unusual fear

[Sunnytoday]

I have always been a rather out-going person... and un-afraid of the phone, and I could talk for hours on it.

I'm developing a rather strange fear.... I'm afraid of talking on the phone. I simply dread it. when I know I have to call some-one I just can't stand it and I put it off and do anything to avoid it and just feel terrible about it. This just sorta came up, and I can't get over it, and nothing my mom says makes it any better. I don't understand it either.

What's going on? I don't remember this ever happening before.
~Sunnytoday~

[Savvyraven]

I read your comments and you are not alone. I have had the same feelings you are feeling for about a year. It's not really a phobia, but yes just to make or return that call is hard. It's like a barrier goes up. I usually try to find someone else to do it for me, but then I just feel bad and wind up doing it myself. I'm not sure what it is.

Like you, I have terrible short term memory and have trouble processing information, but I'm not 100% sure that is what is causing my problem. Thank you for posting! Now, at least I know I'm not alone :)

[Sunnytoday]

No, my family doesn't have any phobias... although I had a near drowning experience and am afraid of deep water (oceans and deep lakes----not my bath water, and I can even swim in a pool up to my chin).

I had to make some more calls today, and I survived... I just told myself to handle it, take a deep breath and call and just chill. I think I can do this and perhaps some therapy or some deep breathing exercises would help (smiles), it's just so abnormal.

I don't feel my heart race or get flushed or any of that.... no, but I've just simply froze, and just dreaded it and felt like I was a kid and something had scared me and I couldn't control it precisely becuase as a grown-up you can say "now, I will make a phone call, and now I won't" and I want to curl up and scream NOOOOO I won't touch that phone ..... I can't..... it's tooooooo scary...... don't make me......and when I call and got a busy signal I feel so relieved I realize how afraid I'd been.

Trust me, call a friend, or call a stranger. Ick.

I'll check out the anxiety forum. I hope this whole limboland thing (whatever I've got) will breeze over and I can be normal again. Isn't that everyone's wish?

Is anyone's occupation Fairy Godmother? I need a wish fulfilled.

~Sunnytoday~

[Quixotic1]

Well, after listening to you talk about freezing up and being very afraid, I have to say that is very different from merely "really dreading it."  It does sound like a phobia in the making.  Do you feel your heart pound or race, or feel your face flush, or feel your breathing speed up?  These are signs of a true physiologic (body) response to the action and would be very abnormal.

Have you had problems with anxiety or phobias in the past or in your family?

I know your family is not receptive to running to a doctor for everything.  But, you may need some therapy or meds to nip this in the bud before you develop a full blown panic attack over phone calls.  

I do know that the Anxiety Forum has some good people on it who might be able to give you some pointers or even analyze it better than I.   Why don't you post over there and give them the info that your cognitive skills are slipping due to whatever illness you have, so they don't think this is arrising out of the clear blue.

'Kay?

Quix

[doni54]

I too, hate to talk on the phone.  I think much of it has to do with my thought processes not working right.  

Just this morning my best friend of 28 years called, and while talking to her I wanted to ask how her son was doing, but couldn't think of his name!!!!   This is a child I've been close to for 22 years!!!

So yeah I can identify.  

Take care
doni

[Wobbly]

Hi Sunny, for years part of my job was to answer phones...so I do not like to talk on the phone at home.  I will talk when I need too...but to just talk on the phone...no not me.

I'm also way to tired to think of what to say, or tired to use up energy that way...funny eh...

take care
andie

[Quixotic1]

After years on call, Welcome to my world.  I hate the phone and will avoid making urgent calls, returning calls, whatever!

:))

Quix

[Sunnytoday]

I do lose track of my thoughts and it's gone downhill this past three months... I guess that would cause anxiety. I also hear, but don't comprehend, and it frustrates those around me. And i've got terrible short-term memory, my family keeps asking me to remember things and I simply can't. Maybe that's it.

I think it's becuase i can't get my thoughts together and somehow that's affected me and caused me to become very afraid? I don't know.

It's been going on for a month or so, but is getting extremely bad... to the point where when mom says I need to call somwhere it's an ordeal and I am just terribly afraid of it.

But yes, it's interfering with life. My mom has to literally make me call, and she will talk to me for 20 minutes before I grab the phone and dial and then I still freeze.

yuck. I hope this smooths over.

I'm going to just tell myself I'm just nervous and it's ok, they can't see me, and then I'm going to just smile and maybe do something funny after every phone call, or something to keep me from freezing.

THIS TOO SHALL PASS!

I LOVE e-mail, I can just type away and it seems as though it's faster some-how and my thoughts flow differently, although I still have horrid spelling

~Sunnytoday~

[essdipity]

Well gee, I guess a lot of things could be happening. When you're on the phone do you lose track of the conversation? Do you have trouble coming up with words or concepts you want to express? Do you feel nervous?  Do you have trouble hearing? If any of these are true, then no wonder you wouldn't want to talk. Anyone would feel that way.

Does this apply to every phone call? Do you feel the same whether it's re-ordering a prescription or chatting with your best friend? The circumstances might help you figure out what's going on. You could be getting phobic, though that's not a conclusion I'd leap to. It's probably something much simpler. Take some time to try to analyze the situation, and cut yourself some slack meanwhile. If this becomes a real problem in your life, interfering with your best interests, you could always seek out a therapist, but I think you'll work it out and this is only a temporary glitch.

Good luck!
ess

[jensequitur]

Sunny, it's possible that you've had some organic damage leading to anxiety issues.  Or maybe you're just anxious!  Telling yourself it's just anxiety will help.

[Lulu54]

Ring, ring, ring ... hello Sunnytoday!  

Has this been going on very long?  I go through spells where I just don't want to do something like answer phone calls so I don't.  Itso ok to give yourself a break.

But if this has been going on for a while now I would discuss it with your doctor.  There may be a phsical reason why you are going through this change in personality that isn't readily apparent to you or your mom.

Glad you picked up my call.
Laura