What is nomophobia and do we have it already?

We all feel awful on losing a phone. None of us like keeping it on silent mode all the time. And we all feel a bit anxious when we are expecting a call, and it doesn’t come. But do you find it impossible to lose sight of your phone? If you forget it in a shop, do you have an instant nervous breakdown? If so, be careful, because you are getting victimised by your own little gadget!  

How do we define nomophobia?  
The term NOMOPHOBIA or NO Mobile Phone Phobia is coined by psychologists, who are using it to describe an extreme psychological, and therefore physical, distress felt by people who have a fear of being detached from their mobile phone. It is so severe in some cases that it is affecting their daily lives.  

What are the symptoms of nomophobia?  
Here is a set of actions that suggest nomophobic dependency on your phone. A person with nomophobia exhibits all of them, and more.  

• They take it to bed, to the bathroom, even keep it on the soap stand in the shower 
• They check it incessantly, every few minutes, to make sure it’s working, it has internet connection and that no notification has been missed 
• They spend several hours daily using the phone 
• They keep checking in their pocket and purse constantly to see that they phone is in it 

Nomophobia is more frequent in teenagers and young adults, i.e. people below 30. 

What happens in a nomophobic attack?  
When a nomophobic person actually cannot locate their phone, the following physical symptoms will suggest a nomophobic attack:   

• They will feel a tightness in their chest, and will have breathing difficulties  
• Their hands would shake visibly, and they may start trembling 
• They would also sweat more  
• They would become dizzy and disoriented, and their pulse rate would go up  
• Their speech would become incoherent, hysterical or violent  

Experts haven’t yet zeroed down on one particular cause for nomophobia, in fact, they think there are several factors involved. But nomophobia is a very real mental and physical problem, and the number of affected people are increasing sharply.