Nomophobia: Are you controlling your phone or is it controlling you?
The use of smartphones has seen exponential growth in the past decade. Smartphones help us to connect to the entire world in several ways and provide us with a sense of security. Be it through social media or connecting to different people throughout the world, clicking pictures, or using a compass, a Smartphone has it all. Even during the recent times of the COVID 19 pandemic, when the whole world was put on pause, smartphones were the only way out. This high usage and popularization of smartphones gave birth to a new dependency named, Nomophobia.
You must ask, “What is Nomophobia?” But, before we get into the definition of it, you must answer some of these basic questions. Do you often feel yourself panicking or getting anxious when you can’t find your smartphone in your purse or the back pocket of your denim? If yes, these can be the early signs of Nomophobia. As the name states, Nomophobia is a psychological condition when people have the fear of being detached from mobile phone connectivity. This leads to panic and anxiety attacks frequently, leading to deteriorated mental health issues.
The term Nomophobia was coined back in 2008 but was brought to daily usage in 2018 when more and more people started to fall into the category. A new study on Nomophobia statistics has found that this “fear of not having your phone” is now the overwhelming norm among college students. The study suggests that 89% of college students now have either moderate or severe Nomophobia. In 2012, this figure was only 77%.
Smartphones have become irreplaceable parts of our life. From finding directions to solving complicated mathematical equations, a phone can do it all, displaying clear utility and convenience. The relationships that we have formed with our smartphones due to these utilities and conveniences have laid out negative impacts as well, especially among teenagers and young adults. Not just this, some other psychological factors such as low self-esteem, introverted personality, etc, are also a few of the key factors leading to unhealthy attachments with our smartphones. This intense attachment to our devices leads to several mental health issues which when extended to a considerately long period provokes Nomophobia.
Nomophobia has not only caused distress in the virtual world but also the actual world. According to many studies that have been conducted on different groups of people, the symptoms of Nomophobia are quite similar. Some of these are anxiety, respiratory alterations, trembling, perspiration, agitation, and many more. Nomophobia is more likely to be the cause of changing lifestyles such as continuous use of electronic devices without breaks or an unhealthy sleeping schedule, which the current teen generation is facing.
Opting for a total digital detox in this era indeed is a near to impossible thing. Even the pandemic of COVID 19 initially increased our dependency on smartphones rather than decreasing it. Work from home situations or assignment submissions, all are done via a simple click on our smartphones. So how can we reduce our reliance and protect ourselves from these similar situations?
Well, the key is to make small steps each day. Measure your tolerance and with each passing day, make small incremental changes. It can be like, studying or getting your work done without responding to a text for 30 minutes and then later increasing it to 60 minutes or 1 hour. Setting time barriers is also extremely helpful in these cases. An insignificantly small step such as not checking your phone first thing in the morning, not replying to a text or e-mail instantly, keeping your phone out of sight while studying or working or eating dinner, and spending time with your family also helps in reducing the indulgence on devices.
Although these small steps will only be beneficial in eradicating early signs of Nomophobia. If one faces constant difficulties in making these small changes even after a considerate amount of time, a doctor should be consulted.
Nomophobia in no way suggests that the problem lies with smartphones or any other electronic device. The actual problem lies within the people, spending multiple hours on their devices. The problem emerges when people like you and me prefer to engage ourselves in the virtual world rather than the real one.
We are living in the 21st century where technological advancement is taking place at a high pace, where escape from it is near to impossible. The day-to-day changes in technology are giving birth to new challenges that are slithering on our sleeves regularly. The only thing we can do is find ways to protect ourselves from these possible threats, maintain healthy relationships, and by being aware of our digital wellness.
Digital wellness (also known as digital wellbeing) is the pursuit of an intentional and healthy relationship with technology, both in the workplace and in personal life. Nomophobia and many other similar illnesses would have never occurred if people understood the importance of digital wellness. This is where we come into the picture. We provide consulting and advisory services, public speaking, and individual coaching (one on one sessions) to help people maintain a good relationship with their devices. Click here to learn more about it.
By Akanksha Singh & Rijul Arora
