Phone-Phobia

[Endymion]

kill yourself

 

[Harleyq]

It takes me at least half an hour to prep myself before making a call, and that includes 2 or 3 times of picking up the phone and finding that my fingers are shaking and I can't dial. I feel like once I get the courage to dial, I'm on a time limit...hurry up and make my call before my confidence drains.

I've been able to curb the shaking but still...you're DEFINITELY not the only one.

And then if I call and don't get an answer I'm always thinking "DAMMIT! It's going to take me another hour before I get up enough nerve to try that again!" Answering phones isn't so bad but if I don't recognize the number or it's the number of a company and not a person I know, I have a hard time picking up.

 

[Lonelykitsune]

ack i hate the phone.but not my mobil cos only people i know ever phone me(i cant really phon them though)But the house phone,i hate it.I always just hand it to someone else to answer even if its one of my extended family,i just hate spaking on th phone.and i just cant ring people i dont know,like to enquire about work experience or somthign

 

[Emily_G]

Talking on the phone is notoriously a scary thing for stutterers. I actually kind of like it better than talking in person, not sure why. I think because I can hide my facial contortions and hit things when I have a block....which would be weird when talking face to face with someone.

 

[cyndy]

how ironic to see this thread! i was just "yelled at" by my husband tonight for not answering the phone. i had it in my hand, i knew who was on the other end, but i was completely uncomfortable and did not want to talk to anyone.

 

[philly2bits]

I rarely use the phone anymore. I never call anyone unless I have a reason and I never pick up either, I screen all my calls

 

[lurknomore]

I've always had a problem using the phone... it's not as bad as it used to be, but I still have a lot of anxiety making phone calls, and sometimes I put them off even if it's someone I'm comfortable with or I know it will be no big deal. I don't answer the phone unless I know who's calling and I want to talk to them.

 

[Miami]

I used to have phone-phobia but after havng to be on the phone every day at work I only get it every once in a while(usually when I'm nervous)

 

[blue-roses]

It takes me at least half an hour to prep myself before making a call, and that includes 2 or 3 times of picking up the phone and finding that my fingers are shaking and I can't dial. I feel like once I get the courage to dial, I'm on a time limit...hurry up and make my call before my confidence drains. [...] And then if I call and don't get an answer I'm always thinking "DAMMIT! It's going to take me another hour before I get up enough nerve to try that again!" Answering phones isn't so bad but if I don't recognize the number or it's the number of a company and not a person I know, I have a hard time picking up.

"how ironic to see this thread! i was just "yelled at" by my husband tonight for not answering the phone. i had it in my hand, i knew who was on the other end, but i was completely uncomfortable and did not want to talk to anyone. " [Sorry, I'm computer-illiterate and don't know how to put several quotes into one post!]

I'm like that, too. I've been working on that with the uni counsellor and when we started and I was apprehensive about making "silly, pointless" calls (like to ask what time a shop closes or something a bit more silly like whether they stock red towels), she got kind of frustrated and said, "it's like that Nike slogan - just do it". I didn't even bother explaining how it takes me about half an hour just to psych myself up, and I need to have a rest afterwards, lol - I feel physically exhausted afterwards! My parents get mad at me all the time for just sitting there letting it ring...and often when someone says they're going to call back at a certain time, I make sure I'm in the shower or as far away as possible at that time!

 

[divethruhaze]

i have no problem answering the phone. But i have to take time to prepare myself before making a call like some others here

 

[Justas]

I have problems with phone too. Especially when it's unknown number. I always have an explanation why I haven't answered. And I always have to prepare before doing a phone call. I always use email if I can choose to phone or to write email. But people sometimes don't answer emails so I have to phone them I'm overthinking whats going to happen... But I don't know how to overcome them.

 

[PennyLane]

I don't even like to listen to any voicemails that get left....how crazy is that.

 

[Riptor]

Phone anxiety is a large part of why all my friends moved on. They never called me because they didn't really need me, and I didn't have the nerve to call them even though I wanted to hang out (they wouldn't have snubbed me, they just had busy lives).

But even something completely non-personal like ordering food or getting an appointment is terrible, sometimes even worse.

 

[Jake123]

Some of us should get phone buddies to improve our phone/speaking skills.

 

[Off The Wall]

yes, even when i was younger i remember my mum talking to my friends on the phone to organize me going out to their place or something.. so lame.

It takes me like a few hours of walking around the house trying to calm myself before i get the courage to call, then you hear the ringing noise.. and that freaks me out cause i'm like "hurry the hell up and pick up" but then at the same time i'm like "don't pick up, don't pick"... then if they don't pick up damn i gotta start all over again so frustrating.

as much as i hate talking in person i'd much rather sit there with someone for an hour then to chat to them on the phone for 5mins.

My heart use to race everytime the home phone rang, now it's good cause i don't know anyone since we moved so no one would call on the house fone for me. altho i still get nervous sometimes weirdly enough...I never answer my mobile my mum always gets angry,.. i always feel like not having one, but then.. i use it to call my family only when i'm out and stuff, or when my mums at work wanting to know if we have eggs so she can buy them on the way home. haha how lame.

 

[Squishy]

I hate it when my parents are out and the phone rings, I think of not answering and pretending I didn't hear it, but then I just pick it up anyway. But I'm worse with ringing people, usually get my mum to do it, I never even phone my friends except their mobiles sometimes.

 

[dooby-duck]

I hate phones. I haven't phoned anyone apart from close family members for years. I occasionally have to answer the phone at work though, if I can't avoid it. I think it is the unknown and the lack of control that scares me the most.

 

[Meggerz88]

I definitely have phone phobia. Especially when I am calling someone I don't know very well or at all and when I have to ask for something. I will go into my room and rehearse what I am going to say for a long time before I feel relaxed enough to make the call. Then as soon as it starts to ring, all I want to do is hang up... I hate it. When I get really anxious about stuff like that, my throat kind of closes up and I feel like I'm going to cry. I end up sounding like it too!

I find it helps if I take a glass of water with me and take a sip to hold in my mouth until the person answers, then swallow right away and start talking. That kind of opens up my throat enough to start talking alright and usually ends up making the rest of the conversation okay.

 

[tired_of_starting_again]

The phone, that horrible device! I have always hated the phone, I hate when it rings, I hate calling people I hate answering it I hate it!
I have to phone my sponsor & I hate having to do that, ughhhh.
I prefer to just let someone else get it.....

 

[Jake123]

I want one of these so badly