Working in Retail with Social Anxiety

After three months at a petrol station, till work triggers panic, clammy hands, and fear of unfamiliar customer requests. He avoids queues and small talk, prefers cooking and cleaning, misreads jokes, and hesitates to ask coworkers for help. He believes daily customer exposure is gradually improving confidence, despite still dreaming of solitary work and acknowledging avoidance worsens anxiety.

Customer-facing work becomes deliberate exposure: anxiety persists, but confidence gradually increases.