Top 7 Worst Jobs for People with OCD in 2024

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) leads to unwanted thoughts or behaviors, leading to repetitive behaviors or tasks. It’s usually challenging for people with OCD to fit into workplaces due to their condition. However, you can get gainful employment if you know where and where not to look.

While understanding the jobs you can do is crucial, you should know the ones to avoid. When you know the ones to avoid, you won’t risk accidentally taking up the wrong career and causing issues for yourself.

This article will educate you on the worst jobs for OCD. You’ll understand the job descriptions and why you should avoid them.

The Worst Jobs for People with OCD

From public speaking to managing to customer service, there are some jobs you shoulder if you have OCD. This section will educate on seven of those jobs.

1. Public Speaking

Public speaking is a nightmare for people with OCD. You have to face thousands of people while delivering your speech confidently so you can spread your message. Let’s face it, it’s a difficult thing to do, even for people without OCD.

OCD makes it harder, especially if you’re dealing with social anxiety. If you don’t have social anxiety before, it can cause it.

It’s also imperative to note that getting negative reactions from the audience is part of the job. These negative reactions can also trigger unwanted emotions in the OCD patient.

2. Newscaster

Many reasons are being a newspaper reporter isn’t the best for a person with OCD; unfortunately, they’re the most crucial aspect of the job. The first is the fact that it comes with a deadline.

You must provide news consistently whether or not it’s okay by you. While this might seem like a “job,” people with OCD are better off with jobs that require them to be flexible.

The second aspect is that you’ll broadcast it on TV or radio. It means being the center of attraction and taking up a character you’re not. People with OCD can find this extremely challenging, and you should avoid it if you have the condition.

3. Salesperson

Salespeople must interact often, making it a no-go for anyone with OCD. It would’ve been a realistic career path if the interaction could be tolerable. However, you’ll encounter many customers who wouldn’t be kind with their utterances, which makes the job stressful.

Your boss would most likely give you objectives and deadlines with which you’re to accomplish them. It’s also a bad idea for anyone with OCD, and you should avoid taking up a job as a salesperson in the first place.

4. Customer Service Agents

Next on the list is one of the most dreaded professions in the market. A customer service agent is trained to interact with customers via phone, email, or chat and provide them with the needed support. You will help them resolve issues with the company’s products or services.

It doesn’t have to be you if you have OCD because it will do you more harm than good. Customers are known to be ruthless with customer service representatives due to their issues. No matter how they speak or act, you must respond to them as calmly as possible.

Working with this job is stressful and shrouded in many uncertainties, even for those without OCD. If you have the condition, it will only cause you more issues. Therefore, it’s one of these jobs you shouldn’t consider if you have it.

5. Physiotherapists

Physiotherapists or physical therapists are professionals trained to help people improve their quality of life and manage their well-being. You’ll need to attend to many people who rely on the quality of your services for their well-being.

The challenging aspect of the job is the high amount of socialization. You’ll attend to customers with emotional troubles who rely on you to ease them. The highly social aspect of the job makes it demanding and unfit for people with OCD.

6. Managers

Managing is a demanding job for anyone and even more challenging for those with OCD. You look after your employees and ensure everyone’s doing their duties. Managers must communicate extensively with crew members and executives to ensure that everything’s in the right order.

You’ll have to make a lot of decisions. Most of these decisions must be correct, as that’s the best way to succeed in the role, and this decision-making and the uncertainty associated with the job tops why anyone with OCD should avoid it. The uncertainty in the job is because you’ll be dealing with individuals with different characteristics.

7. Cashiers

OCD can come in many forms, including an excessive fear of being contaminated by germs. The money cashier’s handle has come in contact with different surfaces and people and has most likely come in contact with germs. Handling this money for people with OCD can be very uncomfortable.

Cashiers also have to interact with people, which can be challenging. Additionally, it involves a lot of repetitive actions, which can be a trigger.

All these, coupled with the usually long hours they have to work; are not the best career path for anyone suffering from any form of OCD.

Best Types of Jobs for People with OCD

Now you know some jobs that are unfit for people with OCD, it’s essential to know where to look if you want a job that suits your condition.

You should look for flexible jobs that allow you to work at your own pace. Therefore, jobs like online tutoring or freelance photography are perfect for people with this condition.

Part-time jobs are another fit for you when looking for OCD-compatible jobs. You’ll work while also ensuring that you have enough time of the day for yourself. Some OCD-friendly jobs in this category include teaching, cleaning, and counseling.

Jobs that let you pay attention to details are another fit for OCD. You have to focus while doing them, so you’ll have less time to spend on your obsessive thoughts. Jobs in this category include computer programming, data analysis/data science, or proofreading.

You should prioritize getting a job with no stress if you have OCD. Most of the ones on this list are high-stress jobs and will only cause you issues in the long run. Low-stress ones will ensure you’re not adding unnecessary pressure to the existing ones.

Conclusion

That concludes some of the worst jobs for OCD. It’s best to avoid any job on this list if you have the condition. These jobs thrive on the weaknesses of people with OCD and can cause more harm than good.

If you want a job, it’s best to research the best one for you. OCD comes in many forms, and what might be uncomfortable for others can work for you. It’s all about understanding your condition and getting a job to match.