Anxious about phone calls

Thought this was only me. 😭

I got a nearly fatal (If I had waited another day I probably would’ve gotten sepsis) kidney infection because calling the doctor scared me so much 😅

OMG 🤚 my life. And the people around me who don't, think it's absolutely dumb haha.

Similar to daisypancakes, I find it helps to script what I'm going to say! This works best for doctors appointments and other official calls where you're talking to a receptionist. It doesn't have to be exactly word for word but writing down a loose outline of everything you need to say and getting all the necessary (or potentially needed) info in one place before hitting the call button has really helped me with my call anxiety. It helps me not to forget important bits and gives me a lifeline to lean on when I get flustered. This is, of course, after I overcome the first hurdle of pushing the call button, which can take minutes to days. I'm currently on day two of avoiding making a medical call... Also a bit unrelated but still relevant I think: I struggle with auditory processing issues that worsen over the phone which can make calls even worse as I fail to understand what's being said half the time. Wearing earbuds/headphones has drastically improved this! Something about hearing the audio in both ears, idk, but that helps my anxiety as well because I can hear the other person more clearly Please don't feel stupid about call anxiety! I think a majority of people don't like making phone calls and that number rises drastically among the anxious (source: me and all of my mentally ill friends lol). Even the amount of comments here - you're not alone, calls are the worst 😬

I have to plan out what I'm going to say before I make jt. My hubby kinda started an exposure type of therapy sort of thing for me and started having me make all the important calls we needed to have done a few years back and it has helped but I still hate doing it and I still have to plan out what I'm going to say and the like. I normally get very tongue tied so I've learned to stop take a deep breathe and just kinda audibly sigh and say "sorry words" and continue. The person on the other end always seems to kinda understand and say something like it's ok and we continue.

I hate talking over the phone

Me!!!

I do. But I've gotten much better. I used to freak out whenever I had to make a call to anyone who was not family. But when I started working at the tax office, I learned to be more confident. It took time, I was there for about 2 months before I took my first phone call on my own. But life has been stressful and I haven't taken any calls because my anxiety has been really bad. But it will get better for you. Anxiety can be managed, but it takes time. 🤗

Coincidentally I am currently having a full blow break down about it. I have to call to make sure my Medicaid gets renewed so it's a very important call too, but I'm so freaked out im non verbal so it's even harder now. I don't know how to make it stop and it makes me feel terrible, I don't have advice but you're not alone

I also get bad anxiety when it comes to phone calls unless it's with my parents, sister, niece, or one of my uncles (he hates phone calls too so he makes them as quick as possible).

I thought I was the only one!

I do thats why i try to text as much as possible

Yes somewhat but awful anxiety with talking to answering machines

Depends on who the person is

I get ready bad anxiety with any phone call not to my parents/family/partner. Especially with doctors appointments. You are definitely not alone!