Is it possible to be addicted to the phone?

I have a constant need to talk on the phone, since childhood. I cannot ever unplug it or ignore it when ringing and most of the time I have to be the one to answer it or I become agitated and anxious. I spend roughly 4 hours a day on the telephone calling everyone I know, and when I have no one to talk to I will even call up people from the past that I have had lost touch with just to hang up when they answer, and at other times I will randomly call numbers from the yellow pages (businesses) to ask for useless information, for example asking their operating hours or location, just to have someone to call. If during an argument someone hangs up on me, I have been known to call constantly harassing them till they pick up again. I am far too embarassed to ever ask someone about it in person. I'm curious if this could be a byproduct of bi-coastal parenting where the relationships were kept going through telephone.

What an interesting question. Due to the media portrayal of addiction and the interests of pharmaceutical companies, most of us automatically think of physical addiction and its withdrawal effects (the addict who has to have a fix, because he/she is going crazy with withdrawal symptoms). The truth is physical addiction is only a facet of addiction, and not the most important aspect. Psychological addiction is much more important - think how many people have given up the physical addiction of smoking, for example, without any help. They were able to do it because they did not have an overwhelming psychological addiction accompanying the physical addiction.
So, can you, or anyone else, be psychologically addicted to the telephone? The answer is yes. You give some clues in your question to the importance of the phone to you, when you speak of your "bi-coastal parenting." Therein could lie the beginning of a psychological dependence on phone contact in order to feel safe and secure. There is no shame or embarrassment in that - we all have needs, some of which we don't even notice, and some of which get in our way because of their intensity. I would encourage you to learn more about addictions. You're not alone.
You might want to read "The Heart of Addictions," by Lance Dodes, MD. You might also find it helpful to consider how one goes about finding a mental health professional. A good place to start is my (non-commercial) website: http://www.tandemjourney.org/Page.asp?Na...
Although the website is directed toward parents who want to help their teen, the principals of finding the right therapist will work for you, regardless of your age.
You have already shown yourself to be insightful. With a little help, you will be able reduce the addictive symptoms that you described. Good luck! Berater.

Yes for anumber of reasons.

This is an obsession that can be treated. Personally I have the opposite problem I hate the phone, what would we call that? Avoidant?

For you yes