Comments on: Social Anxiety | Do You Have Telephonophobia?

By: Cat

Cat — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:25:11 +0000

I think I used to be much worse when it comes to teleponophobia (love that word!), as I could hardly make doctor’s appointments, order a meal, call back recruiters, or other generic organisational things. I am much better now with these personal things, but I struggle with it at work – I guess I feel panicked because I am representing the company on the phone, and if I get it wrong then this is going to reflect badly on them. I’m really worried I won’t ever be able to hold down a job with this anxiety. I’m well-educated and otherwise fine in chatting to people/strangers, although I am generally introvert – just this horrid tick getting in the way of being normal and coping with every day things…

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:10:08 +0000

I have been unable to make phone calls to anyone except my Mum and my Husband for over ten years now. I had no idea it was a real issue until someone I know mentioned that they had telephonophobia and I looked it up and found this website.

For me it’s not a fear of the phone as such, I just don’t know what to say. I stutter and stammer, I can’t speak, my stomach turns over and I feel physically sick. I get the shakes and they last for hours afterwards and it leaves me feeling light headed and breathless…

I am trying desperately to “get over it” at the moment. I answered the phone twice yesterday and I still feel ill and shaky today. I don’t know if I’ll ever beat this phobia… Ten years is a long time, and I was never good with phones in my life before then either and would always try to get someone else to make my phone calls for me or just not answer…

By: Anna

Anna — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 23:14:23 +0000

I hate talking to people on the phone. I don’t know why it is and sometimes it’s really embarrassing. I was doing work experience and they asked me to call some people to tell them that what they ordered had arrived, and I just panicked. It was horrible & I don’t know how to get over it.

By: admin

admin — Sun, 09 May 2010 19:50:08 +0000

I hate drive-thru ordering, too! It’s not just talking into the box. It’s the driving around the curves, wondering if I’m going to run over a curb, it’s not knowing which window to pull up to if they have 2 windows, and not understanding the person “in the box”!

By: Jessi

Jessi — Sun, 09 May 2010 19:20:21 +0000

I’m so glad to know that I’m not the only one! I have no problem with chat or email but I cant make a 911 call for myself. I actually ended up delivering my baby in the hospital lobby because I couldnt call 911 so I drove myself to the hospital. The only person I call is my mother and then I will spend hours or even days thinking about everything I said and if it was wrong. I also have a problem with drive-thru orders. I can go inside and order without a problem but when it comes to talking to the box I just cant do it. Does anyone else have this problem?