Don’t call me, I won’t call you
Ever heard of telephonophobia? It’s a real thing, I assure you – an excessive fear of making or taking phone calls. Sounds absurd? Well, welcome to my life! It’s a peculiar paradox, living in the age of connectivity and yet having a mental tug-of-war every time my phone rings. But let’s not talk about the anxiety when I’m expected to dial a number…
Case in point – today I finally plucked up the courage to consider self-referral for therapy. You’d imagine in our digitized world, this would be a simple, seamless process, right? Well, imagine my surprise – and irony of ironies – when the website directed me to call a number to register. The dreaded phone call! That’s like telling an acrophobic to register for fear-of-heights therapy by climbing a skyscraper. Not the most promising start, I must say.
Can’t help but chuckle at the paradox. It’s akin to entering a bakery only to discover that they insist on serving the gluten-intolerant their finest baguettes, or a fitness centre that mandates you complete a marathon before signing up for a beginner’s fitness program. I mean, wouldn’t it be nice if I could send a carrier pigeon or perhaps smoke signals? Morse code, anyone?
This ludicrous situation, however, brings a more serious question to light. In our fast-paced, technologically advanced world, are we inadvertently setting barriers that could potentially prevent individuals from seeking the help they need? Perhaps, a bit more empathy in design and a touch more accessibility in service provision is what’s required.
As I sit here, I can’t help but laugh at the irony of it all. And in that laughter, I find a glimmer of hope, a spark of resilience. So, until they devise a more phone-phobic-friendly registration process, I’ll be here, engaging in my own self-therapy – writing, reflecting, and occasionally, laughing at life’s little ironies. After all, they say laughter is the best therapy, don’t they?
As for the phone… Well, it’s going to be a standoff for a while longer. Maybe tomorrow I’ll muster the courage to dial. Or maybe not. But for today, I’ll just continue this dance of avoidance with my phone and make peace with my fears, one ringtone at a time.
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