah. I know the frame of mind your in. Always been there and have always done that. I know about the school thing too because I was unable to complete as well because of mental stuff, so you are not alone. At this point in time I don't want a job either. But, that is at this point in time. Right now, I want to figure out all I can about who I am because I have no clue due to years of repression and suppression. I have a lot of work to do on myself before I can even begin to start thinking about doing job things and social things. I want to continue therapy and come up with a game plan should my attempt go sour on me and probably try again. What I do know is that I at least want to TRY. If it turns sour, it turns sour. Not much I can do except learn from it and see if something else will work. I will probably have to go on antidepressants to take the edge off of with the anxiety. I just don't want to rot inside my apartment like I did for the past 4 years. It sounds like that there is at least a part of you that wants to try also. Just a lot of apprehension and build up of anxiety thinking of all the what-ifs. I am constantly doing that.

Try not to stress yourself out about it.

I can remember wanting to go off an live in a forest somewhere too. The whole being-part-of-society business didn't seem worth the trouble, and I'm still not completely sure it is.

Work isn't too bad once you turn it into a part of your routine, though. However daunting a job might seem at first, chances are you'll have it figured out within a week or two, and after that can get by on autopilot. The only part of work I still have trouble with, in my case, is the expectation of being a team player and being friends with colleagues. I'm managing, though, and if you're just looking for something part-time then you probably won't have to worry about that.

There's some pride to be had in earning your own money - it feels good, and is a big step toward independence - so maybe keep that in mind as motivation. Finally finding a decent job did my self-esteem a lot of good.

[quote="ViperaAspis"]Hey, if you dig school then STAY! If you like school, you're probably rather good at it and might qualify for some scholarship or grants too! Keep on going, move up through the degrees, get Master's and PhD and before you know it, you'll have a career in academia. Might be in research or as a prof or a substitute or even a university specialist of some kind.

That's what I thought as well. There is no need to stress about things that aren't there yet. Make a list of things you have to do and than cross them off when you have done them. This way the things you have to do don't get on top of you.

If you do decide to go for a job or study, make a list of the things or environments that freak you out.
decide if you want to work on your own in a small group 2-3 or bigger group.
Do you want to work with people, things or animals (you will have to deal with people as well because animals have no voice)
Take your number 1,2,3 best topic in school plus your main intrest.

With this information you're must be able to find out which study or job would suit you best.