Human beings were believed to be born with two kinds of phobias; ‘Basophobia’ or the fear of falling and ‘Phonophobia’ or the fear of big sounds. As a person grows up, the list gets longer and new phobias keep on getting added. With technology taking a firm grip of human lives, a new kind of phobia has surfaced in recent times, namely, NOMOPHOBIA.
No Mobile Phone Phobia or ‘Nomophobia’ is the irrational fear of being without your mobile phone or being unable to use your mobile phone for a certain reason. The condition is characterized by feelings of anxiety when people lose their phones, run out of battery life, or have no cellular coverage.
In today’s era when physical interactions have come to a halt and an air of uncertainty fills the surroundings, it’s our gadgets which keep us huddled together as a community. These days when our mobile phones serve as the sole source of connection with the world outside, the over-reliance on gadgets leads to the development of behavioural addiction.
Therefore, when a person is out of reach of her/his mobile phone, she/he often experiences anxiety, fear or even feelings of fear and panic. Experts believe that if left unsupervised, such a condition can be detrimental for physical and mental health in the long-run.
Unearthing the Statistics
In the 21st century, when technology has eclipsed all areas of human endeavour, a huge chunk of the population is vulnerable to develop symptoms of nomophobia. On average, a person checks her/his phone about 110 times a day without any concrete reason.
A study in Britain on mobile phone users suggests that 53% people tend to feel anxious when they lose their mobile phone, run out of battery or balance, or have no network coverage’. Nearly 72% of respondents admitted that there is a bleak chance that they will ever stay more than 5 feet away from their mobile phone.
In the United States, 66% people suffer from nomophobia. One in five people admit that they would rather go without shoes for a week than take a break from their phone.
A study conducted in India indicates that 43% of people use their phones more than 5 hours a day. Over 30% tend to check their phones more than 50 times a day while 31% check as frequently as every 10 minutes. It is reported that there is lesser number of calls or emails received and sent, than text messages.
These statistics suggest that mobile phones are primarily being used for accessing social media than for traditional ‘calling’ purposes. Around 85% use these palm-sized gadgets for simply ‘killing time’.
Who is Most Vulnerable?
Research investigations reveal that people falling between the age group of 18-24 are most prone to develop symptoms of nomophobia. It’s clearly evident that college students seem to fall under high levels of nomophobia than the working populace. This is primarily due to comparative higher availability of leisure time, a lesser number of responsibilities, curiosity to explore new technology at hand and extensive usage for educational and research purposes.
A research sample conducted with over 1500 students on prevalence of nomophobia in India point out to gender disparity in numbers. While women often fall under the category of ‘moderate’, ‘men’ usually show ‘mild’ symptoms. Though both have the tendency to develop ‘severe’ levels of the phobia.
Of the many reasons identified which increase vulnerability, one of the important causes is the easy and affordable access to internet. But even this luxury comes laced with potential risks as people spend hours lying on their couch, sending across text messages to their near and dear-ones with the help of free messaging applications, available just a finger-tap away.
Moreover, with the advent of social media, the entire planet has been woven into a tiny virtual space in our palms. It has got translated into our sole source of connection with the outside world. Therefore people are getting easily dependent on their phones to maintain affinity with their closed ones. Increased number of people are also using it as a tool to do away with their feelings of loneliness.
Symptoms of Nomophobia
A person symptomatic of nomophobia shows a number of physical, emotional and cognitive symptoms such as:
- Breathing at a faster rate, increased heart rate, sweating, shaking and trembling. People may also begin to feel weak or dizzy.
- The inability to turn off one’s phone
- Constantly checking the phone for missed messages, emails, or calls
- Charging the battery even when one’s phone is almost fully charged
- Fear of being without WiFi or being able to connect to a cellular data network
As the number of hours of mobile phone usage accelerates, the tendency to succumb to nomophobia increases. In the absence of their gadgets, some people may even start experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
Frequent or compulsive mobile phone use is also connected to increased stress, anxiety, and depression. Excessive phone use has been linked to a number of negative effects that include decreased grades, lower life satisfaction, and a lower sense of overall well-being.
Dealing with Nomophobia
Nomophobia if left unattended, can metamorphosise into a grave problem for mental and physical health. Therefore, taking timely action and repairing the faucet before it bursts can avert the impending danger. Some of the ways to keep a tab on mobile addiction are:
- One can design a sturdy schedule and adhere to it religiously. The time for using the phone can be determined in advance and alarms can also be set as reminders.
- A person must try to have more in-person interactions with people who are in physical proximity. Having a short conversation with a co-worker, chat with a classmate or neighbour can lower one’s feelings of loneliness and reduce the tendency of excessive usage of the phone.
- In India, we have a tradition of keeping fast on certain days. Likewise, one can set aside at least one day in a week as a ‘tech-free day’ and use the time to focus on oneself, one’s hobbies and even relax and do meditation.
- If possible, one can to try to leave the phone at home for short periods of time, such as while going for a walk, purchasing groceries etc. Just being mindful of one’s activities around can have a relaxing effect on the mind.
Lastly, in case one faces severe symptoms of nomophobia, then taking psychiatric aid is also an option available. Trained mental health experts can help a person with medications and therapies. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Exposure Therapies have come a long way to help in reducing symptoms of nomophobia.
Conclusion
Nomophobia is just one example of the many health hazards posed by the over-dependence on technology. With unrestrained use of gadgets, the human populace seems to pave the trajectory towards its own doom. Being cautious of one’s mobile phone usage, taking timely action in case of adversity and maintaining good and healthy social relations can perhaps prevent the impending tragedy in the coming years.
