Answering the telephone
- Thread starter afraidofyou
- Start date
lyricalliaisons
Well-known member
I keep my phone on silence 24/7, unless my mom's in the hospital, because just the sound of it terrifies me. My mom's in the hospital now & I have it on vibrate. Vibrate is a lot less scary for me to hear than a ringer, but I still hate it.
What's really weird is that if the phone rings and I pick it up my voice will be small and nervous or calm and strong depending on who is calling and I don't even know who is calling. Strong if it's a friend or someone I would enjoy interacting with or nervous and weak if it's something like a telemarketer. I have learned to just slow down and speak slowly. This lessens any fear.
Flowers-Of-Bloom
Well-known member
I get very nervous when the telephone rings. =(
I never pick it up, but if someone in my family answers it and says it's for me, then I panic. I really, really don't like telephones. I hate them. I wish I could just unplug it... but I can't.
I never pick it up, but if someone in my family answers it and says it's for me, then I panic. I really, really don't like telephones. I hate them. I wish I could just unplug it... but I can't.
dooby-duck
Well-known member
I hate the phone. The sound of the thing ringing sends a strange fear through me even if I don't need to answer it. I avoid using them most of the time, but at work I sometimes have to answer it. I'd rather communicate face to face to be honest.
Corsendonk
Active member
I avoid them as much as i can. Emberassed to admit, i sometimes flush the toilet when it rings, as to make sure towards my family that i couldn't pick it up in time. :
:
:
Same here. Placing an "impersonal" call to a business if I need or want to know something in particular is not nearly as hard as calling someone I know. And the longer you go without calling that person, the harder it is to force yourself to finally do it.
Umm well even when i didnt have this problem i still wouldnt like answering the phone lol. I preferred face to face contact.
But yeah now i still dont like it. I had to speak to my nana for the first time in years the other week on the phone and i was kinda nervous. I get what you mean. When people come to the door i pretend i dont hear it if my family are out.. :/
But yeah now i still dont like it. I had to speak to my nana for the first time in years the other week on the phone and i was kinda nervous. I get what you mean. When people come to the door i pretend i dont hear it if my family are out.. :/
yeah...i also rarely pick up the phone and i cant make phonecalls.
i only answer the phone if it's from my mom. i dont even usually pick it up if my own friends call. i prefer sms (text) or emails...talking just makes me nervous!!!
my dad keeps saying "but the person on the other line cant even see you! what are you so afraid of?" well it's TALKING that frightens me...i dont care whether that other person can see me or not! i wish he would understand....
i only answer the phone if it's from my mom. i dont even usually pick it up if my own friends call. i prefer sms (text) or emails...talking just makes me nervous!!!
my dad keeps saying "but the person on the other line cant even see you! what are you so afraid of?" well it's TALKING that frightens me...i dont care whether that other person can see me or not! i wish he would understand....
Exeunt
Active member
Right now, my biggest problem is making impersonal calls. I never know the rights words to say, so I spend half an hour composing my thoughts on paper. Even then, I'll start rambling like an idiot if I'm asked something unexpected, and the more I fail, the more reluctant I become.
Sometimes I have trouble talking on the phone Depends on who is calling. The really strange thing is when the phone rings and I pick it up my voice will be shaky before I even know who it is and other times when I pick up my voice will be strong and confident before I know who. When I'm nervous it'll be someone or a situation I don't feel confident with and when strong It'll be someone I can talk at ease with. This tells me there is some kind of psychic connection going on.
mikebird
Banned
I'm glad I found this thread!
The telly fone phobia has ruled my existence for the last 8 years. This is my biggest factor in SA. Without the phone, I'd be fine.
My life has completely changed. I published my CV widely. I like to get an email about an opportunity. The phone is a weapon of choice of a recruiter. When applying specifically about something, I have to wait for either phone to ring. When not, for a week, it put the self-esteem right through the floor. When the cell or landline rings, as it does now, as I write, it's too much shock to answer, put it makes life easier to ignore or cancel immediately, as I just do, right now.
I spent the last 8 years trying to get in the mood. Every time, I get:
1. silence. I speak. I hangup
2. they annoy me. I shout
3. I'm friendly. They hang up
4. They grill me
5. They have no clue what the job is about.
6. I let it ring. The other line rings. Who's that? Never any ID
It goes deep, and deeper
Psychotic mendbending test to gauge me as unfit for work or communication
I was fine with tough school exams and BSC Hons degree exams . Read. Write.
Never ready for this torture
My life is in the hands of recruiters who decide my suitability, by... oohh.. oh.. YES/NO
I am desperate to find a way to deal with this
The telly fone phobia has ruled my existence for the last 8 years. This is my biggest factor in SA. Without the phone, I'd be fine.
My life has completely changed. I published my CV widely. I like to get an email about an opportunity. The phone is a weapon of choice of a recruiter. When applying specifically about something, I have to wait for either phone to ring. When not, for a week, it put the self-esteem right through the floor. When the cell or landline rings, as it does now, as I write, it's too much shock to answer, put it makes life easier to ignore or cancel immediately, as I just do, right now.
I spent the last 8 years trying to get in the mood. Every time, I get:
1. silence. I speak. I hangup
2. they annoy me. I shout
3. I'm friendly. They hang up
4. They grill me
5. They have no clue what the job is about.
6. I let it ring. The other line rings. Who's that? Never any ID
It goes deep, and deeper
Psychotic mendbending test to gauge me as unfit for work or communication
I was fine with tough school exams and BSC Hons degree exams . Read. Write.
Never ready for this torture
My life is in the hands of recruiters who decide my suitability, by... oohh.. oh.. YES/NO
I am desperate to find a way to deal with this