Nomophobia is a fear that didn’t exist a few years ago yet today it is one of the fastest-growing. Nomophobia is the fear or anxiety caused by not having your phone. While today technology plays an important role in all our lives it should not rule it. If you find you can’t be without your phone for a few hours then you may suffer from Nomophobia.
Nomophobia is short for ‘No mobile phone phobia’ and while it may sound like a joke or that everyone today has the condition, there are those who suffer quite severely with this fear. If you are expecting a phone call later in the day it is normal to want your phone close to hand. If you have to be close to your phone all day and all night for no apparent reason or if being away from it causes you to get anxious and worried then you have cause for concern.
The latest research indicates that 53% of people in the UK experience some level of anxiety without their phones. The fact is that we are increasingly reliant on our phones. If we are out of our homes we rely on our phones as our navigation tool, our contact with our friends and family, our link to every answer in the world.
While it is ok to need your phone it is not ok to need it all the time. If you find that you experience shaking or trembling, tight chest, increased sweating, rapid heartbeat, or a dizzy feeling when you are without your phone then you are likely suffering from severe nomophobia.
These conditions are difficult for doctors to understand as this dependence on technology is something we have never had to experience before. Whether you think you suffer from this condition or not, it is good for you and your family to take a break from technology every so often. Whether you have a no electronics rule after 8 pm or take the full weekend off, try and take a break and enjoy the natural world for a while.
