Job/career ideas for a social recluse.

As somebody who is intensely uncomfortable around people (especially those I don't know very well) I'm looking for a career path in which I can work alone and avoid human interaction as far a possible. I'm not too fussy about what kind of work it is, although obviously I would prefer a semi-skilled and reasonably well paid position to poorly paid menial work if possible. However, it is unfortunately proving quite difficult to think of many jobs that fit this description. So far I've come up with the following ideas: web designer, programmer, proof reader, HGV driver and night watchman. The first four options would require the acquisition/development of skills I do not currently possess, whilst the last option isn't ideal on account of the fact that I strongly suspect that my reaction to spotting an intruder would be to run away. Anyway, I post this thread in the hope that some of you guys will be able to come up with a few ideas that I haven't thought of. Thanks in advance for your help.

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Research.

Original post by Occams Chainsaw

Research.

Don't researchers generally work in teams?

Reply 3

User990473

Original post by Futility

Don't researchers generally work in teams?

I'm sure that nearly every job will have some interaction with people. In honesty, I didn't read the extent of your reclusive nature in the OP which I probably should have done.

Perhaps your time would be better spent trying to become more comfortable around people than allowing yourself to lead an inevitably depressing and unfulfilled life.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 4

Bonmot

Original post by Occams Chainsaw

I agree with Occams Chainshaw , why not break out of that learned helplessness and come out of the comfort zone? I believe you can , seek some psychoanalysis sessions from the GP and they will refer you to an Assessment team, you would be amazed what talking sessions are capable of .....why accept the situation ....break free! Best of luck!

Reply 5

zKlown

Original post by Futility

Don't researchers generally work in teams?

So what? You don't get on with people at all?

How do you do everyday tasks like shopping etc?

Reply 6

Futility

Original post by Occams Chainsaw

I'm sure that nearly every job will have some interaction with people. In honesty, I didn't read the extent of your reclusive nature in the OP which I probably should have done.

Yeah, I was worried about that being the case. :sigh:

Unfortunately I really cannot foresee me subjecting myself to what is, frankly, almost unbearable mental discomfort, especially not on a long term basis. I think I might have avoidant personality disorder or something like that tbh.

Anyway, thanks for your contribution.

Reply 7

Futility

Original post by zKlown

So what? You don't get on with people at all?

How do you do everyday tasks like shopping etc?

I order everything I need online, or I get family members to get stuff for me when they go shopping. I very rarely leave the house, except for late at night when there's no body around. As I posted above, I think I probably have a psychological disorder of some sort.

Engineer.

Original post by Futility

Yeah, I was worried about that being the case. :sigh:

So what, are you content the way you are? Because if not then all you are doing is giving up.

'Probably' having a disorder isn't good enough reason to give up.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 10

zKlown

Original post by Futility

Yeah, sounds like you have

That's not healthy, you can't live the rest of your life like this, it just isn't practical.

You need help, maybe discuss it with your family?

Reply 11

Bonmot

Original post by zKlown

Yeah, sounds like you have

That's not healthy, you can't live the rest of your life like this, it just isn't practical.

You need help, maybe discuss it with your family?

understand that you have a problem and seek help !!!

Reply 12

Futility

Original post by Occams Chainsaw

So what, are you content the way you are? Because if not then all you are doing is giving up.

'Probably' having a disorder isn't good enough.

I've read a lot about it and I'm pretty certain that's what I have. And if, as I suspect, I have avoidant personality disorder (or something similar), the effectiveness of treatment for such conditions is very poor.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 13

username937957

You could start your own online web service, but you won't yield much of a profit if you do this by yourself. I suppose you could be the guy who sits in a room all day in case you need to fire a nuclear missile.

Honestly, if you think you have a psychological issue, then you need to see a GP about it (if you're going so far you don't want to go out when people are around this is important). They could refer you to a psychiatrist who will help you with techniques to be more comfortable around people.

Reply 14

moonkatt

I'd suggest being a lighthouseman, but most of them are automated these days I think.

Reply 15

Paul PTS

Original post by Futility

I only may imagine how would you feel yourself in Russia, where people are mentally much more curious, and among the majority of population the words "GTFO" are quite usual. There are many such people which just sit near you in the train and continue to ask you different questions all the road. It would be nice if you like the person, but if it would be otherwise or you would have a bad mood this day.

Reply 16

User990473

Original post by Futility

The GP would refer you to a specialist to perform a psych evaluation.

Which source, out of interest? Did this source look at your case in particular? Or did another expert diagnose you? Self-diagnosis in these cases are common because you want it to be so that there won't be much success. That way, you don't have to go through the phase of actually getting better - which, you are right, will be hard. It's cowardly.

I think you are being incredibly stupid.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 17

Isambard Kingdom Brunel

What about a lamppost inspector?

You walk around at night going from lamppost to lamppost checking to see if they are working properly, and writing down the code number of the lamppost (i.e. 5548) on to your notebook.

Don't know what the pay is like, but seeing as you're out all night (night premium) and in the elements where you will get wet and cold in winter, then I suspect you might be quite happy with your wage.

Reply 18

Futility

Original post by Occams Chainsaw

My source was the World Health Organisation, which lists the symptoms of Avoidant Personality Disorder as:

Spoiler

Of which I have experienced all but one.

And I'd be the first to admit that I have numerous flaws, but stupidity isn't one of them.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 19

emanuil_tolev

Also of note: being a successful developer ("programmer") may well require human interaction. Not only that, but actively trying to develop empathy as well as a logical understanding of how people think, feel and behave. Why would people want to use your (/ your employer's) product? Why do they find it hard / frustrating, or easy / nice? If you're a tech company that's the difference between scraping by until you go bankrupt and being a huge success. Hell, even if you're a bank or a mobile operator these days this will definitely impact your bottom line.

Relying on marketing, sales and designer people will only get you halfway - you have to be able to work with those other teams and bridge their work with the technical bits. That's actually a pretty good definition of development - you mostly juggle others' imperfect understanding of technology with the "actual" capabilities of technology.

To put it bluntly, if what you are working on has immediate users, not wanting to work with people *and* understand them will cause fails, one way or another. The only way out of this is for you to be doing something truly unique and new (e.g. the guys that wrote the first spreadsheet programs). Nobody cared how frustrating they are to use and that they took X months of training, there was nothing like it, and they wanted it (after sales people had done their job...).

There are some programming gigs which are more solitary. To be honest I can only think of malware research (and associated computing security). Sometimes it's not exactly hard to figure out that worm writer's motivations, your job is to counteract the outputs of their work. But again, the best will figure out how the malware authors think, and build algorithms which allow machines to preempt that thinking. It's got more of a logical spin to it than building shiny products for users I guess.

Scientific research does mean long hours of trying to find a problem. (And yes, then solve it.) The best will still collaborate with their colleagues a lot (and woo funders) but there's no escaping the long solitary hours. Similar to programming I guess. You will be ... accommodated more than you would be in other professions. Development is moving towards more collaboration right now, especially with open source concepts becoming the norm. A lot of it can still happen behind a screen so that's quite an accommodating profession for you too.

I haven't tried to select options for you, just dumped by own understanding of the fields I know about.

Edit: A GP is the first step. The point is not that they would search the web - even if they do, with you insisting you want more specialised help, they may find people you haven't heard of. People who have dedicated their lives to studying and remedying condititions similar to yours. I'm not aware of your condition but this is how other ailments work (e.g. cancer is a big obvious example).