9 Best Jobs For People With PTSD (And What To Stay Away From)
Searching for a job in this market is hard enough without suffering from PTSD. Still, there are opportunities available if you know how to look for them. In this article, I uncover ways to find jobs for people with PTSD and list a number of jobs and work conditions that meet the criteria.
While there are certainly some jobs that might be considered “PTSD-friendly,” most of them would probably do you more harm than good and I point these out too.
First, let’s lay some groundwork and briefly discuss what PTSD is and how it hinders so many from working regular jobs.
WHAT IS PTSD?
PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) refers to the after-effects of a traumatic event which are directly experienced, witnessed, or learned about from a close family member or friend. The trauma is induced in many ways including child abuse, sexual assault, natural disasters, car crashes, combat, and direct threats to one’s life.
The disorder causes you to relive the traumatic event and suffer from recurring dreams and flashbacks. It also frequently manifests as physical and psychological symptoms including anger, fear, depression,anxiety, nausea, dizziness, headaches, fainting, agoraphobia, sleep disturbances, heart palpitations, self-destructive behavior, and difficulty with concentration.
PTSD gained a lot of attention in the past couple of decades when the news media started to report that many military veterans had been affected by it, especially in recent wars (11-20%).
At this point, close to 8 million Americans suffer from PTSD each year and between 7-8% of Americans will develop the disorder at some point in their lives. No one is immune as it can affect people of all ages and life experiences.
The issue of working while afflicted with PTSD is a very real problem but you’ll be happy to know that there are ways around it which you’ll discover in a moment…
HOW TO IDENTIFY THE BEST JOBS FOR PTSD SUFFERERS
Let’s be clear about things — it’s not easy to find a job as a PTSD sufferer. First, there’s a stigma about PTSD which makes employers reluctant to hire you (despite discrimination laws). Second, the work conditions and/or employees can trigger or worsen your PTSD, making you ineligible for most jobs. While you might not be able to do much about the former, there are still options for the latter.
What Triggers Your PTSD?
The symptoms of PTSD vary from individual to individual; the circumstances that set off one person have little to no effect on another. That’s why it’s important for you to identifyyour triggers so you can find a job best suited to you.
Does working with many people cause you symptoms?What about having a demanding boss?How about the environment? For instance, do bright lights give you flashbacks?What about noises, smells or working in close quarters?
These are the kind of questions you should ask yourself before looking for a job because you’ll have a clearer idea of what you can and can’t do.
Minimize Symptoms and Increase Your Odds of Finding a Job
At this point, you’ve got a couple of possibilities. You can try your luck at finding a job which meets ALL your requirements or you can work to minimize your trigger-induced symptoms and widen your job possibilities.
While working with a psychiatrist and/or psychologist can help address your symptoms, there are also many effective coping strategies you can do on your own to get started like deep breathing, petting a cat or dog, taking a walk, meditating, and talking to a supportive person.
Pinpoint Your Strengths and Interests
Once you’ve identified your triggers and conscientiously worked to minimize symptoms, there’s one more thing worth considering to put yourself in the best position for a job — identify your skill sets and interests!
Even if you’ve identified the perfect work environment given your PTSD, none of that matters if you can’t perform the job well and don’t care to.
Yes, your options are limited but still try to avoid jobs which you know you’d hate from day one. It won’t help your PTSD and probably will cause you more stress.
11 WORST WORK CONDITIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH PTSD
As mentioned, there’s a lot of variability concerning PTSD symptoms. That said, the following table lists common work environments least suited to those with PTSD and a few corresponding job examples.
| WORK CONDITION TO AVOID | JOBS TO AVOID |
|---|---|
| High Stress | Air Traffic Controller, Firefighter, Paramedic, Policeman/Policewoman, Reporter/Journalist |
| Big Crowds | Nightclub Worker, Retail Worker, Stock Exchange Investor, Street Vendor |
| Unnatural Lighting | Factory jobs, Office jobs |
| Excessive Noise | Construction jobs, Nightclub Worker, Nursery/Elementary School Teacher |
| Lots of Human Contact | Customer Service, Restaurant Worker, Retail Worker, Teacher, Telemarketer |
| Heightened Gossip/Drama | {Case by case basis} |
| Strict Work Environment | Business jobs, Finance jobs, Lawyer |
| Fixed Scheduling | Factory jobs, Office jobs |
| Non-Routine Work | Advertisers, Marketers, Sales Agents |
| Limited Emergency Exits | Office jobs, Restaurant Worker, Retail Worker |
| Unsafe Neighborhood | {Case by case basis} |
I know what you’re thinking…”Um, doesn’t that cover ALL jobs?” Again, no two PTSD sufferers are alike and so while one person may resonate with seven of these work conditions, another may only resonate with one. Working to minimize your symptoms would obviously whittle the list down even more, thus expanding your job options.
