How many of you check and re-check your gear or pockets often to assure that you have not forgotten your mobile phone? There are nine in 10 chances that you may be suffering from nomophobia, a new symptom which is gripping mobile users worldwide.
Nomophobia or no-mobile-phone-phobia is an anxiety which people face when they feel they could not get signal from a mobile tower, run out of battery, forget to take the phone with them or simply do not receive calls, texts or email notifications for a certain period of time. In short, it is a psychological fear of losing mobile or cell phone contact.
In a survey conducted by telecom giant Cisco, nine out of 10 people under thirty years of age admitted to be suffering from nomophobia. The high prevalence of the new kind of stress was found after a survey was conducted among 3800 mobile users in Australia, Couriermail.com reported.
Cisco's chief technology officer Kevin Bloch said, "It's (nomophobia) is happening subconsciously, and one out of five people are texting while they're driving. For many under-30s, the smartphone has become an extension of themselves, from the moment they wake up until the second they fall asleep."
"This love affair with the smartphone is both enabling and crippling at the same time. They check for texts, emails and social media at least once every 10 minutes. That's checking the phone 96 times a day, assuming eight hours sleep," he added.
The rise of nomophobia has led to the setting up of exclusive websites that offer counselling to those who suffer from the psychological pandemic.
