To hate making phone calls

[MoggyMittens23]

Even if it's just to book a check up at the dentist, or to call the pharmacy. I HATE it! I put it off until I can't anymore, and I try and get them all done in one go and then feel proud of myself after. I try and outsource calls to British gas/Sky etc to DH. Anyone else feel like this? it's like I have to psych myself up!

Hate it, but I'm autistic and struggle with most forms of verbal communication.

Whilst I'm on the phone, I sound fine and nobody would have any idea of the severe anxiety that making or receiving the call has caused.

Unfortunately Ds has additional needs and I have to phone to chase things very regularly. It never gets any easier....

I hate it too! As a teen my parents would rebate me for it I’m currently needing to ring the GP to get a prescription but still convincing myself to do it aha

berate**

I can sympathise. Nobody seems to have heard an Aberdeen accent before and very often I can't understand the person I'm talking to and they can understand me 😥

Well I know that, that's why I do it!

Yep I'm close to 40!

Ah no! Not that I'm trying to talk you out of it, but can you not do that online or on the GP website?

Me. It's more chatty calls I can't cope with. I never know how to end the call. I can speak to my sister but that's it.

Im ok with it. Its my line of work anyway. Answering/making

but these foreigners calling with a delay and I cannot understand them? I tell them straight.

I'm the same, absolutely dread them, always have. The advent of emails and messages has made my life so much easier! Should add I'm also diagnosed autistic, think this is a very common thing amongst neurodiverse people, as communication is difficult and triggers anxiety.
Currently repeat checking my emails to see if my solicitor has emailed, as otherwise I'll have to ring them today 😱

I find it's one of those things where the fear goes away if you do it a lot.

Used to absolutely hate it, and then ended up in a job where I had to make a lot of outgoing calls, and the fear went away after about a week. When that job ended, the fear slowly came back.

Then my Mum died, and its a couple of months of calling places to cancel things, track down bank accounts etc, and again the fear went away after a bit.

And now its slowly coming back again.

Weirdly it's just outbound calls though, I have no problem answering the phone.

Me too!
And probably ASD.

I need to make about 4 appointments for different medical things and also just keep putting it off.

My GPs doesn't allow appts through the website/email, and calling takes hours.
I just don't wanna!

I have always hated making phone calls, I've had some things have been undone for a year because I can't make a simple phone call. I don't seem to have the same issue with video calls though so it's something about not being able to see the person.

My best friend and I both hate phone calls. Always have. We are both single parents so there's no one else in the house to make them.

I have trained myself out of it a little and now do phone when I have to. I hate it and have to psych myself up to do it, but I do.

She's got worse. And to be honest, it's frustrating. There's a particular restaurant she wants to go, but if there isn't an online booking facility, she won't do it. She was a nightmare during lockdown when you had to book places as she just flatly refused.

I still hate it but it's getting a bit better the more I force myself to do it

I absolutely have this! I finally called the dentist today after putting it off for way too long. I'm not even bothered by the dentist.....just phoning for an appointment 😂😣

I hate them too. ASD. Also I don't live in the area I am originally from so my accent is quite different and it's really anxiety-inducing to have to repeat myself all the time on a call. Also, a lot of calls are done purely by mobile phone and the signal isn't always great.

I don't mind calling the doctors etc but I HATE having to ring call centres. I choose energy and insurance companies based on whether they have live chat. If they don't, it's a no from me.
I hate waiting ages to get through then being put on the spot on phone calls and I find I get better service when everything is written. I can refer back to emails or live chat logs aswell.

MIL always says "why don't you just ring them? Give that company a call today" and I'll do anything but 😂

I shouldn't even have an accent which is different as lived in the same place all my life but people constantly tell me I do and that it is 'really strong' or 'unusual.' If I sounded OK I don't think I would mind the phone but it's people's comments that really make me feel insecure. I hate my voice so much.

Do you want to do mine pretending to be me and I'll do yours as you?! 😂

That's really sad that people's comments have made you feel that way :(

I am the same. I don’t even really like it when other people in the house are on the phone as it creates a “window” into our life. I realise that’s very unreasonable.

I hate it too. My GP surgery can't understand this. I've just requested that they don't call me and she sounded rather dismissive that as someone with a hearing impairment, I don't want to be called.

It raises my blood pressure when I have to make a call. It’s not actually the talking that’s the problem, it the 64 phone calls and holding on for four hours that does it.
No I’m not bitter Nat West fraud team!

No, not at all.
Mumsnet is full of phone phobic posters so I'm not sure how representative this is of most people.

I pre-date the interent, and the first few jobs I had meant that I had to use the phone a lot. I even worked in telesales.

I feel totally comfortable ringing complete strangers to make appointments or book hotels/restaurants etc.

I think with other means of communication available that people are losing telephone skills.

Me too! I would be SHIT in a call centre!