I have this stupid phobia of calling people on the phone, especialy for buissness calls. What can I do?

An interesting problem for your to resolve eventually.

In my first job, although it was nothing to do with phones or call centres, I was told that there would be times when I would have to answer the office telephone if the other staff were busy. My father had refused to have one at home, so I had no experience using one, so it was agony when an extension rang and I could see I was going to have to answer. I always felt so self conscious, would get flustered and nervous and just got in a terrible funk about speaking. I even used to go to the gents if I realised that the other junior was not around and I was the only one available to pick up if it did ring!

In the end, I realised that I would never be able to get through the whole of my working life avoiding the telephone, so steeled myself when it was inevitable, and made sure I had a little crib sheet of standard phrases I could use to avoid the moments of panic blanking of the mind. However, it was still something I avoided until I realised that it was just one more of the many things I was here to 'learn'. It seems we are all given various 'difficult' (to us individually) things to do throughout our lives as part of the pattern of events along with the myriad of regular practical/manual and mental skills that we plough through over the course of them.

To be honest, I can't be one hundred percent sure how I overcame the phobia, but it did involve a certain amount of preparation, a huge amount of determination and will power, and a degree of blind trust that I would be able to manage it happily eventually.

Although I happily make telephone calls all the time now, It will still occasionally arise in me again, and I recognise the signs as a vague uneasiness about making a particular call and I find myself mentally putting it off for no logical reason. When I see that happening, I just know I have to stop procrastinating and do it, and every time, the actuality is always less problematic than the anticipation.

There are other activities that have a similar effect, like public speaking for example, and I am still so hyped up if I ever have to do so, that I feel physically sick. Not too sure if I'll ever nail that one in this life, but I know it is the same kind of thing, but much easier to avoid and duck out from if your life is dedicated to doing that. The strange thing is that in real life social situations, I am a bit of a showman in public and can be quite the entertainer. But perhaps that is when I am just taking things as they come and not thinking too deeply about what I am doing. Our 'thinking' creates a feedback loop that can immobilise us, but of course there is only one way to break that loop, and that is to keep starting to do and pressing on with whatever it is that is causing our conscious fore-brain to hold us back from doing what in reality is a simple and regular human activity. Like everything, once it becomes frequent and mundane, it loses its ability to control us.

Oh, and one more thing I recall doing, was when in my own time, I'd find a public call box sometimes, and just dial someone randomly and say I was someone else. That way, they didn't know me and never could, plus I was protected by a false identity as I could talk and act any way I fancied. Of course they were prank calls of a kind, and often done with mates for a laugh, but it did help me get used to just speaking on the telephone.

Good luck in your struggle :-)

Dale has a good answer. Personally, I had the same problem for awhile. I didn't realize it was a phobia..till I went to therapy, I was on medication for anxiety and then realized that I stop feeling that way about making a call...and even getting a call . I even had problems opening any kind of business mail that was addressed to me. I could open mail at work..but not at home. I seemed so dumb to me,

What happen to me, was that years earlier I had a problem with a credit card bill, it was late for like 3 months...they started to call me, I felt so bad..so guilty that I could not deal with it..even after I paid the bill, which was not a huge amount, I stayed very anxious for a very long time with regards to phone calls and mail. I remember the letters, they had the 800 number to call..I felt like they were yelling at me, and sometimes when I did call, the person was rather curt with me, so I felt worse..and there started the phobia. It was just a weird thing I had to get over. I had a great therapist, once I told her I was hoarding mail, she had me bring in all my unopened mail, she and I opened the mail...and somehow..that help me get over it.

So think of when it started..I am certain its for real ..get a new therapist. :)

I think there is a help line you can ring, it never seems busy.

Oh my poor Daughter, I am the same & so was my Dad.

The more regularly you do it, the easier it becomes, it is something about communicating without body language or eye contact I reckon.

Like most irrational fears, it is always worse in your head before, than the actual event. The more successful calls you make, the more you will associate it to the rewards you receive, by completing your tasks.

Call me & talk about it if you like.

I don't like signing my name in public either, I read somewhere once, many people that have a phone phobia, also have a phobia about signing their name in public.

So it's good to know I'm normal.

I love you, we are just not phoney enough.

Learn a relaxation response from either yoga, or meditation, or Both! In the end this is a type of social phobia and cognitive behavioral therapists are best suited to fix it with you. Find a referral from your state association for psychologists or counsellors. Cheers and good luck. And yes, you can write down what you want to say, phone a friend and practice, etc. Every little bit helps. Cheers!

hiya!

Ok, this is probably because you think it will be awkward or you think they'll ask you a question you dont know the answer to.

1.) AWKWARD: just keep thinking there are always things you could bring up if something gets awkward, like if it with ur friend you could talk about hangingout sometime, or boys, or your day. same for family members but replace the 'boys' topic with 'the weather' (: Practicing could also help. Try calling your aunt just to say hi, or check up. Order pizza. Just get on the phone any chance you get.

2.) NOT KNOWING TO ANSWER TO A QUESTION: Practice! call and order pizza, cus u will know all the answers to their questions! You know what u want on your pizza, you know where you live ect.

Also this may be of some help. Before you call, collect your thoughts. Right down things you think they will ask, so you know the answer right away.

hope this is of some help!(:

just give them a msd call, or text them..and tell them to call u back....

and if you wanna fight that phobia.. just call some random strangers from the directory....try to talk as much as u can.. and later just keep the phone saying that u dialled the wrong number..lol

well i dont think this is an excellent idea..but i guess, therz no harm in trying?..

all u need to do is.. keep calling..

before, i was afraid to go to interviews.. like really afraid..but now, it doesnt bother me at all.

wish u luck :)

edit: wow.... u seriously have a major phone phobia.. graham bell is so gonna be disappointed by u alleshiea..lol ..

now i know what to not gift u... if ever.. hmmm.. a cell phone!.. hehehe... :D

dont worry much.. with time, u will be out of this phobia..and i have no clue how! O_O

Just think that calling will get you one step closer to getting things wrapped up

I tend to do some important business last minute (which is bad...procrastination of the inevitable) and realize that calling earlier may have been a better idea in preparation because things aren't always going to go my way all of the time last minute.

Look at each phone call as an "audition for a play..."

"Acting..."

Rehearse your lines before you're gonna dial, and then just calmly recite the lines of the phone play, and at the end say "Tank you berry muchos, and have a nize day..."

Oh God, I thought I was the only one.

I HATE talking on the phone, doesn't matter who it is. I feel really self-conscious for some reason. I would rather e-mail or text.

I don't mind talking in person though.

Do practice calls?

Make a list of numbers of Businesses and call them asking about their merchandise, you will grow into it???? lol!