Nomophobia (No Mobile Phone Phobia) – Yes, It Is Very Real

Picture a sunny day; you’re on your commute to work catching the sights and sounds of a city rushing by… A florist sets up her shop with assortments of tulips, daisies, and roses while a teacher leads her gaggle of students to the museum. A crowd gathers around a street performer draws out beautiful peals from everyday pots and pans.
Suddenly, these vivid, enjoyable sensory stimuli suddenly screech to halt when you remember that you left your phone at home. But then you frantically feel around yourself, and sure enough, it’s safely nestled in your pocket. You just experienced what is referred to as Nomophobia (No Mobile Phone Phobia), and yes, it’s very real.

Technological anxiety is a major problem and it’s further exacerbated with the advent of newer methods of staying connected. While the ratio of people with anxiety disorders was 1 in every 10 people in the 80’s, today it has doubled to 1 in every 5 individuals.

The fact is that now we are more connected than ever, and this is snowballing into a huge problem. Turning to statistics – half the people surveyed had discomfort with not being able to log on to their social media of choice or access their email for a period of time.

The Real Cost Of Staying Connected – The Link Between Anxiety & Your Phone

Over 70% of all people surveyed feel that they would panic if they misplace their phone while 90% of them say they dread seeing their phone battery drop below 20%.
While technology is invaluable and indispensable, we need to regulate the way we use it better, so we don’t fall into bad habits. A lot of people find themselves reflexively flicking through their social feed or checking their messaging app. There are several studies out there that correlate depression and anxiety with smartphone usage.

We need to use tech judiciously for our own good. Regulating time that you stay connected can help put your mind at ease. Try consciously weaning yourself off the habit of checking emails and messages after work. There are several apps for both iOS and Android that can help with mobile addiction.

This infographic below sheds light on how prevalent the problem of anxiety is today especially since the advent of technology.