A fear of calling people...?

I have this fear of phoning people, it's weird, but I can't pick up the phone and call someone I don't know, even someone I do know.. it drives me insane, I don't know what they are going to say, I don't know what I should say. What if the person asks a question i don't know the answer to... then I'm just an idiot on the other end of the line, What if they don't understand what I'm asking? It all scares me badly. I sit there planning out what I'm going to say before I decided to dial the number, but even then my heart pounds and I usually just hang up after the first ring.


I'm 17, my parents won't make phone calls for me anymore, and I'm stuck. I resort to emails to help register for university, but they won't answer so I have to drive there and ask in person, just because I couldn't phone.. I can't phone for pizza, because I usually can't understand the people who answer (no offence) and If the phone rings and I don't know the number, I don't want to pick up, because it could be telemarketers and I can't deal with them, I just hang up without saying anything, and I feel terrible.... HELP I need to get over this or I won't be able to do things like follow up on job opportunities... I need to get over this, but I can't :o(


Does anyone else have this problem??


Does anyone know how I can fix this?A fear of calling people...?
It has a name! Check this link!





http://www.sufferingfromanxiety.com/gene鈥?/a>





It's a type of social phobia.A fear of calling people...?
think of it this way the people on the other end of the phone cant hurt you. Im sure you have had phone conversations before you might be nervous at the beginning but at the end you probably have calmed down. its not that bad just practice at calling people. you will get better at it in time
I have a fear of calling people as well. It is not as extreme as your case though. I just hate/ fear calling people because they might not want to talk to me or will think I am clingy for calling or something. But my heart races and I panic.


I am serious. I am not making fun of you.
If you can take a course and build on your abilities. You can succeed.
Yes, I had that problem! I still dislike talking on the phone. I just don't like hearing someone and not being able to see their face. But there's really not much you can do to avoid it. I just kept calling people until I got used to it.





Here's a tip, if there's an awkward pause fumble the phone a bit, then say ';still there? I dropped the phone, haha';. Then the other person will laugh and you can say ';what were we saying?'; The other person will pick up the conversation and you'll have had a few moments to think about what to say.
Well, have a close friend dial the number and make you talk. Hopefully the person you call knows you, and your fear. Most of the time you are shy or nervous. so anyways, have someone dial for you, and then try to talk to them. Pretend that you are talking to them in person. Try holding up a picture of them and pretend that the voice coming out of the phone is actually from the photo. I hope this helps. Sometimes, there are even settings on your phone where they don't let you hang up. You could look more closely into that. Hope it helps!
I used to have this as bad as you do. Probably worse.





You just have to stick with whatever emotions come up during and after the call without focusing on your thoughts so much. You still can think but just try to control yourself in a soft way and your emotions will eventually run their course. You have to believe in this method though or else you probably won't stick with the agony. It works, I promise. Do the same method with whatever other social phobias you have too.





It's safer to start small because if you try to stick with powerful emotions you aren't ready for yet you might disacociate and make yourself worse.





Be one with the disease, that is the way to rid yourself of it. Self-acceptance is key.