Fear of the 'Uncontrollable' as Main Cause
Alternatives: 'Scenario Writing' and 'Increasing Call Experience'
Singer and actress IU, who communicates with millions of people, has confessed to having a 'phone phobia,' sparking public interest.
On the 3rd, IU said on the YouTube channel 'Now, We' in the segment 'IU's Palette,' "I find it very difficult to talk on the phone," adding, "Even when I talk to my mom, I feel a bit uncomfortable when the phone rings."
She continued, "The only person who is not uncomfortable is my manager oppa. I guess it's because we have a lot to talk about work-wise," and added, "I even find it hard to talk on the phone with Inna (actress Yoo In-na). Actually, I can't talk on the phone with anyone." IU and Yoo In-na are known as close friends in the entertainment industry. She confessed that even calls with Yoo In-na are difficult for her.
Despite IU's public image as someone who works well and speaks well, her confession of phone phobia resonated deeply with the MZ generation who suffer from the same fear.
Netizens expressed similar discomfort, saying things like, "I also feel awkward even when I call family or close friends," "When someone calls, I pretend not to see it and ask the purpose via text," and "I don't know what to say when I make a call."
'Phone Phobia' Common Among the MZ Generation
Phone phobia (Call Phobia·Phone Phobia) refers to the anxiety felt by young people who are accustomed to exchanging messages through social networking services (SNS) when they have to make phone calls. In severe cases, physical symptoms may also appear.
Typical symptoms of phone phobia include ▲delaying or completely avoiding answering calls ▲experiencing extreme anxiety and tension before, during, or after calls ▲obsessing and worrying about one's own speech ▲showing symptoms such as vomiting, difficulty breathing, dizziness in response to calls ▲increased heart rate, among others.
In fact, a 2020 survey by the job portal JobKorea of 518 adult men and women found that 53.1% had experienced phone phobia. 58% of adults responded that they are more comfortable with non-face-to-face communication such as messengers or texts than with phone calls.
A 2019 survey of British workers also showed that 40% of the Baby Boomer generation and 76% of the Millennial generation felt anxious when the phone rang.
Phone Phobia Is a Fear of 'Things I Cannot Control'
In February 2021, Dr. Ilham Seba, a professor at Royal Holloway, University of London, was interviewed by Australian media The Conversation about why people experience phone phobia.
Recently, non-face-to-face communication through messengers and texts has become common. According to Dr. Seba, messengers allow time to think before responding, reducing pressure and the chance of verbal mistakes, but phone calls require real-time interaction, making even brief silences awkward.
Additionally, phone calls create pressure to respond immediately to the other person's words, leaving little time to think before speaking, which can make answers feel impulsive and risky. Compared to messages, it is harder to filter unwanted responses or conversation topics.
Moreover, messages can convey nonverbal context beyond the text through emoticons and other means. In contrast, phone calls rely solely on voice cues, making it more difficult to understand the other person's intentions or feelings.
In other words, compared to messaging situations, phone calls evoke a stronger sense of anxiety because one feels placed in a situation 'beyond their control.'
However, phone phobia differs from social phobia. Face-to-face conversations include social cues such as gestures, body language, and eye contact, whereas phone communication relies only on voice cues. Therefore, people who have no problem with face-to-face conversations may still find phone calls burdensome.
Also, during face-to-face conversations, there is room to pay attention to other things like the surrounding environment, noise, or smartphone messages, which makes the conversation feel more comfortable. However, during phone calls, there are no distracting external factors besides the other person's voice, making one feel as if always under a 'spotlight.'
'Writing Scenarios' and 'Increasing Call Experience' as Solutions
People with phone phobia tend to avoid calls as much as possible, but Professor Seba argues that "making more calls is actually the most effective way to overcome it."
Phone phobia may be related to a lack of call experience, so increasing phone calls can reduce anxiety and build confidence. It is recommended to start with people you feel comfortable with and gradually expand the circle.
Writing a 'pre-call scenario,' a method commonly used by those with phone phobia, can also be a good alternative. However, over-reliance on scenarios may worsen symptoms where one cannot make calls without a script, so caution is advised.
If the fear is severe, it is advisable to seek help from mental health professionals or counseling psychologists.
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