Preparing for Phone Calls: Tips and Tricks

I hate phone calls so much. I have a case manager (thank you, medicaid) that I meet with once a week to make phone calls with. She does most of the talking (mainly the intro is the biggest obstacle for me), and I chime in when necessary. Like, she'll do introductions, state the reason for the call, respond to any general questions from the other person, and then I'll chime in for specific questions that my case Manger wouldn't have the answers to, like my SSN, when I'm available for an appointment, or to ask any spefic questions I might have. A case worker can't make calls FOR you, but being there to help made a huge difference. I got my case manager through a mental health clinic (the one I go to for therapy). I acknowledge that this isn't accessible for everyone, so I apologize if this isn't helpful. Even if you could find a trusted friend to help. You can also use a social worker, but they are harder to find sometimes. My case manager is working towards a degree in social work. I don't know if you have the same resources as I do where you are, but sometimes local libraries and colleges have an in-house social worker that you can meet with for free. Hope this helps. If you have questions, you can ask me

i write out a little script, depending on the phone call i will have word for word topics i want to discuss or general outlines. i see the commenter above me discussed this as well but this truly makes me feel prepared.

I sometimes have a very loose script, like bullet points of things I want to cover in the call especially if it's "formal" call like for work or doctors or customer service. It's also helpful to always have pen and paper or another device to write stuff down when you're getting a call, cuz the anxiety during the call can make you forget the silliest things. I also try to remember that very few people Enjoy phone calls - the sound quality is never good, it's hard to read tone without all the other normal social cues, etc. It's okay to make a light-hearted comment during the call to defuse some of your stress. Like "oh man you'll have to bear with me, I seem to lose all my brain cells when I'm on the phone", they'll probably understand. And last tip, not sure if it's relatable, but I get so stressed at the end of a call about saying goodbye and hanging up. Then my therapist asked me what my ideal amount of goodbyes I'd want to have on a call, regardless of "social rules" that cause me anxiety. I said two, and now I do two and hang up. It still feels awkward and stressful a lot of the time, but it's the best amount for me.