Comments on: 5 Steps to Curing Yourself of Phone Phobia http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/ Money issues for college students and 20-somethings, without being boring. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:22:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tangie http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-207467 Tangie Sat, 22 Oct 2011 20:37:42 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-207467 Alakazaam-ionfrmtaion found, problem solved, thanks! Alakazaam-ionfrmtaion found, problem solved, thanks!

]]> By: Cam http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-180195 Cam Sat, 24 Sep 2011 07:23:24 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-180195 I was in a job where basically every phonecall was a complaint, so even now, two and a half years later I don't answer the phone, only to my partner! I only answer other people when my partner forces me to. So when he's not around I never answer! My friends know me for this fact... But I will start a business soon and need to answer... I now realize I have a phobia! I always prefer to email or type chat online. I promise I will answer every phone call from this instant! Like someone else said... "grow up"! It's a baseless phobia that is making me unhappy and I'm gonna be happy from now on! I was in a job where basically every phonecall was a complaint, so even now, two and a half years later I don’t answer the phone, only to my partner! I only answer other people when my partner forces me to. So when he’s not around I never answer! My friends know me for this fact… But I will start a business soon and need to answer… I now realize I have a phobia! I always prefer to email or type chat online. I promise I will answer every phone call from this instant! Like someone else said… “grow up”! It’s a baseless phobia that is making me unhappy and I’m gonna be happy from now on!

]]> By: Saladin http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-177202 Saladin Mon, 19 Sep 2011 06:55:44 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-177202 Hello Stephanie; I know exactly how you felt. While growing up, I too had a bit of tendency towards shyness on the phone. One of the things that contributed to this was the hearing of my own voice back into my ear. Its similar to when one speaks into a microphone and can hear the echo of one's own voice. Needless to say, I was able to overcome my shyness using a few proven techniques. It even inspired my to write a blog about it. Check it out: http://overcomingmyshyness.com/ PS Very inspiring blog by the way. Hello Stephanie; I know exactly how you felt. While growing up, I too had a bit of tendency towards shyness on the phone. One of the things that contributed to this was the hearing of my own voice back into my ear. Its similar to when one speaks into a microphone and can hear the echo of one’s own voice. Needless to say, I was able to overcome my shyness using a few proven techniques. It even inspired my to write a blog about it. Check it out: http://overcomingmyshyness.com/

PS
Very inspiring blog by the way.

]]> By: Emily http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-167764 Emily Mon, 25 Jul 2011 06:17:22 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-167764 I don't know when this began for me, but it is horrible. People who I love dearly - my favorite people to talk to - when they call, I cannot answer. There is so much irrational anxiety surrounding it. I have a family history of anxiety issues, plus a semi-crappy childhood. I can't remember not ever being nervous. I think the anxiety manifests with the phone fear because that is one - ONE - thing that makes me nervous that I do have some control over and am able to avoid if I like. And so I do. I don’t know when this began for me, but it is horrible. People who I love dearly – my favorite people to talk to – when they call, I cannot answer. There is so much irrational anxiety surrounding it. I have a family history of anxiety issues, plus a semi-crappy childhood. I can’t remember not ever being nervous. I think the anxiety manifests with the phone fear because that is one – ONE – thing that makes me nervous that I do have some control over and am able to avoid if I like. And so I do.

]]> By: johana http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-106727 johana Sat, 25 Sep 2010 19:47:00 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-106727 yes, i have it too. I'm actually fine making a call to a pizza shop or canceling or rescheduling an apt. I 'll talk to family members fine, but it seems I have lost sooo many friends bc i never keep in touch. I am not afraid to talk I just don't like to sit around talking on the phone. As soon as I hear it ring, i cringe like, " omgosh who is that calling?" what do they want?" I have this feeling that it's like some kind of favor or something and that I would have to say "no!" and I really don't like saying, "no" to people. If its just small talk, that is even worse, I have such little time to just talk about nothing, and I can't even do dishes with my head cocked to the side trying to hold the phone because then my neck starts to hurt. AHHH it stinks, the worst thing ever is trying to convince your friends you still love them when you never call them. I really love to see them, I just don't like to talk on the phone, noone ever understands, they just say, " Hey why don't you ever answer you phone??" One way or another I understand and I'm glad Im not alone- misery loves company unfortunately right? we could pray that G-d will help us to overcome this phobia somehow....or maybe ban phones, that's always an option :) If any one my friends read this and see it's me, all i can say is, " I'm sorry, I still love you." yes, i have it too. I’m actually fine making a call to a pizza shop or canceling or rescheduling an apt. I ‘ll talk to family members fine, but it seems I have lost sooo many friends bc i never keep in touch. I am not afraid to talk I just don’t like to sit around talking on the phone. As soon as I hear it ring, i cringe like, ” omgosh who is that calling?” what do they want?” I have this feeling that it’s like some kind of favor or something and that I would have to say “no!” and I really don’t like saying, “no” to people. If its just small talk, that is even worse, I have such little time to just talk about nothing, and I can’t even do dishes with my head cocked to the side trying to hold the phone because then my neck starts to hurt. AHHH it stinks, the worst thing ever is trying to convince your friends you still love them when you never call them. I really love to see them, I just don’t like to talk on the phone, noone ever understands, they just say, ” Hey why don’t you ever answer you phone??” One way or another I understand and I’m glad Im not alone- misery loves company unfortunately right? we could pray that G-d will help us to overcome this phobia somehow….or maybe ban phones, that’s always an option :) If any one my friends read this and see it’s me, all i can say is, ” I’m sorry, I still love you.”

