Oh no, the phone is ringing. I let it go to voicemail.
I have a fear of talking on the phone! Telephonophobia also known as telephone phobia or phone phobia is the fear of taking or making telephone calls.
I avoid calling people and answering the phone. I would prefer an email or text message be sent so that I can respond to it my own timeline. This way I can avoid having a panic attack and keep control of my anxiety. Even as a teenager, I was not a fan of talking on the phone. Go figure, a teenage girl not liking to talk on the phone.
Then and now, I can count on one hand the people I can talk to on the phone without going into a full-blown panic attack.
I do not, I repeat DO NOT take calls from private numbers or unknown number it goes to voicemail. Heck, even if I know the number, I let it go to voicemail. If it’s important, the caller will need to leave a message.
When I have to make a phone call because my husband is unable to make calls for me because he’s at work the panic creeps up the back of my neck. Hot, sweating panic. What if I have to leave a message? Leaving a message means I need to have my message already thought out beforehand. What if the person or company I am calling does answer? What if I forget what I called for? What if I’m not clear on what I am asking for? What if, what if, what if.
Since my anxiety is a contributor to my phobia. When the phone rings or I have to make a call, anxiety will kick in and the over-thinking starts immediately. What if I cannot get my thoughts ours clearly? What if I get tongue-tied? What if, what if, what if. Lots of what ifs.
Panic, terror…
My heart is racing. Trembling. Sweating and dry mouth. This is what starts to happen when the phone rings. This is what happens when I must make a phone call. This is my anxiety.
Do you have phobias? Share them in the comments below. Do you have phobias? Share them in the comments below.
Hi, before you go…
If you enjoyed our blog we would like to have you join our email list and receive the weekly receive the weekly email of the latest blog post, tips, and exclusive contents, you can join now! Don’t forget to join our Private Facebook page. The FB page is created to share your work, pitch your services and learn from one another.
If you found this post helpful, please PIN IT!
About the Author
Jay Creed
Content Creator + Manager
Jay is the Content Creator + Manager here at Life of Creed. She shares her adventures in homeschooling, traveling, beauty, mental health, fashion, product + music reviews, DIY, and more. She is also a blog coach + mompreneur consultant over at Jay Creed.
Ohhhhh this one is right up my alley because I have a huge aversion to the phone. It started when I was a kid because my mother often unplugged our phone (it got on her nerves). Even today, when friends or family call, I get that little bit of sheer panic like omg — can they not just text me?! I really do hate the phone, and like you, I’d rather communicate via text or email so that there’s no urgency to reply. I keep my phone on DND (with a few ‘favorites’ who can always get me, like my bestie, my love, etc), but truly I hate to talk on the phone. I’m in your camp, girl.
I know right, why can’t everyone just send a text, lol.
Totally get this! I always feel like I will say the wrong thing, but in an important conversation, I feel like texting can be hard to understand tone, so, it’s all just hard sometimes for me hehe!
Agree, the tone can not come through as intended when texting or emailing. Same here, I don’t want to say the wrong thing or get all my words jumbled up.
My phobia’s I get really bad anxiety when I don’t know what to expect, I am one of those people if you were to throw me a surprise party I will probably have a heart attack because I wasn’t ready for it! Slowly learning how to be more sporadic and getting comfortable with it. The phone thing, well I would rather talk on the phone when having a conversation, text is left for short quick reminders of hey I forgot to tell yous or funny gifs from friends, e-mails I leave for business. I don’t know I just feel you get more of an underline tone with phone calls, more emotion, more feeling.