Danica Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 I've not been diagnosed with any anxiety disorder, and ordinally I don't consider myself an anxious person. Any anxiety I do have in my life seems more connected to my depression that anything else. Except this.... Okay. I have a fear of using the phone. I mean not with people I know - friends, family, classmates and the like. No, I have a fear of using the phone to call companies/people of authority. Like calling an insurance company... or scheduling a doctor's appointment, or even ordering food for delivery. I get so nervous before hand I don't know what to do. And sometimes I postpone making necessary calls because I just don't want to deal with it. My friends make fun of me, and I wish I could make this go away, but I just don't know how... Anyone with the same thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robotlove29 Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 Hell yeah I can relate... Didn't anyone ever tell you that Wellbutrin can increase anxiety??? I'd taper off in favor of another SSRI or SNRI 'cause if anxiety is one of your main complaints you probably would do better on something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danica Posted February 5, 2006 Author Share Posted February 5, 2006 Yeah, I know it can increase anxiety. My pdoc and I talked about it at the time he prescribed it. However, I haven't noticed an increase in frequency or severity of this particular phobia - it's about the same as it ever was. Edit: And I have to say I love my wellbutrin too much to switch to anything else - I literally have very very few side effects on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breeze Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Edit: And I have to say I love my wellbutrin too much to switch to anything else - I literally have very very few side effects on it. This is good and I have to say - you shouldn't do ANYTHING without talking with your p-doc first. They just hate it when you do that. I don't mind talking with people on the phone, and really, I don't get how you could either? I don't mean this to be rude, I am saying that every time you call someone "important" you have to battle your way through 900 options before you speak to a real person. That oughta cure you. It drives ME nuts. Hope this gets better. Perhaps if you wrote down what you intend to say, this would help? Do it in an outline form. Then you won't get "flustrated", and you will get all your business done in one call. Good luck, and glad you found a med you like. Breeze Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LikeMinded Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Boy, do I have a phone phobia (phonophobia? but that'd be fear of hearing anything... rrrrrrrrrr) I've got no issue speaking to friends, or anybody else in fact, when they call me... but I've got huge issues when calling friends, or worse yet, complete strangers! Especially if there isn't that comforting "press 0 to speak to a customer service representative", which prepares me for the onslaught. And I absolutely hate the idea of leaving a message to an unhuman, uncaring voice mail system or answering machine (though I've gotten more used to it in the course of my job search... except when it leads to 'phone tag'... that stuff sucks). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seldarin Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Yeah, I have no issue talking to friends that call me or telling a telemarketer to piss off, but I have serious issues with calling people. I'm always worried I'm going to interrupt something important or wake them up (For friends) or, because I hate anyone that considers themself an authority figure by default, say something godawfully rude to them and do more harm than good. What helps me with AFs is to not think of them as an AF...That usually helps me start talking to them. (I should add I don't believe in authority figures anyway. The problem is THEY do.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daemongrrl Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Hehe...must be a disorder. I can't even stand to call friends. My partner and I fight over who has to call whoever it is who needs calling. Neither of us like picking up when someone else calls, either...we either don't answer or shoot for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit37 Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Well, shit, with all these questions being raised recently, I feel like my dx is rising by the minute. Not only do I despise making calls, even ones I know are "pleasant" in nature, but oftentimes I let calls go through to voicemail on my cell. I sit there and look at the number on the screen... even if it's my best friend. Sometimes I -just-can't-talk-. Or don't want to. I don't have an answering machine at home. I just let it ring. And ring and ring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dweii Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 I used to have this! I always made my mom make phone calls for me. Weird. But I think I grew out of it, since I no longer have it. Definately not saying it's something you just grow out of. But for me it just passed with time. I'm not as shy anymore, I think that has something to do with it. If it's really a problem, I hear CBT is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 I hate talking to people on the phone; you can't see their faces or get any body-language input. I dread phone calls and have since I was about 16. It doesn't matter if it is someone I know or not, I just don't like telephone calls. Oddly, almost all the jobs I've ever had require talking to p[eople on the phone Still, I'd rather talk to an angry customer in person than over the phone. Tommy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluetongue Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 I have this phone phobia too! Back when I was working it caused problems, because much of my job in purchasing was phone work with vendors. In my personal life I put off those authority calls until they become emergencies. It took me years to get help for my MI because I was too scared to call a therapist or a PDoc...(of course half of that was my medical anxiety too..so a double edged sword there). The phone phobia really presents many problems though and I'm constantly having to rationalize it and lie about it and make up fake reasons for not returning friends' and even family's calls..not to mention more "business" sorts of calls. EEEk!!! And a cell phone? me??? NOoooooooooooooooooooooo thank you...arghhhh. The thing is...once I actually get onto the phone I am usually fine, it's the dreaded leading up to the call that causes all the problems for me. Sickens me with dread and fear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Bluetongue, I do OK once I'm on the phone too, but I can't wait to get off. Even when my wife calls me at work, a stand up, pace, sit down, just can't stop moving around until the call is over. Also, I'm not good at ending phone calls. Tommy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemonflavor Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 I saw an interview with Alan Alda. He went through a period of depression and said he never wanted to answer the phone. I'm pretty much the same way, even with people I know (with caller ID). I think it's a pretty common thing among depressed people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NimbusBirdMgp3 Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Same with me. Too much is expected to be convayed right on the spot. I don't like that. If there is time for me to search things out and get a better understanding of what is being said. But it's not all like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 I defiantely have the same problem. For me it goes like this...email is better than phoning and phoning is better than face-to-face, but all of the above give me paralyzing anxiety. Thank god for ativan. Ameth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danica Posted February 6, 2006 Author Share Posted February 6, 2006 Unfortunately... I'm a rather social person. I love talking to people in person - and I like e-mail too. Phones though.....agah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyethel Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 Sometimes I just can't take calls at home. I let the machine take them or my husband will. I just can't think well enough to talk. BUT - my 3 healthy grown children all seem to have phone phobia. LOL Or is that just a resistance to calling their sweet mother, whom I'm sure they adore. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juzzy Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 hey.. i so know how you feel friends just go.... "just call" but it's not like that, it pisses me off i started a thread here recently on phone phobia and heaps of ppl responded.. check here for them http://www.crazyboards.org/index.php?showtopic=9272 Juz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebrae Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 i hate the phone. the phone is evil. i am always anticipating that i am disturbing someone and they will be horribly mean to me on the phone. or that they will ask me a question that i am not prepared to answer and i wont be able to hide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loon-A-TiK Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 I used to have this! I always made my mom make phone calls for me. Weird. But I think I grew out of it, since I no longer have it. Definately not saying it's something you just grow out of. But for me it just passed with time. I'm not as shy anymore, I think that has something to do with it. If it's really a problem, I hear CBT is good. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I make my mom make phone calls for me and pretend to be me. I'm happy to hear I'm not the only one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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