Talking on the phone problems anyone?

[issy]

Just wondering if anyone like me has big issues with talking on the phone? Sounds silly but sometimes talking on the phone for me is worse than talking to someone face to face (although that's still hard).
I even avoid answering phone calls from my brothers sometimes, come on my own family how silly is that! :( I get all nervous, end up sounding nervous on the phone so people would guess, talking over people by mistake etc and mind going blank. I sometime can't even make my own appt to the doctors on the phone and have to get someone else too. I've had this problem for so long I can't even remember not having it. I always have to make excuses to friends on why I 'missed' the call by txt etc. Does anyone else feel this way?

[justme55]

You are not alone, I feel the same way. I don't even take calls from my daughters. I think I am afraid they will hear the frustration in my voice and besides I'm just not the same happy go lucky mom I used to be. No matter how hard it is I think we need to pick up the phone to hear the love on the other end of the line. Peace

[Enduronman]

I hate talking on a phone too...but when I have too..I "act". :)

[issy]

Thanks for your replies all :) Sometimes I can get so worked up if I know I've got to receive a call and the whole time I'm trying to think what to say and wanting it to end. I feel embarrassed that I've always got to ask my loved ones to make a call for me or if I need something done. it makes me feel pathetic and knocks my confidence even more. It's good to know there are others with the same struggles and understand. Joining this forum was a good step in my life, so many great people :) x

[issy]

I hate talking on a phone too...but when I have too..I "act". :)

lol Just a pity I've never been a great actress E-man :D

[issy]

You are not alone, I feel the same way. I don't even take calls from my daughters. I think I am afraid they will hear the frustration in my voice and besides I'm just not the same happy go lucky mom I used to be. No matter how hard it is I think we need to pick up the phone to hear the love on the other end of the line. Peace

Sorry to hear about your struggles Justme55, I agree though hearing from our loved ones is like a healing in itself no matter how hard the action is at the time it has lasting benefits.

[Enduronman]

lol Just a pity I've never been a great actress E-man :D

Practice it!!! :)

"act" bubbly, happy, and then...it will grow on you...

[lexkristina]

I sometimes have this same problem. I have a hard time making doctor appointments or anything. And if I am on the phone making an appointment I can't be around anyone else or I'll get nervous and forget what I'm going to say. I try to avoid talking on the phone at all costs!

[issy]

Practice it!!! :)

"act" bubbly, happy, and then...it will grow on you...

haha well E-man it's about time I took note and pursued a career as an 'actress'. My first mission/goal tomorrow is to try it out :)

[issy]

I sometimes have this same problem. I have a hard time making doctor appointments or anything. And if I am on the phone making an appointment I can't be around anyone else or I'll get nervous and forget what I'm going to say. I try to avoid talking on the phone at all costs!

Hi lexkristina, I'm exactly the same if I ever take a call, I can't have anyone there either as it just makes me more nervous as if I'm being observed.. Do you struggle with other social social problems too? I find social gathering a nightmare if there are people there I don't know or don't know very well. I'll mull over it for weeks, sometimes months before.

[Enduronman]

On the phone....just call somebody, anybody...dial any number and say Hello! How are you today!! Haven't heard from you forever!!!...LOL!!! :)

[Ponder]

My ability to retain information is getting worse. I find phone calls very challenging in this respect. They are also yet another medium in which people rush and talk over the top of each other. I now find the advertising on them quite invasive. Communication through such devices further feeds the speed at which the world runs.

People are not content with just having a home phone anymore, that when replying "NO" to having a mobile, that the dissatisfaction can ussually been seen in the lines that suddenly appear on their face. Just as I like told the chemist, that if they can't even call my name out as opposed to having me beeped whilst still in plain site - if you can't ring me on my home the don't bother with it - I'm not interested.

