Is avoiding the telephone considered to be ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR?

I hate answering the phone and returning phone calls...it interrupts my daily life. I'm not one to lay around...I can busy myself ALL day in my home. The telephone is an intrusion to me...Does anyone else feel this way?

Is it wrong to be so annoyed by the ringing phone and having to return phone calls so others won't get offended???

I have a Husband and three children...I wasn't always this antisocial. I feel busy all the time..

I LOVE ALL OF YOU!!! I feel normal and unselfish now, thank you. I actually WOULD answer the phone if one of you called...i'd know I wouldn't have to talk long! AMEN...

I am right there with you, I deplore the phone. People joke that when they call me they know I'm there, but hope I'll pick up. However, I'll ask them, "Was it an emergency?" No, they say. But they don't understand why I don't have a machine. I owned a business once where we got over 1,500 calls a day. I hated the phone after that business. Everyone knows this, and they know I prefer emails instead. I like emailing because you can get around to it on your own time. Picking up the phone and talking to someone when you have a million other things to do is a pain in the rear. I especially get mad when these people have nothing new to report or say. Don't call me if you don't have anything to say. It's not anti-social, it's called having a friggen life. Even when I'm home and taking a break, the phone irritates me when it rings. I love caller id, because I will decide whether or not I want to pick the phone up. If it's an emergency they'll keep trying to call.

I don't think that there is anything wrong with not wanting to talk on the phone.I myself talk on the phone as little as possible.It's as simple as that and i would'nt be so worried about offending people because you can't please everyone all the time.

I think it's great when you don't allow yourself to be ruled by your phone. Nothing wrong with ignoring it sometimes, that's what caller id & voicemail is for.

No, that's not at all considered antisocial behavior. Antisocial Behavior is much more extreme social deviance.
All it means is that you feel busy enough as it is and don't want to be overburdened with one more thing.
I think it's completely normal and acceptable.

Well it's perfectly normal with the amount of house work you have to accomplish to feel that way, for example when I get involved in a school project / presentation I plug off the phone from my room and I ask my mom to tell people that PUFF! I'm gonne, no more, a dot! If you're that busy it's perfectly normal to feel that way you are not a freak.

You are a busy mother and wife. It is not anti-social to remove an irritant from your hectic day. I also raised 3 children, and I turned the ringer off for part of the day so that I would not be interrupted. I turned it back on when I was ready to relax and enjoy conversation with other people. You can keep the answering machine on to screen for important calls or emergencies. Having a telephone does not obligate you to instantly gratify whoever wants to interrupt you. Return calls at your convenience. If someone is offended because you didn't call them back, perhaps they are being a bit selfish.

NO - you have the freedom to decide your interests - there's good thing, to be appreciated - you are so committed to your work that you do not feel to be interrupted for any casual reasons like Phone ring (or may be door bells also - I hope)

Well, thats not wrong - but you need to feed your mind that there might be some important and urgent calls which needs to attended. So keep space in mind not to develop hate for receiving calls, but as far as possible attend them happily and you will develop good social contacts which may in turn will help you and your family for some practical works. (good relationships also will result in practical benefits)

All the best

You know I was thinking about this the other day...I'm like you...I don't think it is antisocial...maybe we are just afraid of our responsibilities that come with that phone ring...or you have to pay attention to some friend...and ruin your plans.

I hope I helped you!

A yahoo friend!

I agree w/u.

The phone has been abused major. The reason's ppl call is to "Ask" for something. So, you're suddenly "Popular" and in order to manage your "Popularity", you need to "Screen Phone Calls".

So, it's not because your anti-social, but in fact that you're too popular and in demand.

BTW, I have turned off my ringer, and check msg's 1 a day. Ppl have adjusted, and they still luv me.

I feel that way exactly. I hate the phone interrupting our dinner or my private time at home with my family. I frequently turn the ringer off on the phone and let it take messages. I might listen once a day and return only the calls that I have to. I don't know if it's wrong, but the ringing phone really bothers me and, yes, it is a major intrusion. Luckily, the man in my life feels the same way. Our home is a sanctuary where ringing phones don't belong.

Wow .. its good to know someone else feels exactly like me.... thats great... yes .. yes... yes.... then when you returned the call its the constant questions.. well why haven't you called...blah, blah, blah..........