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It is often compared to the fear of public speaking, in that both require engaging with an audience to a certain extent, followed by the fear of being criticized,judged or made a fool of.

The term Telephone Apprehension refers to a lower degree of telephone phobia, where it is the anxiety derived from telephones, but less severe than that of an actual phobia.

Fear and cause
The fear of telephones can range from the action or thought of answering and receiving calls to the actual ringing produced by the telephone. The ringing sound can generate a string of anxieties, characterized by thoughts associated with having to speak, perform and converse. Many of those suffering from this phobia may perceive the other end as threatening or intimidating, or may worry about finding an appropriate time to call, in fear of being a nuisance. Another source of anxiety comes from the lack of body language, which no longer becomes available through the telephone and results in the individual losing their sense of control. Past experiences, such as overhearing something traumatic or an unpleasant and angry call, may also play a part in creating fear.

Symptoms
A variety of symptoms can be seen in someone suffering from telephone phobia, many which are shared with anxiety. Some symptoms include nervous stomach, sweaty palms, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, nausea, dry mouth and trembling. The sufferer may experience feelings of panic, terror and dread. Resulting panic attacks can include hyperventilation and stress. These negative and agitating symptoms can be produced by both the mere thought of making and receiving calls and the action of doing so.

Effects
The telephone is important for both contacting others and accessing important and useful services. As a result, this phobia causes a great deal of stress and impacts peoples' personal lives, work lives and social lives. Strain is created in the workplace specifically because work with telephones may play a crucial role within the career.

Treatment
Phobias of this sort can usually be treated by different types of therapies, including: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), psychotherapy, behavior therapy and exposure therapy. Other suggested actions consist of planning the conversation ahead of time and rehearsing, writing or noting down what needs to be said.

Practice also plays an important factor in overcoming fear. It is helpful to the sufferers to increase phone usage at a slow pace, starting with simple calls and gradually working their way up. For example, starting with automated calls, moving to family and friends and then further extending the length of the conversations and with whom the conversations are being held.