Britons urged to swap texts for calls in wellbeing push

iD Mobile and Mental Health UK have launched a campaign urging people to swap text messages for phone calls.

The move follows new research showing that 51% of Britons feel anxious about making or receiving personal calls.

The polling points to a wider shift in communication habits, with messaging now the default for many even when they believe a phone call would be better. A third of respondents said they call much less than they did a decade ago, while 52% wished they called loved ones more often.

On average, Britons send up to 25 text-based messages a day, yet 14% said they had gone more than a week without speaking to a friend or loved one on the phone. That amounts to about 6.4 million people, according to the organisations.

Younger adults reported the highest levels of discomfort with calls. The research found that 69% of Gen Z and 65% of younger millennials feel some level of anxiety around phone conversations, compared with 32% of people aged 55 and over.

The findings suggest convenience is only part of the shift away from voice calls. The most common reasons for choosing a message were speed and convenience, concern about interrupting someone, uncertainty over whether the other person was free to talk, and discomfort with speaking on the phone.

People also said they preferred to think through what they wanted to say before replying, while some felt messaging was less intrusive or more appropriate. Others worried calls would take too long, that they might say the wrong thing, or that they would not know what to say in a live conversation.

The survey also found signs that text-based communication can be more laborious than users expect. Nearly three quarters of respondents said they had rewritten a text several times because it was difficult to express what they meant, while 31% said they sent long messages or several in succession. Some 43% said messages do not always fully convey what they mean or feel.

In hindsight, 57% said they had sent a text when a phone call would have been more appropriate.

The wellbeing link

The research also examined whether voice contact affects how people feel. Two thirds of respondents said they feel more connected after a phone call with someone close to them, while 75% said calls with loved ones boost their mood. A further 72% said hearing someone’s voice makes a bigger difference to how they feel than reading their words, and 79% said a phone call can make a real difference to someone’s mental wellbeing.

Brian Dow, chief executive of Mental Health UK, said: “Messaging might seem more efficient, even more considerate, because you feel like you aren’t interrupting anyone. Yet we know that for many people, a simple phone call provides a much better opportunity to connect and can change someone’s day for the better.”

He added: “The irony is sharp. Many of us choose the format that feels lower effort, then spend longer drafting a message and still fail to communicate what we want to say.”

Dow said: “Connection is one of the most powerful protective factors for mental health, and as this polling shows, speaking to someone helps us feel closer than a text. Many of us have hesitated before making a call, but that hesitation is rarely as big a barrier as we imagine it to be.

“Our loved ones are often very pleased and grateful to receive a call. There is, of course, a time and a place for a message, but there’s a risk we become over-reliant on them at the cost of speaking to one another, and lose out on something that can significantly boost our mental wellbeing.”

Campaign push

To draw attention to the issue, the campaign features broadcaster Big Zuu, who spoke about the role phone conversations can play in maintaining personal connections. The message centres on turning one text that would normally be typed into a phone call instead.

Research suggests there may be some appetite for that change. When asked who they would be most likely to call, 41% said someone they had lost touch with in recent years, 40% said a friend, and 30% said a sibling. Nearly six in 10 respondents said they would be more likely to make a call if they knew it would last five minutes or less.

Big Zuu said: “Life gets busy, and it’s easy to fall into just messaging people with small talk questions and generic responses – I’ve done that loads. But sometimes, picking up the phone and having a proper back and forth makes all the difference.

“There have been times where I haven’t shared how I’m really feeling, but taking the time to make a call can change that. You feel it straight away, it’s more real, more honest, and it stays with you. Even just hearing someone’s voice on the other end of the phone, knowing they’re there, can cut through a lot of the noise. That’s something we shouldn’t lose as a nation.”

Rohit Vedi, managing director of iD Mobile, said: “At iD Mobile, keeping you connected is what we do best – but we know that means more than just signal and data. We’re on our phones more than ever, yet many of us are missing out on the deeper connection that only comes from a real conversation.

“The research shows just how much of a difference hearing a voice can make to our mental health, so we’re inviting the nation to ‘Make it a Call’ this Mental Health Awareness Week. Alongside our friends and partners at Mental Health UK, we hope this campaign, and the longer-term partnership it represents, can help us all feel a little more connected every day.”

Dow said: “We’re not asking people to transform how they communicate. Just to pick up the phone and check in with someone once this week. It might make more difference than you’d imagine, for yourself and for the person on the other end of that call.”