Communication Stresses Me Out

Summary

The author struggles with communication, particularly phone calls and video meetings, but has improved over time.

Abstract

The author has had communication difficulties since childhood, causing stress and anxiety. Despite this, they have improved their communication skills over the years, particularly through attending university and learning basic communication techniques. However, the author still struggles with phone calls and video meetings, finding them stressful and intimidating. In-person communication is easier, but sudden conversations can be challenging. The author concludes that there is no magic formula for improving communication skills and that it is a personal journey.

Opinions

The author has struggled with communication since childhood.
The author has improved their communication skills over time, particularly through attending university and learning basic communication techniques.
The author finds phone calls and video meetings stressful and intimidating.
In-person communication is easier for the author, but sudden conversations can be challenging.
The author believes that there is no magic formula for improving communication skills and that it is a personal journey.

I simply can’t communicate without stressing.

I’ve had communication trouble since I was a little kid.

Talking to other kids scared me and I never really wanted to meet up with others. Nowadays, communication still stresses me out. Having online meetings, phone calls, and everything that requires talking to other people.

I’m now 20 years old and I must say that these issues have slightly faded away over the last 5 years.

Going to university has forced me to communicate with people and the classes in communication have helped me. Once you learn some basic techniques you understand why people do certain things in conversations — this doesn’t directly mean that you will be able to improve your skills but at least you understand what you’re doing right or wrong so that you can work on that.

Phone Calls & Video Meetings

I never liked picking up the phone for my mother when she was busy in the kitchen, so I didn’t. I still don’t do it.

I hate making calls, especially with people I don’t know or with companies. The fact that you don’t know who you’re talking to and how that person is going to respond scares the shit out of me. I start sweating, shaking and I get nervous.

Video calls, are a little bit better, but still not something I like doing. At least I can see the person’s face and expressions when talking but that’s the only positive thing about it.

Communication in Person

You might wonder, what about communication when you talk to people in the real world? Well, that’s okay. I’ve developed my social skills over the years and talking to ‘real’ people is much easier for me than talking over the phone.

The thing that I don’t like is sudden conversations. I need to know when I’m going to have to talk. For example, when someone rings the doorbell I don’t open up if I don’t know who’s there. Could be the mail, could be the neighbors.

If I do open the door, it takes a lot of energy to talk and I’m mentally out of balance for a couple of minutes, sometimes an hour. During those conversations, I usually don’t say anything relevant. I’m busy thinking about what they’re saying and things like “have a nice day” don’t pop up in my mind.

These things can make people think that I don’t like them but I just can’t talk to strangers when I don’t know they’re coming.

Wrapping Up

If you’re here hoping to get the magic formula to be able to communicate I have to disappoint you because there isn’t one. You gotta do it yourself in the end.

I tried to overcome these issues but it simply doesn’t work that way. As I mentioned before, I improved a lot over the last 5 years and within 5 years I probably will say this again.