For those of you who struggle using a telephone.

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How do you find dealing with companies etc.?

I find using a telephone close to impossible, when I say I struggle using a phone when I am really saying is that I can't use a phone.

It seems that most companies, even government departments meant to be working with disabled people, aren't willing to make reasonable adjustments for customers with disabilities. It also seems as though problems people with ASD have with using a telephone isn't as valid as say, if someone was deaf - would you say you agree that ASD isn't taken seriously in this sort of context, should it be?

I don't have a problem using the phone but I will not leave voice messages. Period. I will send an email follow up if I must.

I will also not check messages on my personal phone. If I missed it, it's gone. I'll check the numbers, know who called, and call them back. But I will not check their message. That's anathema to me.

When people kid me about it I say, "I'm leaving open the possibility that those messages contain wonderful news. It's a schrodinger's cat kind of thing. Those probability waves will remain uncollapsed". But the truth is I hate recorded voice messages.

What has helped me is that I write down, either in notes or preferably word for word, exactly what I'm going to say. I really hate having to use the phone, even for trivial things. I also go in a room with no distractions. With companies or people who don't know me, I'm also prone to just hanging up if things get out of control.

I don't have trouble using the phone. In fact, I often find it easier to converse over the phone than face to face. I find that there are fewer distractions and I don't have to worry about making eye contact.

That said, some of the phone messaging systems are were designed by a creative sadist. They seem designed to inflict the maximum amount of pain for the minimum amount of benefit. At times, I have been very close to ripping my phone out of the wall and throwing it. Sometimes they give you 10 options and none of the options is right. If you pick one option at random, you have to sit for an hour listening to the most annoying music before talking to a person who can't help you.

I really struggle with telephone use. I can only take calls or make calls if I know the subject and outcome of them in advance. For everything else, I have to have someone else make the call on my behalf.

I choose not to worry that the secretary will not understand my accent. If I think the person on the other end will understand me, they usually do, 95% of the time.

This has been the bane of my adult existence. I'm lucky that my wife is willing to take most of it over.

I can use a phone, but I am often brought to tears when I have to deal with companies or recorded messages.

I don't use snail mail, and emails are incredibly intimate to me. I only send them to people I'm close to.

i avoid using the phone whenever possible; it's probably been several months since i spoke to someone over the phone. luckily, i live at home, so my mom deals with my medical appointments, which are the only thing i would need to use the phone for anyway.

Me mam deals with them for me. She yells a lot.

I can use the phone OK and often do, but I don't like it; and the biggest part of my problem is just doing it, initiating the phone call. Once I get going all is fine, but I'll procrastinate and delay the actual call as long as possible. Answering a phone call is almost jarring for me I'd rather let it go to voice mail than I'll call back at my own time

Wow, I've also given up on voicemail. I think the box eventually just filled up and won't record anymore.

I won't answer most calls and my phone is on silent 100% of the time. I'll call people back no problem but I just need to be ready to talk before I can get on the phone.

I go into places in person or use email whenever possible.

I just solve it by not using the telephone as much as I can. I prefer to give my mom the info and she pretend it's me.

I hate calling companies, and I hate talking to cashiers in stores.