Ds suffers with anxiety. He is early 20's and in his first job after Uni.
He works in retail, they have a "challenge 25" policy in place.
Since starting, I would say he gets abuse around twice a week from people he's asked for I.D. it's really getting him down, he's been shouted at and sworn at by customers no end of times. He comes home in a foul mood which affects me too and obviously I find it upsetting the way he's being treated, although his managers do always back him up which is good at least.
However, he seems to be getting obsessed with it. He is TERRIFIED of accidentally serving someone underage and i'm starting to wonder if he's taking it too far because of this. I understand that with a mask on it can be difficult to determine how old someone looks but most people arent wearing them now.
It was his comment today that made me think. He said he'd asked a lady for I.D. who turned out to be early 50's but she'd looked 30 ish. I said "but if you thought she looked 30 why did you ask her for I.D.?" I reminded him you have to be 18 to buy alcohol, not 25 and it's unlikely anyone who looks 30 would be 17 or under, there's a huge difference there. I dont know how he could possibly think anyone in their 50's might be under 18, and wonder what's going on in his mind.
I am totally sympathetic and there's no excuse for customers being rude to him but I can't help wondering if he's bringing some of it on himself bring over cautious. He does tend to obssess over things and it's becoming a huge problem. I've told him if he cant handle that part of the job he's better off looking for something else.
I dont know, it's just worrying me how he's going to cope with a full time job. I dont know how to help him with his anxiety, I suffer with it too so I do understand but every job comes with bits we dont like. As a receptionist I got shouted at a lot by customers if they couldn't get to speak to the boss, I just learnt to brush it off, it's not personal. What's to say his next job wont upset him if he's got to work to certain targets, or if his boss is an arse, or he doesn't like a colleague. In one way, it's just life but if its affecting his mental health...I'm just not really sure what to do.