phone anxiety?!

[shockme]

hi everyone! does anyone else ever get anxious about using the phone? anxious about talking to people on the phone? or is it just me? thanks! trish

[retrogurl88]

I used to because I would always run out of things to talk about.  My anxiety would make my mind go blank.  Then I began to brainstorm subjects to discuss before getting on the phone, I would write these thoughts on an index card.  Eventually, my confidence was built up to the point where I no longer need the card.

[NightOwl]

Sometimes I do.  I've got much better now though, BUT I run out of things to say and panic against people I have not talked to often.

[retrogurl88]

Also remember that the person on the other end of the line, can't see you on a phone call.

Just trying to help. 

[mattsmom]

i ALWAYS SAY THINGS THAT ARE  REALLY DUMB AND PEOPLE THINK I'M A TARD  iT MAKE ME NOT WANT TO TALK TO ANYONE

[NightOwl]

Interesting you mention that becuase when I make posts here or anywhere else I then think later I said something dumb and last night I just realized.... I am going to not worry about it or care anymore.  lol  If it's dumb, then fine it's dumb.  But I'm just going to stop analyzing what I say or post anymore.  Really saying dumb things comes from overthinking also, I think.  With me, anyway.  I keep thinking and rambling.  ha.

[tf921]

hello,
   I am getting better, but yes I get anxious using the phone.  I try to keep telling myself...  "they don't know me ... they don't know me" that really does seem to help.

   Tricia

[crzyinthehed]

i have the worst phone anxiety ever ugh i hate talking on the phone or having to call someone other than my mom or dad. whenever anyone calls and my dad answers it and its for me i panic so bad. i haaaate talking on the phone when its just handed to me and i have no idea who it is.

[Kuromi]

I have extreme problems talking to people on the phone. My mom always wants me to call my dad to tell him something. (they're divorced) and I also freak out and make excuses not to call. Usually because I'm afraid one of my step family will pick up. I don't understand it because I don't have probs talking to them. I just can't call people on the phone, even my friends. just anyone. I get such extreme anxiety that it hurts.  I don't know what to do, but my family thinks I'm crazy because I always freak out and refuse to call anyone.. 

[anxiousJ]

Absolutely!!!  Funny enough (if you can call it funny), is that my job is in communications.  I hate hate having to talk to anyone on the phone and that's my job! It's truely paralyzing when you have this phobia. I have trouble sometimes even calling my good friends!!!  Go figure that one.  I don't know how this happened to me.  The phone used to be my best friend.  I loved to chat but now when the phone rings I let it go to voice mail and then have to get up the courage to call back.  It's awful.  I feel your pain.

[tash]

I hate calling people. if people call me I am ok. I actually worked at a call center for a while. but they called me and then I just read from a script and varied my awnser depneding on what they said.  (yes this is how tech support works :lol: ) If for some reason I have to call someone I will put it off or try to find another option if possible. (did you know both papa johns and pizza hut have online ordering? so does chipolte, but thiers sucks). I was suppost to call my therapist today. but didn't. hopefully I will tomorrow. if I get a machine/voicemail I will usueally freak and hangup. then I will call back later and either hangup or write out a script for myself to leave a message. I rehearse the script too. sometimes though they call back just because they see my number on the caller id. that freaks me out if it is someone I don't know well (liek when I called someone on craigslist) because then I don't have a script ready or anything. I tell my friends if they expect me to contact them they better have email or im. they can call me though if they want to.

[mommy_2_4_babies]

It really lessens my anxiety 2 b on the phone I guess because it takes my mind off of everything

[CATE]

I get really anxious if I'm expecting a call.I always thought it was really bizarre ::)Its a  little easier if I can ring them.I suppose I can prepare then...

[NightOwl]

I don't remember if I already mentioned this, but even though I have always had phone anxiety and still have it some, I keep wanting to find people to call now and want to talk on the phone a lot.  But of course now that I want to... nobody else does. (online people)  In the past all of these people begged me to call them.  lol

[chet]

I have a fear of the phone.  It's important in my job to call people I don't know personally. I've been told it's fear of rejection.  But rejection isn't really cause for fear is it?  I thought that the thought of rejection was more of an anxiety than fear.  Is that what I'm fearing? Fear of rejection or is it fear of success or failure? I guess it doesn't make any difference if I can't shed the trepidation of lifting the receiver and dialing, does  it? 

[abeja_reina_1989]

omg!! im like this all the time. i mean, calling the bank, calling a cab. it's not just you. i think the person's judging me.
funny, cuz i worked at comcast answering the phones all day and id feel like the person would know who i was or something. kept tryna talk myself out of it.. tried to tell myself that they probably won't even remember talking to me later on that day anway. but ya.. i get what you mean

[ilovemygirls]

I didnt know this was so common.  I suffer form this sooo bad.  I HATE to talk on the phone, and if I have to call someone, I send them a voicemail through the voicemail server, without actually talking to them.  Also if the phone rings, no matter who it is, (my mom and dad the exception), I dont answer it, unless it s a call I've been waiting for, and I know vaguely what the outcome of the conversation will be.  I also will not talk on the phone, or leave a message for anyone if other people are inthe room with me.  I feel as if I sound stupid, and they will laugh at me. 

[Karen17]

I'm really bad about the phone..especially when I have to call someone in authority. One time I even wrote down what I was going to say...lol. I avoid picking up the phone and calling places. It's bad. I don't know how I'm going to get over it.

[Sepulchrave]

Hah. And here I thought it was just me... I absolutely refuse to answer or make telephone calls. Making them is far worse than answering them though, because then it feels like it is entirely your responsibility to initiate any sort of conversation. If I cannot reach someone by email, I will not reach them at all. Ever.

[Me making a phone call]
Person: Hello?
Me: Er... Um... Cough cough... Hell(voice crackle)o... (lightheaded, sweaty hands, unable to remember your own name)
Person: Pardon? Who is this? Listen, I don't want to buy anything!

[southpaw]

I'm another one with phone anxiety. Hate making calls, hate answering the phone. I just plain don't answer the phone, unless it's a close family member. I try to steer everyone toward email nowadays. I can't even explain exactly what it is I'm so anxious about.

I have learned that there are quite a few of us phone-phobes out there though (discovered this fact on a parenting forum) - I used to think I was the only one who was afraid to call the pizza place!

[beautifuldisaster]

Wow, i'm glad it's not just me! I definitely have phone anxiety.... but not with people that i know really well and am comfortable around. I usually only get phone anxiety when I have to call someone I don't know (or dont know well), and i NEVER answer calls from numbers I don't know. My problem is i have slight ADD too, so i have a hard time listening to what people are saying because my eyes are looking at other things lol so my mind wanders pretty easily, and i also worry about not being able to fully hear someone (bad phone reception, they talk too fast, etc)... Plus awkward silences are SOOO much more awkward through the phone. I'm getting better at it, but the anxiety is worse some days and not so bad others.

But it's nice to know i'm not alone! Thanks!

[abeja_reina_1989]

i think it's more common to be nervous around people you don't know. ive been reading this book called The Anxiety & Phobia Handbook and it calls the people we are comfortable with our 'safe people'. You can have safe places as well.. makes perfect sense to me