Never Without My Phone: What is Nomophobia?
Cell phones have become a ubiquitous part of modern life. Not only do they serve as a way to communicate, but they also serve as a social networking tool, personal organizer, online shopping tool, calendar, alarm clock, and mobile bank. Although they are undoubtedly useful devices, it is suggested that excessive passion for digital devices may be a form of behavioral addiction.
In this article, we will look at the concept of nomophobia, what causes this phobia and how it can be overcome.
What is nomophobia?
Have you ever felt anxious or even panicked when you couldn’t find your phone? Does the thought of being stranded in an isolated place with no cellular data service fill you with a sense of dread? If so, you may have some symptoms of nomophobia.
In fact, the term nomophobia emerged fairly recently to describe the fear of being without a phone. This includes not only losing, forgetting or breaking your phone, but also not being able to stay connected to your mobile phone.
Nomophobia, which comes from the abbreviation of the English words “no mobile phobia”, means “fear of being without a phone”. The term was first used in a study conducted in 2008. In an experiment involving more than 2,100 adults, 53% of participants experienced nomophobia.
The study found that this fear can be quite powerful. Many people are worried that they cannot be connected to their phone even when they sleep at night. When asked the reason for this, 55% stated that they needed to be in contact with family and friends, 10% stated that they needed to be reachable for work reasons, and 9% stated that not being able to reach their phone made them feel anxious.
symptoms
A phobia; It is a type of anxiety disorder characterized by disproportionate fear of an object or situation. In the case of nomophobia, the fear is of being without a phone or without access to cell phone service.
Although there is no clinical diagnosis, some symptoms often identified as being associated with this fear include:
-Not being able to turn off your phone
-Constantly checking your phone for messages, emails or missed calls
-Charging your battery even when your phone is almost fully charged
-Take your phone everywhere you go, even to the bathroom
-Checking repeatedly to make sure you have your phone
-Panicking or worrying if you can’t find your phone in a short time
-Fear of being without Wi-Fi or not being able to connect to a cellular data network
-Worrying about negative things that might happen and not being able to ask for help
-Feeling helpless without a phone
-Skip scheduled events to spend time on mobile device
People with nomophobia may show physical symptoms in addition to emotional and cognitive symptoms. They may breathe faster, their heart beats faster, they may sweat more, and they may shiver. They may also start to feel malaise or dizzy. In severe cases, these fear symptoms can turn into panic attacks.
Reasons
The usefulness of mobile phones plays an important role in the fear of being without a phone. Smartphones can do so much that people use their phones to stay in touch, research things they’re interested in, conduct business, get organized, share personal information, and even manage money.
Since people are now turning to their phones for so many important tasks, it’s perhaps no surprise that they fear being without a phone. Being without a phone can leave people feeling disconnected and isolated from important aspects of their lives, including their friends, family, work, finances and information.
Especially individuals born in the age of digital technology; Because of early experience with computers, the Internet, and mobile phones, these devices are often an integral part of daily life.
Treatment
If you have symptoms of nomophobia or feel like cell phone use is causing problems in your life, it may be helpful to talk to a mental health professional. While there is no specific treatment for nomophobia, your therapist may recommend exposure therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, or both to relieve your symptoms. In some cases, your doctor may also prescribe some type of medication to relieve any symptoms of anxiety or depression you may be experiencing.