9 JOBS FOR PEOPLE WITH PTSD
Now that you know more about the jobs and work environments ill-suited for those with PTSD, let’s focus now on some that are favorable.
| BROAD JOB TITLE | WORK CONDITION | SPECIFIC JOB TITLE | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outdoor Jobs | ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ? Ⓧ ✓ N/A ? | No Stress No Crowds No Unnatural Light Minimal Noise Little Human Contact No Gossip/Drama Lax Work Environment Flexible Scheduling Set Structure Several Emergency Exits Safe Neighborhood | Gardner, Golf Course Worker, Landscaper, Lawn Maintenance, Nursery Worker, Park Ranger, Post Worker, Tree Farmer |
| Librarian | ✓ ✓ Ⓧ ✓ Ⓧ ✓ Ⓧ ? ✓ ✓ ? | No Stress No Crowds No Unnatural Light Minimal Noise Little Human Contact No Gossip/Drama Lax Work Environment Flexible Scheduling Set Structure Several Emergency Exits Safe | |
| Office Temp Jobs | Ⓧ Ⓧ Ⓧ ? Ⓧ ? ? ✓ ✓ ✓ ? | No Stress No Crowds No Unnatural Light Minimal Noise Little Human Contact No Gossip/Drama Lax Work Environment Flexible Scheduling Set Structure Several Emergency Exits Safe Neighborhood | |
| Truck Driver | ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ N/A ✓ Ⓧ ✓ N/A N/A | No Stress No Crowds No Unnatural Light Minimal Noise Little Human Contact No Gossip/Drama Lax Work Environment Flexible Scheduling Set Structure Several Emergency Exits Safe Neighborhood | |
| Working with Pets | ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ✓ ✓ ? Ⓧ ✓ N/A N/A | No Stress No Crowds No Unnatural Light Minimal Noise Little Human Contact No Gossip/Drama Lax Work Environment Flexible Scheduling Set Structure Several Emergency Exits Safe Neighborhood | Pet Shelter Worker, Pet Sitter |
| Furniture Maker | Ⓧ ✓ Ⓧ Ⓧ ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ? ? | No Stress No Crowds No Unnatural Light Minimal Noise Little Human Contact No Gossip/Drama Lax Work Environment Flexible Scheduling Set Structure Several Emergency Exits Safe Neighborhood | Cabinet Maker, Casket Maker |
| Watch Repairer | Ⓧ ✓ Ⓧ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Ⓧ ✓ ? ? | No Stress No Crowds No Unnatural Light Minimal Noise Little Human Contact No Gossip/Drama Lax Work Environment Flexible Scheduling Set Structure Several Emergency Exits Safe Neighborhood | |
| Copyeditor/Proofreader | Ⓧ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ N/A ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ | No Stress No Crowds No Unnatural Light Minimal Noise Little Human Contact No Gossip/Drama Lax Work Environment Flexible Scheduling Set Structure Several Emergency Exits Safe Neighborhood | |
| Night Shift Jobs | ✓ ✓ Ⓧ ✓ ✓ N/A ? Ⓧ ✓ ✓ ? | No Stress No Crowds No Unnatural Light Minimal Noise Little Human Contact No Gossip/Drama Lax Work Environment Flexible Scheduling Set Structure Several Emergency Exits Safe Neighborhood | Parking Lot Attendant, Warehouse Worker, Watchman |
Just looking at the number of checkmarks per occupation/work condition, copyeditors/proofreaders, outdoor jobs, and truck drivers win out.
I’m particularly partial to any outdoor job because you get the added benefit of being physically active in natural surroundings.
Still, there’s one “job” I haven’t listed that’s also worth your attention…
UPDATE 1: Several PTSD sufferers have disputed some of my recommendations, namely truck driving and librarianship. I encourage you to read the comments below and come to your own conclusions!
UPDATE 2: A few people with PTSD have also mentioned taking surveys online as option. While certainly not a full-time income, it can be worthwhile if you’re just looking to make an extra couple hundred dollars per month or so. For more information, read my guide to taking surveys online.
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!
What other jobs can you think of for people suffering from PTSD? Leave your comments below!
