By Ewode Meggison, Elaine Marieb College of Nursing Class of 2025, UMass Amherst
For many, it is a common occurrence to ignore phone calls, but for others, talking on the phone can become highly anxiety-inducing. Those who suffer from the effects of telephobia might have no issues with communication in person but might have difficulty with communication over the phone. For some, telephobia can negatively affect one’s personal or professional life.
What is Telephobia?
Telephobia is reluctance or fear of making or taking phone calls. A fun fact that is a not-so-fun fact is that it can affect up to 76% of millennials and 40% of baby boomers. At least you know you are not alone now. This fear of phone calls can usually be associated with the fear of being criticized, judged, or rejected and can fall under the umbrella of social anxiety, affecting 15 million adults in the United States.
Why is it important to pick up and make phone calls?
Without one’s ability to willingly pick up phone calls, they could potentially miss out on accessing vital information that is relevant to a patient and prevents patients from addressing concerns when needed. Relevant information can include:
- Test results
- Follow-up instructions
- Appointment bookings
What can trigger Telephobia, and who is most vulnerable to this condition?
Something as simple as the sound of one’s voice or choice of words can make a person feel self-conscious, especially if you cannot observe social cues such as facial expressions. Populations more prone to telephobia can be seen with individuals with a highly introverted personality, depression, performance anxiety, and those with post-traumatic stress disorder.
If you need to face this fear and reduce anxiety, look no further - Here are some helpful tips to get you through a phone call.
- Tip 1—Reduce nervousness through exposure to phone calls. Try practicing by having conversations with strangers from all sorts of places, such as restaurant bookings. If that seems too daunting, try taking phone calls with those you are comfortable and familiar with.
- Tip 2—Prepare talking points by jotting down important notes or points before phone calls so that you can refer back to what you want to mention without forgetting them.
- Tip 3—Trick your brain into thinking you are excited rather than nervous. Being nervous and excited trigger a state of high arousal. Since both feelings are similar, it would be easier to trick the brain into thinking you are excited to make you feel more ready to take a phone call.
- Tip 4—Prior to taking or making phone calls, try deep breathing exercises and limit yourself to the number of phone calls you are comfortable with.
- Tip 5—Find alternative methods to phone calls through non-verbal communication. If more than just the option of phone calls is offered, try alternatives such as text, webchat, email, etc. This way, you can compromise and find a way to be “comfortable within the uncomfortable.”
References
Bairwa, Y. P., Manna, S., & Udayaraj, A. (2024). The fear of smartphone notifications and calls among medical students: The phone ring phobia syndrome or telephobia. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 13(5), 1850-1855. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1673_23
Eastham, C. (2023, April 20). “Don’t Call Me Maybe”: 5 Ways to Tackle Phone Anxiety. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.. https://www.tevapharm.com/patients-and-caregivers/dont-call-me-maybe-5-ways-to-tackle-phone-anxiety/
Martin, M. (2022, November 16). Telephobia: 7 Tips to Help You Overcome Phone Anxiety. Smith.ai. https://smith.ai/blog/telephobia