How Serve Legal Assists Me in Overcoming Social Anxiety

How Serve Legal Assists Me in Overcoming Social Anxiety

The whole Serve Legal Team have been overwhelmbed by Parker's story. In the 7 months they have been working with us, Parker has completed an incredible 400 audits, despite the struggles they outline in the short blog below. There was not a dry eye in the Serve Legal office. Have a read and hear Parker's amazing story from fear to freedom.

"I only wanted a flexible job to help me pay for education when I first joined Serve Legal. I decided to give it a try after seeing a TikTok advertising "free groceries for doing ID checks." However, I never thought this profession would have such a profound impact on my life.

I was having a lot of trouble before Serve Legal. In addition to having autism, I also struggled for years with agoraphobia, which is a severe fear of leaving the house, and social anxiety. At times, it felt daunting to even venture outside to the store. Speaking with strangers? Unimaginable. I was alone for a long time, wondering how I would ever fit in with the rest of the world. But I had a reason to try thanks to Serve Legal.

The way the work was formatted, which consisted of brief, targeted visits with explicit expectations, felt doable. It respected my boundaries while gently pushing me outside of my comfort zone. I only took on one or two audits per week at first. I gradually increased my auditing time to three full days. I was initially unaware that I was developing my confidence in my relationships, learning how to move around public areas, and communicating effectively with store employees.

Along the process, something amazing occurred: I once again felt like I belonged in society and I was able to taper down and eventually stop taking anti-anxiety medication. Most of the terror that kept me inside has vanished. Once controlling my life, my social anxiety has subsided to a manageable level. I now confront confrontations head-on because I feel capable of doing so. I got more than simply a job from Serve Legal. I felt like I had regained my independence because of it. It demonstrated to me that I can interact with the outside world and that I do belong there.

This work may truly change the lives of people with autism, like me, or anyone who suffers from anxiety or agoraphobia. You can control how much work you do, and where you do it and slowly build up to a point where you’re comfortable. I really think Serve Legal should definitely promote this more: it's not just a job. It's a chance to discover your own strength, regain your confidence, and re-establish a connection with the outside world. I will always be appreciative of the benefits this experience has given me, both personally and as an auditor."

- Parker O Reilly, Serve Legal Auditor in Ireland