Before I became a mental health counselor, I worked in the debt collection industry. I’m always friendly over the phone and I never argue because angry debtors won’t pay.
On the rare occasions where someone was irate, I noticed how they were upset from the very beginning of the call… before I ever mentioned my name and why I was calling.
We call with private numbers for safety purposes… that’s when they get upset.
A blocked number was calling.
I realized these people must’ve had unpleasant experiences in the past, which makes sense if they’ve been contacted frequently.
I wondered, what if they’re upset like this all of the time? Why does a blocked call trigger such a response?
Mental health and debt collection are similar. It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you explain it to yourself.