Do you have problems speaking on the phone? Do people understand you?

[OlLiE]

i thoroughly hate speaking on the phone, i've learned to read faces to give context when i speak to people, but lose this when on the phone, all that remains is literal and logical intake of what i'm being told, misunderstadings 'o plenty

 

[NothingToSeeHere]

I have a bit of a phobia of talking on the phone. I can manage for work because I can just play a role, but if it's just me without a role it terrifies me. I refuse to talk on the phone socially, even with close family.
I don't have problems being understood, due to having a clear BBC-English accent, but do struggle with understanding other peoples accents. That just requires patience though, it's no-ones fault, so I just deal with it.

 

[GrownupGirl]

I don't have much trouble speaking on the phone. I just have trouble *using* the phone. Especially the new smart phone my mother gave me because she said it was time replace my old flip-phone, which was just fine the way it was. I don't feel smart at all, just just plain stupid when I try to use the @#&!! thing. Just dialing a number is frustrating and annoying. I. Hate. My. Phone.
The only good thing is that I won't have to worry about turning into a "smombie" anytime soon.

 

[jacinto]

I don't even own one anymore. When I misplaced the 4th one in as many months, I didn't bother getting a new one again since I hate talking on them. It feels like work & I have to psyche myself up & prepare notes for even the most trivial call. Now, I don't worry about it anymore & I don't miss it at all. I'll text my ass off though for some reason.

 

[Progster]

I don't have much trouble speaking on the phone. I just have trouble *using* the phone. Especially the new smart phone my mother gave me because she said it was time replace my old flip-phone, which was just fine the way it was. I don't feel smart at all, just just plain stupid when I try to use the @#&!! thing. Just dialing a number is frustrating and annoying. I. Hate. My. Phone.
The only good thing is that I won't have to worry about turning into a "smombie" anytime soon.

I find a phone touchscreen difficult to use, too. It's impossible to type, the keyboard is so small and I keep hitting the wrong key. I never use it for the internet, I only use my PC. Also, it took me ages to get the swipe right and my family made fun of me because of it.

 

[Mr Allen]

In 2001 I got my first mobile phone, a Nokia 3210 on Virgin Pay as you go for my 25th birthday, I had to have an adaptor with it for my hearing aid, was a blinking nightmare, because it was so small I kept losing it and it was very cumbersome.

Obviously now that phone technology has improved I don't need the adaptors any more, I can hear on the mobile with just my hearing aid.

 

[DCA]

I will say one thing: having a job where you frequently have to talk to people on the phone is exhausting! Our workload has increased because people leave & the company decides not to hire new people, so everyone has to do more. My boss said I take the most calls of anyone on the team (because I'm super efficient I guess...). I'm only 3/4 of the way through my day & I am exhausted...

 

[Fade2black]

I would say my hatred for telephone conversations is the main reason why I don't have any close friends. My phone is on silent most of the time and incoming calls go to voicemail. Often, I wait days to dial up VM and check the message. If someone wants to text or email, I will usually read and respond, but no phones.

 

[Jacoby]

I have really bad phone anxiety, mostly I just won't answer.

 

[GrownupGirl]

My mother has been instructing me how to use the touch screen on my phone but it was all I could do not to scream my head off and run away while she was doing it.

 

[DrownsTheWhiskey]

I can really relate to some of these posts... I abhor anything to do with phone calls.

I refuse to make them and I avoid answering at all costs, I turn into a stuttering bumbling mumbling ball of meltdown. I know what I am going to say until someone answers and then my mind goes blank, I lose all coherent thought. I don't know when it is my turn to speak, and my brain takes an age to process what someone is saying even when I hear them perfectly... all round panic-inducing nightmare!