]]> By: Donna http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-105442 Donna Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:46:57 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-105442 I had this for 24 years. I have been free of it for about 15 now. It was terrible the other day I picked up the phone and couldn't speek. It is stress related I think Also self-image plays a part in it. When I get over it this time for good I will share how I did it. I refuse to give up...I almost quit a good job yesterday I had this for 24 years. I have been free of it for about 15 now. It was terrible the other day I picked up the phone and couldn’t speek.

It is stress related I think Also self-image plays a part in it. When I get over it this time for good I will share how I did it. I refuse to give up…I almost quit a good job yesterday

]]> By: Claudia S http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-104402 Claudia S Tue, 07 Sep 2010 21:42:11 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-104402 Thank you for this article. I know I am not alone with this phone phobia. Thank you for this article. I know I am not alone with this phone phobia.

]]> By: Nick http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-94796 Nick Mon, 21 Jun 2010 02:59:18 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-94796 I have this. I am most terrified when I recieve a call but when I have to call someone, waiting for them to answer is so nerve racking. I HATE this phobia. Whenever I feel like I have the courage to answer the phone or call someone it always goes away and I quickly hang up. I also feel really guilty when I tell someone that I will call them, because I never do. And if someone calls me, I click ignore and then turn off my phone so it makes it seem like my phone is dead. I am still looking to how to fix this but nothing seems to work. I have this. I am most terrified when I recieve a call but when I have to call someone, waiting for them to answer is so nerve racking. I HATE this phobia. Whenever I feel like I have the courage to answer the phone or call someone it always goes away and I quickly hang up. I also feel really guilty when I tell someone that I will call them, because I never do. And if someone calls me, I click ignore and then turn off my phone so it makes it seem like my phone is dead. I am still looking to how to fix this but nothing seems to work.

]]> By: Rachael http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-84583 Rachael Sat, 16 Jan 2010 10:42:22 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-84583 I had, and still have to some extent, this same problem for years. Including the in-person-simple-as-ordering-food phobia, I still sometimes get that, but not nearly as often as the phone. I just hate making phonecalls, the very idea makes me nervous and, like you, I can't explain why. But, realizing that, oh, holy crap, I'm grown up now and my mom won't make phonecalls for me anymore has kind of pushed me into "either I call, or it just doesn't get done". One of the biggest things that helped me was to look at it from my perspective on the other side. When I started working it was always in a customer service setting and in all my positions I had to take phonecalls. While I understand not all people answering the phone were like me, I understood it was my job and was always nice and polite to customers I spoke to on the phone, then after they were taken care of I promptly forgot about them. Using my personal experience and telling myself that anyone I called would be the same - polite, just doing their job, and would probably forget about me immediately - really made making business phone calls and the like a lot easier. Of course, I'm still very relieved every time I get someone's voicemail instead of them actually picking up the phone! I had, and still have to some extent, this same problem for years. Including the in-person-simple-as-ordering-food phobia, I still sometimes get that, but not nearly as often as the phone. I just hate making phonecalls, the very idea makes me nervous and, like you, I can’t explain why. But, realizing that, oh, holy crap, I’m grown up now and my mom won’t make phonecalls for me anymore has kind of pushed me into “either I call, or it just doesn’t get done”. One of the biggest things that helped me was to look at it from my perspective on the other side. When I started working it was always in a customer service setting and in all my positions I had to take phonecalls. While I understand not all people answering the phone were like me, I understood it was my job and was always nice and polite to customers I spoke to on the phone, then after they were taken care of I promptly forgot about them. Using my personal experience and telling myself that anyone I called would be the same – polite, just doing their job, and would probably forget about me immediately – really made making business phone calls and the like a lot easier. Of course, I’m still very relieved every time I get someone’s voicemail instead of them actually picking up the phone!

]]> By: matt http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-83986 matt Wed, 06 Jan 2010 01:17:10 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/08/17/5-steps-to-curing-yourself-of-phone-phobia/#comment-83986 wow... I'm not the only one wow… I’m not the only one

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