It just happened. You're out running errands, you glance at your phone, and your smartphone battery is down to 10%. You thought for sure it was charging before you left, but the cord must not have been plugged in all the way.
Then, the situation takes a turn for the worse. You realize you didn’t grab a charging cord for your car. There is no way you’ll make it back home before your phone dies, not in this traffic.
Do your palms begin to sweat? Is your heart racing? Has your mind started spinning about the best way to find a charging cable in time? Have you already decided to derail your entire plan for the day to make a quick stop at a store to buy a new charging cord?
If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, you’re not alone. In our smartphone-obsessed culture, low-battery anxiety is real!
But are you only dealing with low-battery anxiety, or do you have Nomophobia?
What is Nomophobia?
Nomophobia describes the anxiety or even fear someone feels when they’re separated from their mobile phone or disconnected from a mobile device. First coined in 2008 by researchers in the UK, the term comes from combining the words “No Mobile Phone Phobia.”
A more recent study found that out of nearly 13 million people, 53% reported anxiety about losing or forgetting their phone, running out of battery or network coverage, and not being able to receive calls, texts, or emails. The Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care calls Nomophobia a type of “over-connection syndrome.” People with Nomophobia often willingly reduce face-to-face interactions and focus on virtual ones.
It’s also a form of “techno-stress,” where people avoid in-person socialization and prefer to interact with others online. There are numerous symptoms of Nomophobia, including:
-
Spiking anxiety or stress due to an inability to use your smartphone
-
Panicking about missing messages
-
Compulsively checking your phone out of fear of “being unreachable”
-
Fearing your phone battery dropping below a certain percentage
-
Impulsively using your phone to avoid social interaction
-
Carrying multiple phones and battery chargers to prevent disconnection
-
Preferring virtual over face-to-face social interactions
-
Keeping the phone in reach at all times, even during sleep
-
Frequently looking at your phone to avoid missing notifications (also called “ringxiety”)
-
Experiencing respiratory changes, trembling, perspiration, agitation, disorientation, or rapid heartbeat due to phone-related anxiety
Do you or does someone you know have Nomophobia? This resource can help you identify the habits you need to break, and it also includes some self-help tips to break the pattern.
Download Guide
Why This Happens
Smartphones are designed to feed addiction, and notifications trigger dopamine in your brain. That’s the same chemical involved in reward and habit formation. Over time, the brain learns to associate phone access with relief, stimulation, and reassurance. And because phones are with us through the day and into the evening, this cycle can have many adverse effects.
Read more about dopamine and smartphone use in this blog.
Long-Term Health Concerns
Excessive mobile phone use can have short-term consequences, such as increased distraction and lack of focus. But it can also have long-term effects on mental health. Studies have linked Nomophobia to traits like depression, anxiety, perfectionism, aggressiveness, impulsiveness, and neuroticism. Many health experts consider unhealthy phone use to be an addictive behavior, such as gambling. And phone addiction can open the door to other addictive behaviors.
Digital addiction can lead to other mental health challenges, like a sleep disorder, which itself is linked to a decline in cognitive health. Over time, a lack of sleep can lead to a higher risk of depression, ADD/ADHD, panic attacks, brain fog, psychosis, memory problems, and dementia.
The Good News: Awareness Creates Choice
Remember that you can make a change, and there are resources available to help. Experts have found that engaging in mindfulness activities can help break the cycle of addiction that leads to Nomophobia.
These mindfulness exercises might help. Download Now
Start by taking baby steps and see what works best for you. Perhaps mute your phone notifications for a certain amount of time every day. Consider leaving your phone in the car when you meet a friend for coffee.
If you are worried that self-help tips won’t be enough, consider seeking help through interpersonal counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, or addiction therapy.
Do you or does someone you know have Nomophobia? This checklist can help you identify the habits you need to break, and it also includes some self-help tips to break the pattern.
Find out if you have Nomophobia!
