hi I also struggle with an anxiety disorder and social anxiety is a bitch! imo the best thing that works is faking it until you make it. pretend to be confident and outgoing and charismatic even if you feel so uncomfortable and u want to run away from the situation.

Hello! I also deal with social anxiety and I feel as though I’m too quiet sometimes. I’ve been with the company for 6+ years and am an SSV. I have learned that while I don’t talk as much, I do support my team very well and they understand that maybe I don’t talk as much but I’ll do a great job. With customers, I’ve learned to hear what coworkers say and I have made several scripts for talking with customers. Ive gotten more comfortable and will break my script. I used to think it was a very serious job but it’s not. Don’t break rules of course, but you can have fun interacting with customers

at my first job it was one where you have to approach people rather than like starbucks when they approach you. it’s just something that gets better with time :)

Fellow social anxiety partner. Like someone else mentions here the fact that people approach us makes it easier. When I’m on drive I usually solo so I always pretend to be busy to avoid customer connections. Even greeting people is awkward for me. As for coworkers, once you’ve been there long enough you’ll start to feel more comfortable with them. I will say that working at Starbucks has helped my social anxiety a lot.
I don’t have as hard of a time ordering food and stuff, and it’s easier to talk to customer service workers because I know what they’re going through, so working here for exposure is a great way to help tame the anxiety and become desensitized a bit.

i honestly use starbucks to put on a persona for my anxiety..it’s my barista mode! i would literally never be as outgoing or talkative otherwise , but working for over a year u start to get bored and the same people come in all the time. My coworkers are great too, most of them speaking spanish, which used to make me feel sorta left out at first, but i took the time to learn some phrases and sentences so i can better connect with my team 💖
Even getting to know ur coworkers like you would a customer can help you get more comfortable in ur work space.
Just ask a lot of questions, usually with my anxiety i have so many, so i just try to push myself to ask them. Sometimes i will be met with weird looks but usually if i stand still and explain myself a bit further people will understand what i’m trying to get at.
I’m neurodivergent and i have chronic anxiety disorder but honestly starbucks has helped me so much socially. Even when i go out now and i’m talking to other food service people i find myself going barista mode.
u definitely don’t have to be outgoing or talkative all the time, especially if it’s busy and you’re stressing out already. For me, i’ll go quiet until i come back from a break, where i can recuperate my thoughts. Some customers drive me crazy and i would be lying if i said i haven’t had full on anxiety attacks at starbucks. But i’ve been using them to get a thicker shell till i eventually quit.
Work and anxiety have to be the perfect balance sometimes, i hope you find it. Good luck 💖🫶🏻

honestly seeing this helps me feel better ngl 😭 idk what’s wrong with me but i’ve developed this constant anxious feeling whenever i go to work. especially today, i’m not sure why but i felt like my coworkers were talking about me. i was the only one not wearing a headset and i was barring so it felt like they were judging me since i know they do it all the time to others behind their backs. funny part is, is that i’m friends w all of them and they’re nice people but i still feel like i’m annoying/am not good enough LOOL idk what’s happening

I do not have social anxiety at all. Quite the opposite. But I am the parent of a child with social anxiety and I fully understand the struggle. I always can spot a partner who feels uncomfortable around people. I am so impressed at how well they handle the job. Luckily, all of my partners have always been kind and helpful to those with anxiety. I’m happy for all of you that are putting yourselves out there and pushing yourselves. Make sure to be transparent and always let your leaders know how you are coping. We are all here to help!

hello! i also have issues with anxiety and my go-to is to have a list of questions and responses in my head for customers (hows your day been? thats great! got any plans? yall doing anything tonight? watched any good movies or shows recently? etc) but i generally am quiet around my coworkers

I just start working Starbucks too and have bad anxiety. I worked at target Starbucks before and had bad experience with the barista (they had cliques). But what making it sorta worse about new one I’m training at store that not mine because my store not open yet (being built)

It seems like American culture frowns upon an introvert and glories in an extrovert… too much.
Just ask people questions. Let them do the talking. It’s easy flattery.
What do you want?
What do you think?
Good choice!
Good idea!
Sounds tasty.
Do you want that with whip?

Give yourself some grace; you’re worth it.
You don’t need to toughen up, just make it about the customer. Hopefully your partners are receptive/perceptive and can intervene if a customer is a pill.
Hopefully your SSV and SM are effective at intervention.
You are not responsible for everything, but it’s AWESOME that you want to do the right things. 💚
Edit: am a big fan of my citalopram

I have the same problem.. it took 6-12 months for me to start to become proficient

Fake it till you become it