The only time I have absolutely no anxiety about making a phone call is when I am making drunk calls and lets be honest its socially frowned upon to be drunk ALL the time, as tempting as it is.
The trouble with being a grown up is that, well, you have to make phone calls all of the time. Regardless of whether you want to or not. Me, I try all other avenues of contact before making a phone call. Even sweeping problems under the rug and pretending they don’t exist.
My problem at the moment is that I want to try and find a private psychologist. That involves using the phone. I have found a group who treat self harm patients. I sent them an email on Thursday and haven’t heard anything since. My first reaction is to think that ‘they are all the same’ and ignore it. My second reaction is to just keep waiting it out and hoping that I get an email or phone call reply soon. Chances are the email has been overlooked and it would be in my best interest to just call them for the information I am looking for.
Chances are I won’t do it. It took me 3 days to call the social worker to reschedule my appointment for tomorrow. Two hang ups before the call connected.
The trouble is that I have bitten the bullet last week and went to my GP…who has referred me to the uselessness that is the public mental health system. Chances are I won’t get a phone call from them. Chances are if I do it will only serve to piss me off. Anger is something I have enough of. I don’t need anymore.
I need to get better. Pure and simple. Right?
Hi Teegs. Found you at IBOT.
I don’t know you yet, but I reckon you probably deserve to get better. I’d say you are probably worth that phone call.
Are you able to give the self harm group a call?
See if you can pick up the phone and dial … and then someone might answer … and you can say “I need your help” … and they might hear you … and see what happens from there.
It might be the phone call to make all the difference. And it might not. But it’s a start.
Sending you good thoughts
Email and text is a completely valid form of communication, I don’t know why so many people ignore them. If I wanted to call and speak to them, I would have done that first.
Right now I’m waiting for an important call back, I had to leave a voicemail. Pretty much guarantee that when the phone rings it will scare the cr@p out of me, because phones aren’t for that.
Make the call you can do it. And who hands out the medals if you make it through the week coz I deserve one too!!
could you get someone else to dial for you – and then have a drink together 🙂 … or perhaps get your gp to do it while you’re there. Once you’re in it will be much easier – do whatever it takes. xx
Not sure this will help.. but this is what I had to do when I was younger..
close your eyes… dial.. put the phone down (not hangup!).. count to 30.. pick up the phone.. someone will be on the other end of the phone.
#teamIBOT was here saying hello!
Found you through IBOT. I know exactly what you mean about not wanting to make the call – I work in an office and I can’t tell you the number of times I have had to walk outside when I am supposed to phone someone because I just don’t like the phone – I don’t like making the call and I don’t like taking the call.
When there is no way out, I pluck up enough courage to dial the number and then hope like hell that nobody answers – if someone answers I just then have to deal with it.
I like the idea of getting someone else to dial and the let you talk – if dialing is the issue – for me talking is the issue and I would rather someone else talked !!
I hope that you are able to find some help. There is a great website called Band Back Together (http://bandbacktogether.com/) – I found quite a lot of advice / comfort on this site when I was dealing with my daughter’s depression and self harming.
Love, hugs and positive energy !
Me
It really sounds like you want to make this call. Why don’t you ask somebody you trust to sit next to you and have them make the initial call and introduce you before they hand the phone over to you? Make yourself a celeb for the day and pretend it is your PA calling on your behalf?
Good luck!
I’m not a high fan of using the phone either, so I can relate in many ways. Is there someone else who can make that call for you? I really think you deserve to get better.
For what its worth, if you need someone relatively unknown to talk to, I’m here. xx
Thank you everyone for your support. It really does mean a lot xx
Have you tried emailing them again? I totally avoid making phone calls , which is weird because I’m a talker. I can talk on the phone, just not initiate! This is bigger than paying a bill or rescheduling a car service though, so I reckon this is a call worth making.
What ever you chose to do, make sure you stay safe ok? x
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Heya….
HATE HATE HATE calling
PS I am in a WONDERFUL public health program for Self harming BPDers, I know you’re probably not in my region, but they DO exist.