Phone anxiety

[dynasty 14]

Anyone else get this? I can text with no problems which is why I prefer to text over calling but I feel nervous picking up the phone calling someone I even have some friends that encouage me to call them anytime but that still does not ease me at all. I don't feel as bad when reciving calls but I do get iffy when I see a number from a area code that I don't reconize or private calls(I usally ignore those) but I think that is totally normal.

[JungleJulia 235]

I used to get this Dyn when I first got anxiety. For almost a year I pretty much wouldn't speak to anyone on the phone. It doesn't bother me anymore though. Probably the more you do it you will get desensitized. Maybe try and do like 1 call a day or 1 a week for practice?

[Gilly 1086]

Yes, I had this very bad. I think largely down to the fact we didn't have a phone at home until I was in my early 20's. Working got me past a lot of it but I still cannot make phone calls to doctors or anything health related, and having to call family or friends makes me anxious. I am completely fine making calls to companies with complaints or to pay bills and idk why, weird. Skype helped me a lot though although I still get nervous doing that sometimes.

But Stephen (my husband) has phone anxiety really bad, he will avoid having to call anyone at all costs, and if he needs to call say the car insurance company or something he will go into panic mode, curl into a ball and beg me to do it.

[JOYCICLE 654]

Yup. No matter if it's a stranger of a great friend or my sister, sometimes being on the phone makes me feel 'in the spotlight'. I agree with JJ , just try it. Make a point to make super short calls to those friends. Have a topic on hand, a question you wanted to ask , then so 'oh ok, cool, talk to you later then' , so you get right back off the phone. Make it short and sweet ! You can do it DYNA !

[tajnz 0]

I only feel comfortable talking on the phone if I'm talking to a close family member or an old family friend, who feels like part of the family. I find talking to friends on the phone uncomfortable.

If I have to talk to a stranger I get incredibly nervous. I find it odd that you can hear a voice disconnected from it's body. I hate not being able to see who I'm talking to. I know that's probably a weird thing to say. I absolutely hate having to ring the doctors office for an appointment for example. I also dislike not knowing who is going to answer the phone. Sometimes I'll sit and stare at the phone for long periods of time if I have to call someone I don't know. My heart starts to beat fast.

I also feel down if a telemarketer rings as I feel I've been tricked into answering the phonecall of a family member to have some stranger try and force me to do their survey or donate money to some charity.

My family thinks my phone phobia is strange but it's nice to see I'm not the only one.

[JOYCICLE 654]

Taj I am somewhat the opposite because I dont' mind making appts, etc. Might be because that stranger will NOT be on the phone long and will not ask detailed questions about my life. Funny how it's different for everyone.

[leyash 4]

I hate CALLING places. I do not have phone anxiety, as far as just talking on the phone. However, I do not like calling anyone, for fear that someone else is going to answer their phone, or that they are going to play a trick on me or something. It just makes me nervous. i won't even order pizzas on the phone, because I have to call them.

[SarahLizzie 2]

I do not answer numbers I do not know. Now do I answer private calls. Texting is also my preferred methof of communication, unless I am talking to my boyfriend or my mom, then i will call I dont want to wait for a response. I guess I do get this, I do not even call my friends, I only text them.

I never put much thought into it before.

[Esperahol 0]

If I am speaking to a perfect stranger who is not part of a help desk or such I will generally descend into a panic attack sooner rather than later. If I am speaking to someone at an office or help desk I will only become nausea. If I am talking to a teacher or college I will remain calm. If I am talking to family or friends I have no issues. It is a matter of familiarity, unless I am recieving a call in which case I am calm as anything.

[shaun 6]

I've never been a 'phone person', I don't like using the phone. I'm not sure where my issue with speaking on the phone started, bad experiences with phone interviews probably didn't help. I recall the anticipation of waiting for the employer to call and then feeling a sudden rush of panic when the phone rang.

[unnaturalsmiles 0]

I really can empathize. I can easily make a phone call, but when someone calls me... my heart implodes. I also hate leaving voicemails and receiving them. Those get me really antsy.