Email is another form of communication that feeds life's game of arrogance and speed, however I find it much more appropriate for my deteriorating mind. unfortunately people are too lazy for such communication when dealing with businesses that rely on making a profit and basically in general as they continue to think into the future with so much more else that needs to be done. Then of course email is seen to have peoples words called upon at anytime, which is threatening to a species that now uses language to lure, influence, sell and manipulate.

God Damn Fucking right - I hate the phone!

[lexkristina]

Hi lexkristina, I'm exactly the same if I ever take a call, I can't have anyone there either as it just makes me more nervous as if I'm being observed.. Do you struggle with other social social problems too? I find social gathering a nightmare if there are people there I don't know or don't know very well. I'll mull over it for weeks, sometimes months before. yes! If my friends ask me to hangout or something and they're going to be with people I don't know, I won't even go at all. I had to drop classes in college because I couldn't handle sitting in the room with all of the people. I can't go places alone or I get anxiety. Especially the mall and I also can't go on social networking sites because it freaks me out. Weird I know.

[Lord Jazzinho]

I hated the phone so much I was scared to use it for a long time. But what I do is when I ring someone I ask them to put mr through tell them what I need and wait for them to ask me who it is. Identify the precise problem, for me it the begging of the call, come up with a way to negate the problem and keep trying and adapting till it works :)

[issy]

On the phone....just call somebody, anybody...dial any number and say Hello! How are you today!! Haven't heard from you forever!!!...LOL!!! :)

Thanks E-man! Took your advice today and took the plunge! Although I didn't call a friend I called a shop to inquire about an item.. First of all no one was answering their phones (typical) but in the end someone did and I coped ok although nervous! :) Today's a good day.

[issy]

yes! If my friends ask me to hangout or something and they're going to be with people I don't know, I won't even go at all. I had to drop classes in college because I couldn't handle sitting in the room with all of the people. I can't go places alone or I get anxiety. Especially the mall and I also can't go on social networking sites because it freaks me out. Weird I know.

know what you mean! I used to skip some classes in Uni where they became to challenging such as being in a lecture room with so many people I didn't know. Makes you think though how many other people in the same room feel the same as us, in our minds we just think in them situations we are the only ones...

[issy]

I hated the phone so much I was scared to use it for a long time. But what I do is when I ring someone I ask them to put mr through tell them what I need and wait for them to ask me who it is. Identify the precise problem, for me it the begging of the call, come up with a way to negate the problem and keep trying and adapting till it works :)

Thanks for sharing some advice :) Silly I know but I have never sat down and actually thought 'why' do I hate talking on phones, I've just accepted I have a problem and hated phones. That's another goal for today.. to look into my fears more and get more understanding of the inner thoughts. Thanks :)

[issy]

Also does anyone feel more confident in making a call then in answering it? Although I find both difficult sometimes I think that making a call you are more in control and can prepare more, but when the phone rings I tend to freak out and am in such a wave of anxiety I don't answer out of panic, then feel rubbish about it afterwards and feel a failure.

[lexkristina]

know what you mean! I used to skip some classes in Uni where they became to challenging such as being in a lecture room with so many people I didn't know. Makes you think though how many other people in the same room feel the same as us, in our minds we just think in them situations we are the only ones... wow I've never thought of it like that. But I'm sure many people feel the same way. That actually makes me feel better. 😊

[lexkristina]

Also does anyone feel more confident in making a call then in answering it? Although I find both difficult sometimes I think that making a call you are more in control and can prepare more, but when the phone rings I tend to freak out and am in such a wave of anxiety I don't answer out of panic, then feel rubbish about it afterwards and feel a failure.

Yes! Yesterday my boss called me & I sent it to voicemail and then I called back like 10 minutes later so I could be more prepared.. Weird.

[Lord Jazzinho]

Also does anyone feel more confident in making a call then in answering it? Although I find both difficult sometimes I think that making a call you are more in control and can prepare more, but when the phone rings I tend to freak out and am in such a wave of anxiety I don't answer out of panic, then feel rubbish about it afterwards and feel a failure.

It was the other way round for me, I was happier answering the phone.