Phone anxiety
I don't know how it got to this point, but I have crippling social anxiety that's now starting to affect me answering my phone. My phone rings and I just get his paralyzing fear, my stomach is in knots and it's hard to breathe. I now have to make calls back and I'm starting to fall back into nervous ticks I was trying to shake like hair pulling. I just need to make a damn phone call, why is this so difficult suddenly?
Anyone have any advice? Sorry to dump.
@SadPanda16
Telephobia is a phobia of making telephone calls. It's something I've had to deal with for a while and I still get anxious about calling people. However, as with any anxiety, the best way to combat it or at least keep it at bay is to not let it win and to persevere. I sometimes make some notes about what I'll say on the phone but a lot of the time, I force myself to ring someone without questioning it before hand or mulling it over in my mind. It's usually over and done with before anxiety can even begin or when I'm on the phone, I realise I'm talking to a kind and patient person so my anxiety calms down. I think it's a perfectly reasonable anxiety to have - people sometimes mock it as being a silly thing or that it's a 'new age' problem.
If it's a big problem for you and you feel like you cannot find a way to feel better, then maybe see a doctor about getting some CBT? I hope things improve for you.
@SilentSerenityy
Thank you. I appreciate your response.
I typed all that out in the midst of an anxious fit, so I'm sorry if it seemed a little incoherent. It's just an issue that keeps growing over time. I have no issues answering phones at work, but I suppose they are borderline anonymous calls whereas my cell phone is personal.
I have to laugh because I have other anxiety issues and I wasn't ready to make any additions lol oh well.
But again thank you for you help, and your kind words.
@SilentSerenityy
Thank you. I appreciate your response.
I typed all that out in the midst of an anxious fit, so I'm sorry if it seemed a little incoherent. It's just an issue that keeps growing over time. I have no issues answering phones at work, but I suppose they are borderline anonymous calls whereas my cell phone is personal.
I have to laugh because I have other anxiety issues and I wasn't ready to make any additions lol oh well.
But again thank you for you help, and your kind words.
@SilentSerenityy agree fully
@SadPanda16 how is your phone anxiety coming along? i have anxiety talking on the phone infront of others - more so when it's business related. i remember working at a pizza joint in high school and i told the boss i had a phobea of phones so i couldn't take the calls. i was scared of messing up the order honestly, so i lied.
@Silentknights
Thank you for checking in!
I don't like answering phones at work but I've been at my job so long it's easier now. And I'm not afraid to put someone on hold and have someone else pick up lol but I could understand telling an employer you can't answer phones. Mental health and happiness is more important than anything work related, I keep trying to tell myself.
I actually had a really good day the other day and made three important calls that I've been avoiding. I was setting up appointments and things and I was so eager to get off the phone I just agreed to the first available appointment. I'm kicking myself now and I feel like I'd rather rearrange my schedule than call back and sound like a moron :/
i just wing it, but i feel awkward all the time. i really dont have much trouble talking to someone i know but if its a stranger i kinda hate it. just yesterday my manager kinda just handed me a phone and said "take their order", i was absolutely terrified, although i think i hid it alright. i guess my only advice to you would be to start by talking to someone you know and are comfortable with, have them to call you. if you dont know anyone like that (like i used to be) then just think of somewhere you could call maybe just to ask a question, like how late they are open or something like that. these people who's job it is to answer phones are generally nice and random people calling them to ask simple things like that is normal and it might help you get used to talking on the phone. i guess the only thing you can do is just practice, try to remember that its not much different from talking face to face, you are still talking to a person. i know its hard cause i prefer to see the person, on the phone there are no visual cues or body language to indicate what they might be thinking or feeling and that makes me feel uncomfortable. just practice and you may gradually get better at it, start with a friend like i did if you can.