Phones

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I hate using the phone. However, I use my cell phone all the time, but generally only to coordinate plans. I absolutely can't stand just chatting away on a phone. It puts me on the spot in a conversation, and I don't like dead silence over the phone, it's just weird.

Probably my biggest thing with phones though, at least according to my friends, is how I screen calls. I generally won't answer if I don't know the number calling me, and people always see me looking at my phone when I get a call and see my just slide it back into my pocket even if I know the person. I think a lot of them think this is rude, but I always just explained that if I am busy, I will get back to that person, or sometimes I already know why the person is calling and I don't have an answer for them yet.

I think that probably makes me a jerk, but I don't really care.

I wish I had seen this before posting my "Phone phobia?" thread.

I no longer feel so weird now.

No, this is a thread that was posted at least a year ago. I wonder if people had meant to let that slide for all this time.

I'm terrified of answering the phone or calling someone. The only person I'll answer the phone to is my mum, and I only do that because she'll worry like crazy if I don't, but even then, I find it awkward and don't like it. I wont phone her either, if I need to speak to her, I'll only text.

I don't even answer the phone to my friends, and every day they always ask me the same damn question; "why don't you ever answer the phone?" I've told them many times that I have a phone phobia. Somehow, they just don't seem to get the message.

My phone phobia is largly due to two reasons:

1) If I can't watch someones mouth, I have trouble hearing/understanding them. I guess I must lip read to a certain extent because this is the same when face to face with someone. I struggle to understand them if I can't watch their mouth movements.

2) I never know when it's my turn to speak. Seems stupid, I know. How could you NOT know when to speak, right? I don't know, I just never realise when I'm supposed to say something, so I either butt in and interupt the person by accident, which makes them believe that I'm rude, or, there's a long awkward silence before I realise the person has finished speaking.

They are a mixed bag to me. It's how I keep in touch with non technical members of my social network and, as was the case today, actually became part of my job for a few hours, calling up clients to confirm fax numbers. After a few calls I got more comfortable, as I was sweating bullets at first.

I've always disliked using the phone, and in fact when I was really young, would answer the phone with "what do you want?". Much to the chagrin of my mother who had to teach me how to answer "normally". It didn't help that my brother used to disrupt my phone calls when I was a kid by getting on a spare phone and doing various things.

Part of my problem is that I seem to have a hard time understanding what people are saying, especially if there's static on the line or background noise on either end. Perhaps I need a hearing aid .

At least I'm not alone. Somehow that makes things a bit easier to deal with.

Own my own business. No boss, well, except that each client is my boss for the duration of the job. Need and have a phone, me cell is my only. I hate interruptions, not only as an Asspie, but also it takes me away from work. but also the interruption may bring in business. Business leads to money, and that I need to live in the world. I am not crazy about telcoms except with my NT but strange (slightly) and intelligent (highly) sister, and one strange and intelligent distant friend. also I am old and have adjusted to an NY world for a long time.

Still dont like it - especially non topical talk.

I sometimes answer the phone, but only if I am told. I hate to answer the phone, this thread just reminded me that I had to give a message to my mother which I didn't Oops

I have a mobile but it is never on, and at present...I have know idea where it is and don't really care. I don't have many people calling anyhow.

I've hated phones for as long as I can remember. I hate the intrusion, hate the sound of the ring, the feel of it against my face, hate talking to nothing. Very stressful. I feel like an idiot on the phone.

dont mind phones, though i don't really call people--i suck at keeping in touch...

i really like phones you can see the # calling you and decide whether you wanna talk to em.

i hate checking my messages for some reason though...

I have a mobile phone, but I NEVER ring friends up, I usually text, but very rarely. I only really use it for my family/friends to contact me, otherwise.

I don't answer the phone when the number is withheld or Unknown.

I'm good at remembering numbers and know when the UK numbers come up, who it is that's calling.

Some phones sound like a drill in my ear. I also hate people's stupid cell phone ringtones.

I never answer the phone at my parents' houses, because it is never for me, so why bother? As for my cell phone, I don't mind it when people call--it's pretty much my only means of initiating actual human contact. Plus people don't call me that often, and I'm usually not busy. But when it comes to actually MAKING a call... IMPOSSIBLE. Actually, I'm getting better. I made two phone calls today; one to make an appt for a doctor, and one to call my dad. It's like a record, two calls in one day. I'm really running that cell phone bill up! I think I'm finally getting over this phobia. Maybe in a few months I'll be able to call my friends. Hell, maybe in a month or so, I'll be able to IM my friends. Crazy, man.

phones piss me off. Usually when I get a phone call, it's someone I don't want to talk to anyways. And cell phones are just garbage, I used to have one a few years back, I would never do that again.