Answering the telephone

[afraidofyou]

Anyone else find this difficult? I've gotten more and more vary about it, to the point where I jump in fright if the telephone rings. Sometimes I unplug it for days so I won't have to worry.

Even if I know that it's just mom calling I avoid picking up because I just don't want to talk, especially over the phone. Plus my mom and I have gotten into this strange pattern when talking over the phone - she always asks the same questions in the same order, and I can't open up and when she tells me about something I mostly just go "hmm" and so on. I feel so stupid because of it.

 

[sadday]

I hate talking on the phone. I almost never answer when it rings unless it's my mom. She is the only person I am comfortable talking with on the phone. I even have trouble checking my voicemail which is really dumb because it's not like I am talking to anyone. It can take a few hours to a couple days before I can even play back my voicemail messages. Plus I have HH so holding the telephone makes my hands sweat.

 

[Psychedelicious]

telephonics

I'll only answer the phone if it's someone I've never met before.

 

[saen]

Yeah, the phone sucks. I hate the thought that the call could possibly be about me. Terrifying, mostly.

 

[Interzone]

Sometimes I pick it up when a close family member calls, I occasionally call a family member. If it's someone I don't know I probably won't pick it up (caller ID), if it were a friend if I had a friend I probably wouldn't pick it up, and rarely will I call someone besides a close family member.

 

[Lea]

I have no trouble answering telephone, you just need to use it so much that if you should always worry... It became natural to me. I am not nervous unless it´s someone or something very important. But I remember when I was about.. I don´t know, 16? and should make my first phone call, I was totally nervous, thinking over and over what I was going to say.

 

[kingflab]

Quite frankly, lifes to short to worry about such things. I tend to answer the phone with as charismatic a greeting as I can, in some vain attempt to make the person on the other end feel somewhat bemused. Works a treat.

 

[miss_amy]

I cant use the phone really. Its worse than face to face for me. I cant make a call or answer a call unless its 2crowded who Ive practised talking to. Even with him I still feel anxious and sick as Im about to call. Even someone elses ringing phone makes me get a lightening bolt of fear go through my body.

 

[Havocan]

I dread it when the phone rings. If I don't recognise the number on the display I mostly don't answer it, and it almost never happens that I ring someone I don't know on my own. I prefer e-mails instead. Don't know why this is, really. Might be because I cannot see the other person whom I'm talking to and how he/she reacts to my statements, hence the fear of making a fool out of myself, coming across as weird or failing to harmonise with the other^^.

 

[j_brown2]

i can answer it, iam even startin to like it as of lately, but i cant make a call... to much pressure on my side

 

[RiiyaX]

[Gone for good.]

 

[Havocan]

That sounds EXACTLY like me minus asking about money. In fact, my mother sometimes asks me if I need some money, not the other way around. Can also add the fact that both of my parents nag about me ringing them more^^.

 

[TheNewZero]

I almost never pick up the telephone, especially if it's my cellphone. Last summer I had a job where my boss had to call me frequently. It traumatized me, I still jump when I hear her ring tone even though I don't work for her anymore. Does anyone else not pick up the phone when it's someone you know? I never pick up the phone when it's a relative that I don't see very often, even if it's my grandparents. I love my grandparents but I get so nervous talking to them.

 

[Quickslash]

I cant use the phone really. Its worse than face to face for me. I cant make a call or answer a call unless its 2crowded who Ive practised talking to. Even with him I still feel anxious and sick as Im about to call. Even someone elses ringing phone makes me get a lightening bolt of fear go through my body.

Same with me. It's so humiliating having to ask my mom to call somewhere for me. Then my Dad says, "when are you going to grow up, you ****ing retard?" -_-

 

[Chrysalis]

I never answer the telephone, unless it's my sister or Mum.

I have a mobile phone, but pretty much just use it for SMS.
I also have turned the ringer down, and have chosen a soft tone that doesn't stress me out (too much).

Have "Phone-a-phobia" I guess

 

[Videotape]

when the phone rings i itch my leg three times

 

[hopeatsunrise]

I never answer my mobile phone if it's from an unknown number.. i forward it to answer phone and get back to them later if i want to

 

[Havocan]

Same here, unless I know what number it is, I don't answer the phone.

 

[PinkFrog]

I'm okay on the phone. I just try to relax and talk as calm as possible. I sometimes get a shaky voice and I lose my breath, but I don't have trouble having a conversation. I'm better talking on a phone than in person. I have a huge problem with eye contact!

 

[Avoidance]

I hate the phone I've lost so many people over the phone it's the last line of communication the last step for people trying to get a hold of me. I think they get offended I don't talk to them and just give up and leave my life forever.