~ Clearly Muddled Blog ~
Telephobia is a real thing – it’s a fear of talking on the phone. It’s thought to be an extension of social anxiety disorder, and it creates legit problems for people that need to have conversations via the telephone.
I didn’t realize that some people are affected by this to such a degree. I thought it was just a meme…the ones that are poking fun at the feeling of when you’re texting and then the other person calls instead. Like the shear horror of mixing it up like that and changing modes of communication is just so faux pas!
I don’t know if Josh has Telephobia, but boy is it stressful for him to talk on the phone to anyone needing information, giving information, or deciding what information is necessary. He says it’s overwhelming because he often freezes up and doesn’t know what to say. He says seeing the person is easier than only hearing them on the phone, because there’s more opportunity for his other senses to participate in the process.
That is the opposite of what I thought. He’s a guy that deals with sensory overload constantly, but he’s saying talking on the phone is hard because he’s relying on only the sense of hearing. As soon as I think I’m getting a good understanding of what life is like for him, a curve ball knocks me back, and I second guess everything.
That’s it, I’m sufficiently confused. Gonna text my therapist and have a glass of wine. Probably not in that order.
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Listen to the Podcast: Josh Has Autism #170: The Telephone | https://www.sonyaking.com/josh-has-autism-170-the-telephone
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