Gen Z Is Living With Phone Call Anxiety, Plus A Course To Deal With It!

One of the downsides of living as a technology friendly generation, Gen Z is now facing a new challenge. Telephobia is a new phenomenon that is making people fear receiving calls! According to a survey published in Uswitch about 23% of 18–34 year olds never pick up their calls and over half of them believe that calling out of nowhere means bad news. The survey showed that most Gen Z prefer social media and voice messages.

Young people in Generation Z often feel really nervous when the phone rings. This fear, called telephobia, is becoming more common. They've grown up using their phones mostly for texting and social media, so talking on the phone feels strange and scary. Unlike older people who are used to phone calls, Gen Z hasn't had much practice. This lack of experience makes them feel unsure about how to talk on the phone. They might not know what to say or how to act. This fear is a real problem, especially when they need to use the phone for things like job interviews. They just haven't learned the skills yet, and that makes them very anxious.

While this may seem like a new problem, Nottingham College has already made a course to teach Gen Z how to handle this issue!

Why Younger People Avoid Phone Calls

Young people often avoid unexpected phone calls, associating them with bad news. 68% of them prefer pre-arranged calls. The primary reason for avoiding calls is the concern over spam or scam callers. Older adults are particularly wary, with 74% citing this reason. Other reasons include wanting to identify the caller first, which 50% shared, being busy (24%), and not wanting interruptions (23%). These factors have led to an average of just 5.5 minutes spent on phone calls daily.

To help students get over their fear of phone calls, they practice making calls in a safe environment. The college sets up workshops where students act out real-life phone situations. For example, they might pretend to call a doctor's office or call in sick to work. They sit back-to-back, so they can't see each other, just like in a real phone call. They use scripts to help them know what to say. This practice helps them learn how phone calls work and makes them feel more confident. The COVID-19 pandemic made this problem worse because young people were isolated and didn't have as many chances to talk to people face-to-face. This training helps them rebuild those social skills.

Strategies To Manage Anxiety Around Phone Calls

There are easy ways to make phone calls less scary. First, you can prepare yourself before the call. Make sure you're in a quiet place where you won't be interrupted. You can also write down what you want to say or make a script. If it's for a job interview, research the company so you know what to expect. If you start to feel anxious, try taking deep breaths to calm yourself down. Remember that phone calls can bring good news, not just bad. And if you feel uncomfortable during the call, you can always end it. Knowing you have control can make you feel more confident. These steps help you "take back the power" and feel more comfortable talking on the phone.