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'Phone Call Phobia': How Can Young People Overcome This Fear?
🇻🇳 Vietnam /Culture & Society

'Phone Call Phobia': How Can Young People Overcome This Fear?

From Tuổi Trẻ · (42m ago) Vietnamese

Translated from Vietnamese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Many young people experience "phone call phobia," struggling with communication or lacking phone etiquette, preferring texting over voice calls.
  • This fear can hinder work, leading to missed opportunities and stalled projects, especially in roles requiring phone interaction.
  • Experts suggest developing communication skills, changing mindsets, and gradually practicing calls to overcome this anxiety, with severe cases potentially requiring professional help.

From the perspective of Tuổi Trẻ (Vietnam):

Các bạn quen với việc nhắn tin hơn là trao đổi qua điện thoại. Không ít trường hợp có số điện thoại nhưng không gọi điện mà chỉ nhắn tin, và từ chối bắt máy.

— Bùi Đoàn ChungFounder of Vietnam HR Community, explaining the preference for texting over phone calls among young people.

In today's digitally connected world, a peculiar anxiety grips many young Vietnamese: the fear of answering the phone. This isn't just a mild inconvenience; it's a genuine phobia, dubbed 'phone call phobia,' that significantly impacts professional lives. As human resources expert Bùi Đoàn Chung points out, this stems from a generation accustomed to the asynchronous, less confrontational nature of texting, finding direct voice communication daunting.

Một số khác cảm thấy áp lực khi giao tiếp qua điện thoại vì không đoán được đối phương đang nghĩ gì hoặc trông như thế nào.

— Bùi Đoàn ChungDescribing the anxiety associated with phone communication due to the lack of visual cues.

The consequences are tangible. Chung highlights how this reluctance to engage via phone can lead to stalled projects and lost career opportunities, particularly in client-facing roles like sales or customer service. The inability to simply pick up the phone and communicate effectively creates a barrier that texting alone cannot overcome. It’s a stark reminder that while digital communication is prevalent, fundamental interpersonal skills remain crucial.

Việc này không chỉ giúp giải quyết công việc một cách nhanh chóng mà còn gây thiện cảm với người khác qua cách trò chuyện duyên dáng, giọng điệu ấm áp…

— Bùi Đoàn ChungHighlighting the benefits of developing effective phone communication skills.

Psychology teacher Lê Phan Thảo Nghi adds another layer, suggesting the root often lies in a fear of judgment. Without visual cues, phone conversations can feel like navigating blind, leading to overthinking and anxiety about how one is perceived. Overcoming this requires not just skill-building but also fostering environments that reduce this fear of negative evaluation. For those whose phobia is deeply rooted, perhaps from past trauma, seeking professional psychological support is a necessary step toward reclaiming confidence in communication.

Khi nói chuyện qua điện thoại, người ta không nhìn thấy nét mặt hay cử chỉ của đối phương nên khó đoán họ đang nghĩ gì. Vì vậy, người nghe dễ hiểu sai hoặc tưởng tượng theo hướng tiêu cực, dẫn đến cảm giác nh

— Lê Phan Thảo NghiA life skills teacher explaining the psychological roots of phone call phobia.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tuổi Trẻ in Vietnamese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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