Have you ever felt tense every time the phone rings? Like, suddenly your mouth turns dry as if there’s a ball of cotton that makes it impossible to get any word out? Does that one call feel like an invasion of privacy? Like a moment you wait for to pass. Until it finally turns into a missed call, so you don’t have to answer at all?
If you’re someone who experiences these or similar anxiety when your phone rings, you might be experiencing telephobia.
What is Telephobia?
The term “telephobia” was coined by psychologist John R. Marshall in a 1995 book. He discussed this phobia of phone calls as a form of social anxiety.
Telephobia isn’t just about not liking phone calls; it refers to the fear of saying the wrong thing, getting judged, or not knowing how to respond. It is the overwhelming feeling when words cannot be edited or refined like over texts and leads to simultaneous anxiety.
Suppose you avoid making phone calls altogether or obsessing over what was said over the phone and regretting the slightest stutter, or fear embarrassing yourself. In that case, you might be someone suffering from telephobia. The common physical effects include anxiety, shortness of breath, shivering, and cold hands and feet, tightness of the chest, etc.
In recent times, it has been discovered that most Gen Z and millennials feel uneasy and uncomfortable at the sound of their phones ringing.
Unlike previous generations, where real face-to-face conversations mattered, we live in a digital era where we’re all used to perfectly curated answers and control over how we present ourselves. A phone call, thus, can make one feel uneasy, and this immediacy can feel extremely stressful for someone accustomed to digital communication.
Gen Z and Telephobia
Esha Bhardwaj, an emotional wellness coach and therapist, explains, “Telephobia is not just about avoiding calls. It’s the emotional uneasiness people feel when the phone rings. It can show up as panic, freeze, dread, or discomfort.
In my practice, I’ve seen the condition rise significantly among Gen Z and Millennials. It’s not that they don’t want a connection. They’re just emotionally overwhelmed.”
This perspective highlights that telephobia isn’t just laziness or escape. For most people, it is the way their brains react to constant needs for communication, driven by the societal pressure of ‘doing it all right’.
Hindustan Times highlights that awareness around this phenomenon rose after Uptin Saiidi, a journalist and video creator of CNBC and MTV News, shared that almost 75% of Gen Z avoided phone calls.
Saiidi explained that Gen Z and young people are not against phone calls altogether, as they are often comfortable talking to people they are well familiar with. However, they feel threatened and anxious when calls are unexpected or from unknown people.
“They’ve never really had a chance to practise speaking on the phone, especially in professional scenarios,” he says.
An article by Mint quotes a Psychology and Management Professor, Maxted Neal, as he explains that phone calls these days are only reserved for situations where a singular message wouldn’t work, as usual.
“This builds an association with phone calls of being high-stakes, ‘serious’, or for delivery of bad news, and therefore an aversion to just picking up the phone and calling,” Neal explains.
Read More: At What Age Are We The Happiest? Research Finds
BBC highlights that almost 23% of 18-34-year-olds claim to never receive a single call, with about 56% of people associating a sudden phone call with bad news.
Young people prefer social media (48%) and voice messages (37%) over a call any day. A survey by The Upswitch of 2000 people records that nearly 70% of young folks refer to a text as a call.
Dr Elena Touroni, a consultant psychologist, explains to the BBC that because young people didn’t develop the habit of speaking on the phone, “it now feels weird as it’s not the norm”.
This shift also emphasises a transition of convenience between generations. For many young people, phone calls are no longer a default medium of connecting, and are usually reserved for more formal occasions, which explains why they can feel stressful and pressurising.
The preference for texts, or anything other than calls, is often more about being in control. Telephobia isn’t just a personal problem but a reflection of how modern digital communications have changed social norms.
How does telephobia affect lives?
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) has categorised different social phobias. Telephobia leads to various problems, including personal, professional, and psychological problems. These include lower efficiency at work, sleep deprivation, social and relationship issues, often leading to isolation.
As per a 2024 study report by the National Library of Medicine, on The fear of smartphone notifications and calls among medical students: The phone ring phobia syndrome or telephobia, out of a 1.42 billion population of India, almost 700 million are internet users.
Despite the benefits of telecommunication, researchers have found that young people are at a higher risk of developing telephobia.
Many young entrepreneurs note that phone calls feel unknown and anonymous and lack the visual cues that make communication more comfortable.
In professional spheres, this social phobia can impact productivity, communications, and career development. Gen Z employees may find it difficult to answer calls from their seniors, delaying important tasks and decisions.
Interviews and other client-related calls might also feel like a threat. Even day-to-day interactions like booking an appointment or scheduling meetings can feel stressful, reducing efficiency. Telephobia can act as a barrier to career growth, particularly in jobs that rely on conversations over the phone.
This isn’t limited to professional life alone; telephobia can affect personal relationships as well. Avoiding calls from friends and family, especially in today’s long-distance setup, can lead to misunderstandings and negligence.
Anxiety about having a live conversation can often stop people from reaching out to those in need. Over time, patterns of escape and avoidance can weaken bonds, reduce trust, and reduce interactions.
Understanding the problem and seeking help
Embracing the problem is the first step towards addressing it. Awareness around the discomfort people might feel will help them to normalise their emotions without shunning themselves out of shame.
Mental health experts often advise starting with small, comfortable conversations over the phone and gradually exposing yourself to longer, deeper conversations. Other effective techniques could be preparing brief points before starting a conversation, practising mindfulness, and using grounding techniques to overcome anxiety that comes with it.
Career coach Kyle Elliott abides by this approach, recommending that anxious young adults begin by calling friends and family to build comfort. “Try developing a habit of calling rather than texting until you’re more comfortable. Your future self will thank you,” said Elliott.
Despite the notion that telephobia has more to do with laziness than genuine discomfort, it is important to reach out to people who might be struggling. In a digital world like ours, phone skills are extremely important and can increase confidence levels.
Starting small, seeking help where needed, and validating feelings and emotions can develop a valuable skill that will help in personal as well as professional growth.
Images: Google Images
Sources: Times Of India, Mint, The Hindustan Times
Find the blogger: @shubhangichoudhary_29
This post is tagged under: telephobia, phone call anxiety, Gen Z social anxiety, fear of phone calls, telephobia meaning, telephobia symptoms, telephobia causes, telephobia India, social anxiety Gen Z, phone phobia, how to overcome telephobia, mental health Gen Z, telephobia statistics, digital anxiety, social phobia phone calls, telephobia treatment, phone call fear disorder, psychology of telephobia, communication anxiety, modern communication stress
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