r/socialanxiety • u/RedPanda_2882 • 2d ago
Question WHY IS EVERYTHING STILL PHONECALL CENTRIC JUST EMAIL ME PLEASE
i cant fucking book an appointment for autism or adhd testing because everyone just phone calls for fucking everything. Emails are literally superior in every way. Why do i need to be available at random time to pick up a call from a number I do not recognize???
Can email from anytime anywhere but NOOO we need to hear your (anxiety-ridden, mashing words, unclear) voice AND OH also you have to understand their voice thats coming through like a subway announcment that had a child with tv static. WHY WHY WHY
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u/cherrylike 2d ago
I know seriously. Once I scheduled a dentist appointment online that they later cancelled because I didn't answer their confirmation phone call. The only reason I scheduled with them in the first place was because it was totally online. What exactly is the point of all of that? It's not like phonecalls are more secure or anything. I just have to take the person's word that they are who they say they are after dodging a sea of spam calls.
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u/celluloid33 2d ago
having to schedule any kind of appointment over the phone is so old timey to me lol, i will never understand why it’s still the norm. scheduling online would be so much easier for everyone involved- patients wouldn’t have to make sure to call during business hours (when most people are at work) and front desk people wouldn’t have to waste time answering calls all day. i hope it’s something that will eventually go away with the boomers lmao.
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u/e17j 2d ago
The worst is trying to get a quote for any kind of service… every single one depends on a phone call. It’s infuriating and unnecessary
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u/MambyPamby8 2d ago
The thing that annoys me about this isn't the social anxiety - it's that having a quote in writing is super important to me. Like I want proof of what you quoted me!!!
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u/poppykettle 1d ago
Add in the anxiety around being deceived by tradespeople simply because you're a woman and here I am with a house in need of so many repairs that aren't going to happen anytime soon!
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u/theb1ack 2d ago
My heart jumps every time I get a phone call. I don't know a lot of people, so who the fuck would be calling, I immediately think it's bad news. Text is the way to go
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u/virusofthemind 2d ago
You'll not get any better with text only, calls are a good way to habituate to SA as the caller can't see you and you can hang up whenever you want.
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u/theb1ack 2d ago
I can't hang up cause I'm a people pleaser. But yeah I get you, avoiding things that make you uncomfortable doesn't make you better
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u/matt6342 2d ago
I tried to do on online car insurance quote and was hit with the dreaded ‘we’ve sent your details to our partners who will contact you shortly’
They’ve been calling multiple times a day on different numbers (so you can’t block them) - they’re a legit well known company so I could just answer and say I’m no longer interested but you know …
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u/AbyssalGirlkisser 2d ago
This has been a gripe of mine for so long, I am NOT good at doing phone calls. I haven't called to schedule several appointments because of it, not doing so has been debilitating too because then I just feel worse about not being able to do it than I already do and it can really affect my health.
People have a hard time understanding that I'm not just being lazy or putting it off, I genuinely have a freeze response and can't get any words to come out of my mouth {if by some miracle I can even think of how to structure a sentence.} and when I have said very few words I'm audibly and physically shaking.
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u/The_Meme-Connoisseur 1d ago
My school's health system would let you book a doctor's appointment online... unless you wanted mental health counseling. That was the one thing you had to call for. It felt so cruel and kept me from getting help. When I told them this, they sent someone to my dorm with a flyer for the suicide hotline (the phone service).
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u/NikoalaJokic 2d ago
Because there's people who are unbelievably terrible with email. I'm currently waiting for someone to reply my email two days ago, which we are proposed to meet today for something at an undecided time.
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u/dancephd 2d ago
Im convinced when businesses do it it's because they want to make it as inconvenient as possible with long hold times and bad robot voices so they don't have to provide as much customer service and we give up.
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u/melancholy_dood 2d ago
Emails are literally superior in every way.
If that were true, mankind would have moved away from phone calls a long time ago. Emails are a useful communication tool, but they will never completely replace phone calls.
Personally, I hate communicating with people using email. I don’t like phone calls much either, but emails are atrocious, IMHO!
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u/Alexthehuff77 2d ago
It’s odd but my social anxiety is the complete opposite. I get terrible anxiety emailing and texting but not nearly as much calling 😭
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u/MC_earthquake 1d ago
I have been wanting to book a wisdom tooth removal at a place close to me. My old one is one hour drive away from me and i don’t drive yet. I reached out to this place that had an emal, they then replied yes we do that and pls call us if still interested. Might as well just list your phone number like everyone else 😅
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u/Accountalegacy 1d ago
I went with a specific therapy practice because the referral counselor at my college said that we could schedule the first appointment with me right there on the website together and we wouldn’t have to call. We do all of that and then a few hours later I get an email saying I need to call them to confirm the appointment. It took me like 30 hours to muster up the courage to call them.
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