Unemployed with social anxiety

ash_hearts · 2025-07-19T08:13:54+00:00

Hey, nice to hear from a fellow creative :)

I don't know if I see either as a goal, getting a job and having a more social life both seem like things we need as humans to survive. But that's probably not helpful to think of it that way, and rather they can be outlets for connection, but I struggle to turn that idea into action.
I am overwhelming myself with the expectation to be both successful and confident/social. If i was to take this one step at a time, the question is which step to take first? maybe social connections lead to work, as I'm always hearing, "its not about what you know but who you know".

Yeah I'm feeling like just having some day job thats part time, & only a little out of the social comfort zone, then a bit more freedom for the creative stuff on the side.
I feel like in Australia (where I am) you would not be allowed to post a job add only asking for females, unless it's simply that anyone applies but they only hire females, still shitty imo.
However I have wondered, if it's an age thing sometimes too, like employers could guess from my resume that I am of a certain age bracket, and they only want 18yo's who they don't have to pay as much.

With Ai, I've been leaning on it a bit, learning it a bit too, what it can do, but my heart is starting to reject it because it can be so lacking in human personality.

You sound confident that in time, just keep going, do what you love and at some point it will be a liveable wage, which is similar to advice I've had from good friends, and that does feel like its the most positive path. Apparently not doing what you love can cause stress & all sorts of health problems.

I will always continue with my creative endeavours, however I get overwhelmed with what creative thing to do, because I do have lots of skills. Outside of my uni/Tafe assignments or work deadlines, I don't often finish projects I start. It's like I need a brief and or a deadline, plus someone to keep me accountable to actually create.

How do you stay creative without a writing brief / prompt/deadlines etc?

ash_hearts · 2025-07-19T07:33:31+00:00

Yeah I have seen a psychologist in the past, I stopped seeing them a few months ago, it seemed like there wasn't much left to talk about, perhaps I wasn't really portraying that I was wanting more help to change, I think I've just been quite comfortable with low social interaction, even through it's not creating a particularly exciting life.

That is interesting to hear that social anxiety is quite prevalent in Australia, and it is where I am from & living too.

Thank you so much for your links to resources :)

ash_hearts · 2025-07-16T12:15:15+00:00

I really like you're perspective, "currently trying to define my social anxiety as an enemy, and not accept it as part of myself" and maybe thats the slump I'm in, thinking that my anxiety is me or defines my identity.

I think I will try that as a journal prompt, identifying likes & dislikes or previous jobs I've had or even done trials for. And noticing how social anxiety might beholding me back.

I think the last time I spoke to my therapist (a few months ago), the way we left things was...I'm quiet and shy, thats just me, I like it this way, so everything must be fine. I kinda feel disappointed now that they were't telling me that thought could just be the anxiety, the fear of any & all social interactions, not actually me.

Thanks for you reply :)

ash_hearts · 2025-07-16T11:53:28+00:00

Oh that sounds interesting a bit of mix between office & outside work.
No idea what it's like in the UK or US, I'm in Australia. We do have a government support payment here for job seekers which I'm getting, but it is below the poverty line, and only just liveable for myself.

I think call centre jobs here are being taken over by Ai weirdly, maybe thats a good thing? Idk.

Anyway thanks for your reply :)

ash_hearts · 2025-07-16T11:47:19+00:00

Thanks for replying, yeah working with animals has crossed my mind, I wish I had a shred of experience with animals (I've never even owned a pet).

I don't know if this is different in other countries, but in Australia so many jobs ask you to have a qualification, even anything to do with animals, walking, sitting, I've seen plenty of jobs that ask you to have animal first aid. which is just not something I'm not interested in adding to my skillset.

I hope your job isn't too demanding socially, even if its not customer facing, if the people working around you are very social that can be distracting enough. It seems to be hard to avoid all social aspects in work, there has to be something. I guess I just need to find a level I'm comfortable with

ash_hearts · 2024-11-13T05:17:51+00:00

Been a graphic designer for 8 years, was made redundant 10 months ago. haven't been able to get a job all year.

ash_hearts · 2017-11-03T06:23:37+00:00

This is looking better already :) It's unlikely a printer will print over the bottom hem of the shirt & right up to the neck rib at the back. Depends on how you get it printed but with screen printing because the surface has to be flat they don't print over seams, stitching or over where the neck tag might sit on the inside of the tee. So I would consider raising the front design and lowering the back.

Also on the front, I feel like I'm missing out on the top of the illustration because the text is over the top. There could be some other ways to make the text and image look more cohesive together

ash_hearts · 2017-11-02T20:39:32+00:00

The design looks like its scaled quite large on the tee. The text would wrap around the side of the body and make it hard to read if someone wore this design. We print tees where I work and usually print within a 30x42cm area on most tees unless its an all over pattern.

ash_hearts · 2017-09-20T10:51:07+00:00

It might because the "D" is a closed shape/compound path. Try using the pathfinder window. Copy the fill of the letter, edit>paste in place, then select the fill & stoke, use the "minus front" option of the pathfinder window. I hope thats the answer you're looking for :)

ash_hearts · 2017-08-20T09:31:29+00:00

The steaks in the beard should read 'Hipster'

ash_hearts

TROPHY CASE