Maybe you are one of those people who like not to answer the phone when it rings, or for example, when you want to call someone, you keep reviewing different conversation scenarios in your mind. Maybe when the phone rings, you sweat and feel scared. If so, you are not alone. Fear of telephone calls is a common phobia in the world. How to overcome this fear? Please read our article to the end.
What is phone call phobia?
Some people experience anxiety and fear when they want to answer their phone. Is talking on the telephone scary? For some, yes! This fear is so intense that these people may refuse to answer the call. These people are terrified of how their voice or face (in video calls) looks.
How common is phone call phobia?
If you’re avoiding the phone call, you’re not alone. According to research conducted in 2019, about 76% of adults do not like to make phone calls. Reluctance to call on the phone is also common among young people due to increased anxiety in this age group, and most of them prefer to use other methods, such as chatting.
Of course, alternative methods cannot be used in all situations. Still, some of the most critical work must be done over the phone and face-to-face.
Symptoms of phone call phobia
If you feel fear and anxiety before answering the phone, this is the first and most important sign of this phobia. Other symptoms of this condition include:
- Avoiding calling others;
- late answering the call;
- Obsessing over what other people say about you after the phone call is over;
- Worrying about upsetting others on the phone;
- Worry about what you say.
Some physical symptoms, such as increased heart rate, nausea, and tremors, may also appear.
Why do some people have phone call phobia?
1. Weakness in identifying verbal cues
When talking on the phone, to understand the meaning of the other party, in addition to paying attention to the original words, we must also pay attention to the tone and type of his speech. If someone does not have this ability or is weak in it, the phone conversation will be unpleasant and even annoying for him. So these people try to avoid talking on the phone.
2. High mental pressure
For some people, talking on the phone means enduring mental stress. There is no edit or delete button during the conversation. On the other hand, there is not much time to make and discuss sentences. Now, if the call’s subject is an important issue, we feel pressure and tension.
3. Feeling judged
Sometimes, not seeing the person and relying on his voice misleads us, and without seeing the person’s body language, we may think he is considering us. We get stressed and worried because of the fear of other people’s judgment.
4. Easier to send messages
Text messages allow us to think about what we want to say. This reason is enough for many people to prefer texting instead of talking on the phone.
Treatment methods for phone call phobia
There are cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to deal with any fear. Although phobias appear in different forms, the treatment method for most is similar. In addition to processes such as cognitive restructuring and exposure therapy, the therapist also offers personalized advice to deal with phone phobia.
1. Cognitive restructuring
In this way, the therapist helps us to replace our harmful and wrong ideas about a subject with positive and constructive attitudes. For example, we may be afraid of making phone calls because we are worried about upsetting others. Challenging this idea, the therapist asks us to consider different possibilities. Maybe the intended person was busy and could not answer the phone. Perhaps the sound quality was not good, or his phone was turned off due to a technical problem in the middle of the discussion. Anyway, it is not logical for us to think we have upset someone behind the line.
2. Exposure therapy
One of the famous ways to deal with phobias is exposure therapy, that is, facing the thing that we are afraid of. In this method, the therapist gradually confronts us with what we fear. This confrontation is mild at first and gradually becomes more and more. The therapist designs the amount and method of conflict by examining the extent and manner of our fear. For example, maybe our biggest fear is making a phone call in the presence of a crowd, so this case becomes the last stage of our encounter with a phone call.
How to overcome phone call phobia?
Suppose we want to start working ourselves or have already tried treatment methods and are looking for more ways. In that case, the following suggestions, in addition to the methods mentioned in the previous section, may be helpful.
1. Make short calls with people you are comfortable with
Brief and regular phone calls with friends and trusted people can overcome your fear of phone calls.
2. smile
Smiling and standing or sitting comfortably is better than scrunching up your face and tensing your muscles. Smile when talking on the phone. This will reduce stress hormones. When you want to call, you don’t need to have a severe face and dry body.
3. Reward yourself
For those with phone call phobia, getting through a successful phone call is like a victory. Appreciate it and reward yourself.
4. Do not ruminate
Anxious and phobic people constantly think about their fears. If someone says something behind the line that you didn’t expect, you don’t have to believe it’s the end of the world and they’ll never be happy with you again. Since you can’t see behind the lines of their faces and body language, please don’t concern yourself with what other people think or what they are doing behind bars.
You don’t need to plan hours to talk on the phone. Avoid rumination. It’s good to think a little before you call, but you don’t need to be preoccupied with every single sentence you’re going to say.
5. Remind yourself that you don’t have to answer every call
Sometimes, a person with phone call phobia thinks they have to answer all their calls. It’s wrong. Allow yourself some calls to go to voicemail. If you cannot answer the ring now, postpone it to another time.
6. Ask the other person whether you called at the right time or not
Always ask the person before starting the conversation whether it is an excellent time to call. This will save him from accidentally ending the call and prevent your unpleasant feelings later.
Tell us about your experience.
Do you also have this phobia? How do you feel when you make a phone call? How did you overcome your fear? Write us about your experience in the comments section.
Warning! This article is only for educational purposes, and to use it, it is necessary to consult a doctor or specialist.
