I have telephone anxiety...and people want to call me to chat?

[Cherry]

First off..I feel rushed..I live in NYC and have a million things to take care of..so I feel like being on the phone is holding me back..but even when I'm not rushed..old high school friends want to call and talk to me...or really old acquaintances and I just feel SO phobic..I dunno..like I panic and press ignore and shoot them a text and make up an excuse that I'm working I feel awkward..like I wouldn't know what to talk about...and I feel like I'm just BSing and trying to be interested..because more than often, I don't really care...I rather email back and forth. I AM a VERY caring person..but I feel like talking on the phone is a waste of time..but I am sad that people really want to chat with me and I'm too anxious to pick u p the phone..and I definitely don't call people. I'm weird like that and I dunno why. I used to give ANYTHING to chat, all day, on the phone as a teenager.
I also feel weird bc when I talk to people..I don't know how to cut the conversation off and say goodbye without being rude..or without going on too long and then them having to cut me off and hang up. Help?!

 

[ShanelZ]

I'm totally the same way, your not alone i rarely answer the phone because i just feel that its a waste of time i cant stand it i get so aggravated when it rings. not that i don't care about my friends either i totally want to be there but i cant stand talking about things that are not important when i have plenty of other things i can be doing right now. i might call a friend if i have time to go out and do something but only to invite them to go with me.
And I'm also the same way about getting off the phone so i usually lie which is bad i say i have to go do something or if I'm driving ill say i have to get out to get gas or I'm at my destination already. your not allow i just don't feel the need to be on the phone talking to someone who is not there to interact with.

So your not alone and there is no reason to worry its normal for you.

 

[Sweetie]

im the same i even dreaded my family calling, now iv learnt to stop people pleasing and feeling guilty because i don't want to talk to people on the phone it all ways goes straight to answering machine and if its some one important then i'll take the call. i don't feel worried or guilty any more i just call them or text them to meet up for a coffee in stead im better seeing people face to face. x

 

[Timothy]

i also have telephone anxiety. I worked as a super for ten years and just the ringing makes me take a xanax to calm down. SO at night i turn my phone ringer off so i dont wake to the rining and the next day ill choose who gets a call back then or later. IN social scenes i turn it to vibrate just in case the number could be an emergency, and just like turning the ringer off at night it also gives me time to decide when im ready to call back. I hope this helps because phone anxiety is also my problem good luck

 

[Ray]

I have this too. Whenever someone tries to call me, I can just never pick up, I pretend I've mislaid my phone or something. I don't know why, I just don't like it! Haha!

 

[Brian Liebman]

Oh yeah, I always find that real social interaction is a waste of time. Emails, twitter, and facebook, these are the things which are the spice of life. Don't worry you are not alone.