United States: Smartphones have become an essential part of our lives, and their importance can be measured via the latest study, which revealed a shocking fact. A recently conducted psychological research has unveiled a new fear related to smartphones named nomophobia. 

What exactly does nomophobia mean? 

According to the researchers, nomophobia is a feeling of anxiety and panic, which is experienced at the thought of being without a smartphone. The severity of the phobia has been measured by the researchers by developing a new tool to assess and diagnose nomophobia.

According to the experts, the tool will help us understand modern anxiety and also encourage us to talk more about how much the modern generation relies on technology and how it affects mental well-being, according to Forbes.

Nomophobia explains the phrase “no mobile phone phobia,” which is a fear of being detached from smartphone connectivity. However, this fear, such as fear of water, heights, animals, etc., is not yet regarded as a legitimate mental disorder.

The researchers have outlined that the concept of nomophobia comes with the definitions from the “Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders.” The recently conducted study has outlined that the symptoms of the disorder are similar to other phobias, which include anxiety, shaking, sweating, agitation, and breathing difficulties.

The research further shed light on the fact that the high chances of experiencing nomophobia are among people with low self-esteem and extraversion, as they are prone to the overuse of smartphones.

Along with this, shocking statistics have been uncovered in the study. According to the research, approximately 21 percent of the adult population suffers from severe nomophobia and as many as 71 percent of the population deal with moderate nomophobia. In addition to this, it was revealed that the students of college and university are among the most impacted populations, showing an alarming 25 percent prevalence.

Nomophobia shows the ubiquitous role played by smartphones in our daily lives in present times. The researchers outlined that the benefits provided by smartphones, for example, constant connectivity, have made the mere thought of separation a source of anxiety.

The phobia is not just linked with emotional distress but can also lead to long-term psychological effects – affecting overall well-being.

A Guide: Identifying signs of nomophobia

The researchers have uncovered that with the increase in the usage of smartphones, the need to identify nomophobia has also become essential. This phobia is a clear representation of the dependency of humans on technology and has raised concerns about mental health.

While providing a modern solution to this modern-era problem, research was conducted by Computers and Human Behaviour, which intends to resolve the newfound need to identify and address nomophobia, according to Forbes.

The research was based on the questionnaire; the individuals were asked to mark each statement on the scale from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree.” Accordingly, four different fear factors of nomophobia were covered in the questionnaire, including the inability to reach the community, inaccessibility to information, loss of connection and giving up convenience.

The statements, according to Forbes, are as follows: 

1. I would be annoyed if I could not use my smartphone and/or its capabilities when I wanted to do so.
2. I would feel uncomfortable without constant access to information through my smartphone.
3. I would be annoyed if I could not look information up on my smartphone when I wanted to do so.
4. If I did not have a data signal or could not connect to Wi-Fi, then I would constantly check to see if I had a signal or could find a Wi-Fi network.
5. If I were to run out of credits or hit my monthly data limit, I would panic.
6. If I could not check my smartphone for a while, I would feel a desire to check it.
7. Being unable to get the news (e.g., happenings, weather, etc.) on my smartphone would make me nervous.
8. Running out of battery in my smartphone would scare me.
9. If I could not use my smartphone, I would be afraid of getting stranded somewhere.

Further, the questionnaire asked questions under a hypothetical situation: “If I did not have my smartphone with me.” The statements for the same were: 

1. I would be nervous because I could not know if someone had tried to get a hold of me.
2. I would feel anxious because I could not instantly communicate with my family and/or friends.
3. I would feel anxious because my constant connection to my family and friends would be broken.
4. I would be uncomfortable because I could not stay up-to-date with social media and online networks.
5. I would feel anxious because I could not check my email messages.
6. I would feel weird because I would not know what to do.
7. I would be worried because my family and/or friends could not reach me.
8. I would feel nervous because I would not be able to receive text messages and calls.
9. I would be anxious because I could not keep in touch with my family and/or friends.
10. I would be nervous because I would be disconnected from my online identity.
11. I would feel awkward because I could not check my notifications for updates from my connections and online networks.