Nomophobia: what’s behind it

Nomophobia, often referred to as cell phone addiction, is a widespread phenomenon. It is often even referred to as a new widespread disease

What nomophobia is – what you should know

What nomophobia is can be explained a little if you know how the word is made up. The term nomophobia is what is known as a portmanteau word. The English term nomophobia stands for “no mobile phone phobia”, which means “no cell phone fear”.

• Nomophobia is a dependency on one’s own cell phone. Adolescents and young adults in particular are affected by this condition. The main fear is not being available for friends or business partners.

• The symptoms of nomophobia can vary. Those affected must always have their cell phone with them and switched on. It is constantly checked to see if new messages have arrived. If the battery runs out or simply gets weaker, this can lead to nervousness, sweating, anxiety and depressive moods

• Nomophobia is slightly different for everyone affected. However, this new form of phobia is always characterized by the fear of not having the smartphone to hand and thus “losing contact with the outside world”. In extreme cases, nomophobia leads to other areas of life being significantly neglected.

• According to studies, many young people exhibit mild nomophobia, but this should not be classified as dangerous. The situation only becomes psychologically worrying when withdrawal symptoms occur after just a few minutes.

Nomophobia – what science says

After the phenomenon of nomophobia became more common, scientists began to take an increasing interest in it. The results of a more comprehensive study were published at the end of 2022. Scientists at the private University of Göttingen investigated the new form of anxiety disorder.

• The study, led by Professor Dr. Yvonne Görlich, found that around half of the participants exhibited moderate symptoms of nomophobia. Around four percent of the test subjects even exhibited a severe form of this new form of anxiety disorder.

• According to current knowledge, those affected by nomophobia are primarily younger people, which is presumably related to the fact that they are already using smartphones in childhood. In addition, women tend to be more affected by nomophobia.

• If you are currently considering whether you are also at risk or may already be affected by nomophobia, check the following symptoms or ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you make sure you always have your smartphone to hand and is it always switched on? Do you panic if you can’t find your phone immediately? Does the “absence” of your smartphone even trigger physical reactions such as sweating, restlessness or even a racing heart? Do you constantly check whether the battery is still charged and have you always made provisions for “emergencies”, for example in the form of a charger or a spare battery?

• If you answer one or more questions with a definite “yes”, you should try to slowly establish smartphone-free periods. If you don’t succeed, it makes sense to think about whether you should seek professional help.