[rainbow.panda]

For some reason I'm terrified of using the phone. I'm pretty shy but I'm usually okay in person but I get so scared when I have to speak to someone I don't know on the phone. It's especially annoying when I have to important things to sort out and they don't have an email address.

I never know what to say and I always think I'll explain something wrong and they won't have any clue what I'm on about and I'll get embarrassed. I'm supposed to call Student Finance today. I've been ordered to by my dad, neither he nor my mum understand why I'm scared of the phone. They just think I'm being awkward but I'm REALLY scared. I sent them a message on the SF facebook page but all they said was to talk to an advisor...yeh, thanks a lot! -_-

What's wrong with me?

[vxrz]

(Original post by rainbow.panda)

What's wrong with me?

You're lacking confidence to speak freely to people. Am I right?

[Tommyjw]

You get used to it. I used to be kinda the same, but i just dealt with it

Just be prepared. Could go extreme and have stuff written down in front of you, everything you need to say, ask, mention etc Even full on script if you are that scared, and youll get used to it eventually.

[Drewski]

Yep. Hugely. It's idiotic and childish.


And the silly thing is, I know I'm fine once I get talking. It's just getting talking is a huge leap for whatever reason.

[kate1212]

You're not weird at all! Loads of people feel like that; I used to!
Just think though, it's their job. They deal with some proper divs and some really weird complaints. They won't think anything of you. They won't even remember you five minutes after the conversation.
Honestly, it's nothing to sweat about.

[whyumadtho]

Nope. Speaking in front of an audience is what gets to me. .___.

[rainbow.panda]

(Original post by vxrz)
You're lacking confidence to speak freely to people. Am I right?

Yeh pretty much. I've never been good at talking to people but I've got better at it over time, this is still something I really can't do though.

[rainbow.panda]

(Original post by whyumadtho)
Nope. Speaking in front of an audience is what gets to me. .___.

I hate this too. I skipped a speaking module for my English Lit. GCSE because of it. Still passed though

[najinaji]

Yep... It's such a direct way of communicating and so it's pretty difficult to deal with unless it's someone I feel really comfortable talking to.

One way to cope is to remember that they can't see you. An advantage of talking on the phone is that they can't see you being all jittery and nervous and so if you pretend to sound pretty normal on the phone, they'll be none the wiser.

[TheSownRose]

I'm not nervous on them, but I always end up embarrassing myself. My line can be pretty bad and my hearing isn't the best anyway, so I'm forever mishearing what the other person is saying and practically shouting back.


Then there are the things that friends and family just laugh about. I'm quite an emphatic speaker, I move my hands around a lot when I talk. Obviously, I know the other person can't see me, but apparently I continue to do this when on a phone - it's of particular amusement that I wave at the phone when saying goodbye.


Nowadays, if I get through to an answering machine, I hang up, write down what I want to say and then call back so I can read it out verbatim. This is because of the many interesting messages I've left prior to adopting this policy...

[alexlduffy]

The only thing I really get scared of is saying something stupid. I can make the call because I hardly mess up anymore, luckily.

[Bill_Gates]

yep exactly the same you get used to it though. Put yourself out there.

[Chicken Hulk]

Ha! Try being a stutterer and see how you do when answering phones (yes i stutter and its terrible).

Tip for you is to just talk more..call up random places and improve yourself

[dongonaeatu]

no

[int92]

you're scared cos you arent good on the phone

so you need to get better

how do you get better? practice

everytime you beat a fear, you gain confidence. just accept that your heart will be beating and you'll be nervous and go ahead and do it anyway!

[mimx]

Get a job in a call centre. You'll conquer your fear in glorious fashion.

Or have a nervous breakdown but hey that's also entertaining.

[jellybean_]

I hate talking on the phone, unless it is to a very close friend or family member. Answering the house phone is a big no no for me, I can't answer the phone at work (though thankfully thats not a job requirement), and I feel physically sick when I have to call anyone I don't know. I've only just got over my fear of ringing to book a doctors appointment.

I went to my gp about it once. he reckoned that the fact I have a stutter (its not so bad now,yay!) contributed to my nervousness about calling people. I am also.a very anxious person in other aspects of life. Interestingly, I am not shy in person.

In short, its a surprisingly more common problem than you think. I don't have a magic answer for you, it just takes practice. However, I dont see myself ever answering the house phone or any unknown callers!

[xbethany]

I'm the same.

[cesca42]

I used to feel this way, but I got over it. One helpful thing is to just run through what you need to say in your head beforehand. The way I usually start is "hi, I'm calling to ask about/find out about..." or whatever.

[Reform]

(Original post by whyumadtho)
Nope. Speaking in front of an audience is what gets to me. .___.

You gon lurn duhdey