Dyspraxic Adults

I absolutely hate the phone, whether its mobile or landline because when talking to someone on the phone I can't understand them very well, whether it be because of noise around me or my brain hasn't processed the conversation properly. Does anyone else get this problem with phones or have advice on how to conquer the problem?

im fine when its someone i know,but if its a landline,in a company or someone is looking at me to awnser,i get nervous and mess up or chicken out,best thing to do is relax i think,get used to your mobile...

Interestingly enough, I find that when the phone is on my right ear I have trouble processing what people say. (I hear them just fine, but there is a delay in comprehension.) But when the phone is on my left I can generally understand them just fine.

My solution to the problem is.... well I dont have one. I just dont use the phone... have never liked phones at all. I will use my cell to text, but thats all. Not one for talking, but then I am also not one for making small talk, and like to get straight to the point - in spoken conversations, when I am writing (like now) I tend to keep going off on tangents about totally irrelevant things (like now)....

I absolutely hate ringing people. especially my friends/family/people i know generally. I used to have the same fear of ringing companies/people i dont know too, but i have got over that by thinking "they dont know me. i dont know them. So i don't care what they think of me when i'm attempting to explain what i'm ringing about".

I don't know why ringing people used to be such a big problem for me. Its not really anymore - i just email my family and never call. and text my friends. For companies and random people i might have to ring, wherever possible i email. but if it has to be discussed verybally i just make myself do it and ring. and ask them to repeat if i dont get what theyre saying. just say "sorry can you repeat that i didnt quite catch it" or something.

Lucy

I actually don't mind ringing people and most of the time at work if my managers off I answer the phone. I like answerting telephones and doors.

Luv Meg
Xxxx

Hi,

I am the same with telephone conversations. I hate speaking on the phone.

I am much better since I have been in a customer facing job as I don't have a choice.

I'm very much the same as Pooky. You improve out of necessity. I have to speak to clients and suppliers on a daily basis and although I can make no claims to be a maestro of slick conversation I can certainly come across as professional and knowing my stuff well enough. It's amazing what you can achieve when the need dictates. This all said, I would prefer to be in a non-customer facing position out of choice.

I am fine when it is someone that I know, but most of the calls I recieve on my landline are sales rep foreigners, and can't understand a word they say, so just threaten with Ofcom, and hang up, even though my social worker has put me under vunerable person with BT, and I told BT to put me ex-directory, and withhold my number, and I don't want sales people to call me.

hmm. wonder if BT understand english sometimes.

I also hate answering or using the telephone at all cost (I also do not own a mobile and do not like using them)

People sometimes do not understand what I am saying (I have lost count)

I am far to quiet, sometimes it can be the phoneline.

I have made a mess a few times enquiring about jobs, I get nervous even dialing the numbers (sometimes it has taken me 3 hours to phone one company about a job.) Even the company phoning me back about my application does not help,

I had a telephone interview a few months which went well (the employment agency who help people with disability/disabled etc) who helped me apply for the job my advice phoned the company before hand) phone here so she could understand everything I said and was not under any pressure.

One thing could have been an incident when I was younger with some people from school prank calling our telephone number. All the people involved got into deep trouble from the parents.

I am at least trying my best.

I hate answering the phone and find the sound of it quite distressing. I don't mind phoning my friends or mum, in fact the people who I am comfortable talking to on the phone get my long speeches about my current obsessions (poor people).

I have this problem too. I think the problem is that you are pretty much put on the spot. You don't have time to prepare what to say to the other person,simply because you don't know what they are going to say . I tend to find I only remember part of what is said in a telephone conversation.

Tom

Clouseau wrote:Interestingly enough, I find that when the phone is on my right ear I have trouble processing what people say. (I hear them just fine, but there is a delay in comprehension.) But when the phone is on my left I can generally understand them just fine.

Funny you say that I find I "hear better" what people say with my left ear than right ear. I am left handed by the way wonder if thats something to do with it? Are you left handed?

BTW I hear equally well in both ears so its not I'm deaf in one ear

Tom

Knowing about my dyspraxia is new and didn't realise this before. I do have a problem with processing what is being said, especially with my right ear. The sound (pitch)of some peoples voices seem to scream at me and is 'painful' is the only way I can describe it. I have difficulty hearing a friends voice on the phone so much that I am forever telling him to speak quieter. But it is not the volume. It gets so bad that I end up feeling really angry at the 'noise'. But it is about not being able to process what they are saying. The lights are on but nobody's at home syndrome!

I had trouble with this for years but it CAN be overcome. I mastered the art of phonecalls when a girl I was seeing got upset because she thought I didn't like speaking to her on the phone. Not that that was the case, I just found the experience stressful (thats probablly true for all men in one way or another ). I overcame my difficulties with it but it was damn hard work. Glad I managed it in the end though - it does make life that little bit richer