progress-i called someone on the telephone this afternoon!

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someone called me this morning and left a voice-mail, and i actually called back and had a 3-minute conversation! i have not been able to work up the courage to call someone on the phone in about 6 months! feel free to comment or not, i am simply excited that i was able to do this, and felt like sharing it with someone. today: the phone. tomorrow: THE WORLD.

Well done you!! That's great You should be very proud of youself. I know how hard it can be to pluck up the courage to do these things so a big YAY for you

I can relate.

I hate using phones all the time, but recently I've been forced into using them a few times a week. It takes me about two days from making an appointment to being able to call paratransit to schedule a ride to the appointment because I can't deal with the stress of phone calls after the stress of being out and dealing with people.

I'm fine with phone calls from family, or 'close friends' but I tend to lock up anytime the phone rings and I don't recognize the number. The only time phone conversations really wear on me is when they are supposed to be productive, like paying a bill or calling tech support. I've started to welcome the little lady that tells me to push one for english, or para y dos a espanol, although dealing with those machines can be frustrating.

I called somebody on the phone once.

What I called them can't be repeated here

I am fine with certain phone calls such as ringing the phone company or gas board although I do have a really bad habit of talking over them whilst they are still speaking and have to remember to stop myself when I find myself doing that. Sometimes though they pause and I think they have finished so I start yapping lol. At which point it always goes like this:

Me "Oh sorry, you carry on"
Them "No no you speak"
Me "No no it's ok, you carry on..."
Them "oh ok...."

I really have to stop talking over people whilst they are talking! I used to get told off endlessly as a child for talking over people. Alternatively I wouldn't respond when they spoke to me and would get told off for that as well. I was no stranger to such sayings as "You are in a world of your own", "She's away with the pixies again", "The lights are on but no one is home", "Are you DEAF?" and "Ignorant you are". I can still do it now at times if I am not careful, although my all time personal favourite bad habit was spotting something that interested me and just walking off, often leaving the person I was with talking to themselves (without telling them I was going), to go have a look at whatever was fascinating me. People hate that.

And congrats on tackling the telephone.

Thanks for the support everyone!

I sometimes find it difficult to tell when the other person is done talking as well, and sometimes I accidentally talk on top of other people.

The only people I am comfortable calling occasionally on the phone are my parents or my grandmother (and now that I think about it, I have called all 3 of them within the last 6 months, so I guess technically today wasn't my very first call). But I will need to get used to calling people that I do not know very well, particularly if I want to be able to get a job, handle my own medical appointments, and live in my own apartment one day. I guess every little bit of practice helps

I know how hard it can be to talk on the phone. I've learned to do it because I'm forced to use the PA system at work, but I still hate it. I never pick up my phone and haven't set up voicemail so everyone who wants to talk to me has to text me. Also, I have to pace when I do talk on the phone; it's impossible for me to sit or stand still.

I'm very proud of you.

Awesome! I am happy you had a nice time talking on the phone

WTG! You are on your way to world domination! Those first steps feel so good... happy for you!

Congratulations! I have phone issues, too, so I can relate.

I'm kind of the opposite. I don't really have a problem using the phone to call for something that I would consider business-related, i.e., making a service appointment for my car, talking to a customer service rep, or something work-related. However, I have serious issues with making personal phone calls. I will literally stare at the phone for over half-an-hour while debating with myself about whether or not to call my friend. I usually don't make the call. I have the same anxiety about calling family, but it's not quite as bad.

Don't even get me started about what happens when I get their voicemail!