Tag Archives: phobia

My dumbest phobia

Telephone phobia (telephonophobia, telephobia) is reluctance or fear of making or taking phone calls, literally, “fear of telephone”. (From Wikipedia)

Yup. That’s me. You’d be surprised how hard I have to psych myself up to make a phone call. I am not as bad about taking phone calls, but there’s that issue, too. I have to REALLY know the person on the other end of the line to be okay with talking on the phone in general.

I did a Google search for “fear of making a phone call” figuring I wouldn’t find anything. Much to my surprise, there are a lot of web-sites out there about it! Even some self-help sites to help people get over it. Suddenly, I don’t feel so weird to be like this.

The invention of the Internet and text messaging was made for someone like me. In fact I wonder if the inventors of the Internet were fellow telephonophobics. And text messaging is like a blessing. I’m never without my cell phone specifically because text messaging rocks so hard. I wish I could text for everything. I imagine some things would go like this:

Me to doctors office: “Hey, I need an appointment. What do you have?”
Doc: “How is Friday at 11. Be here by 10:45.”
Me: “Cool. I’m there. Thanks!”

Or maybe:

Me to restaurant: “What are your hours?”
Restaurant: “11am to 2 pm”
Me: “I need a reservation for 4 at 6 pm. Name, Musicians Widow.”
Restaurant: “Gotcha! See you then!”

Yeah… you can give your cell number to vendors and let them text you specials, etc. That’s not the kind of thing I am talking about (and its also something I steadfastly refuse to do). No, I mean the things that are two minute conversations and not a big deal…

…BUT ARE A BIG DEAL TO ME.

The last time I had a doctor’s appointment, it took me ten minutes to talk myself into dialing the number. That is not a lie or exaggeration! If I make a call and my husband or my parents are around, I’ll quiz them for a long time after I hang up as to, “Did I do okay?”

Like I said, I don’t let my “phobia” hold me back (much), but its definitely something I want to work on and totally rid myself of having. Or, if I don’t rid myself of it, I was to at least take my psych-up-time down to 30 seconds versus 10 minutes.

Any words of wisdom out there? Anyone have any advise? Or… better yet… does anyone else deal with this, too? Talk to me! (Just don’t call me… ha!)