Nomophobia takes over!

What do you fear the most? Do you fear spiders the most? Do you fear darkness? Do you fear death?

As I was conducting some research on different types of phobias I came across a few articles that seemed to be quite shocking. Most people do not fear spiders, darkness, or death the most. Instead most people have a fear of losing their cell phone. 

Yes, losing your cell phone is in fact a phobia called, nomophobia, or 'no mobile phone phobia.' According to a Fox News article, British researchers created the term nomophoia in 2008. A recent survey shows that more than half of the world’s population suffers from this condition. Nomophobia even consist of symptoms, which include:

  Incapability to ever turn your phone off

  Obsessively checking your phone

  Constantly topping up your battery life

  High-intensity anxiety or panic over losing your phone.

  Using your phone in inappropriate places.

  Missing out on opportunities for face-to-face interaction.

After reading the symptoms of nomophobia I think that every teenager has nomophobia.  Even when I am in class, I see most students with their phone out just in case they receive a text or phone call.  I’m guilty of it too.  There are times when I constantly check my phone in class just in case I receive a text even though deep down I know I won’t because I never receive a text at that time.

Along with symptoms comes of course “the treatment.”  According to the Fox News article, ways to overcome nomophobia include:

  Become self-aware and monitor the frequency with which you check your phone.

  Commit to putting your phone down and turning it off for a specific amount of time while you focus on other priorities such as your relationships, exercise or meditation.

  If you feel anxious or have an urgent need to check your phone, try using healthy coping skills such as deep breathing, redirecting your attention to the people around you or busying yourself with exercise.

  Ask other people to help you by taking your phone away for specific time periods.

However, for the more serious cases (Yes, that’s right…more “serious” cases) other precautions take place such as going to see a psychologist. Dr. Elizabeth Waterman, an addition and recovery expert with Morningside Recovery Center in Newport Beach, California, stated "If you can't let go of your phone, then this could be a sign that your life is out of balance."

It's important to have a balanced life.  If a person's life is not balance, many other issues can go wrong such as stress, depression and other conditions.  Sometimes nomophobia can be linked to other disorders.

Now, I found this entire phobia shocking because out of all the things to fear in the world, why would people fear losing a materialistic object? Cell phones can be changed or replaced, death on the other hand cannot be.  Personally, I believe that this generation has become immune to technology and relies on technology way too much. That tiny device carries an enormous amount of information that people today think they need, when the reality is they can and will survive without it.   After reading the article I can only hope better for the future.  If nomophobia is truly a fear, I can only imagine what other bizarre fears I will see in the near future. If people are letting their cell phones take over their life maybe some help would do them good.   

Here's a short interesting video on a school's take on nomophobia and what students think of this phobia.