“Do I have what?” I know. That was what I asked when I first saw that term too. “Nomophobia” is the fear of being without your smartphone. I am not making this up. And in a psychology study out of Hendrix College, researchers found that 90% of college students suffer from moderate to severe nomophobia. Students were found to become anxious when their smartphones were not right beside them.
While this can impact everything from study habits to interactions with other people, this particular study was examining its impact on sleep. Two things were learned. First, students who continued to use their smartphone right up to the time of going to bed, had a much more difficult time falling asleep. While the answer to that problem would be to separate one’s self from their phone at least two hours before going to bed, those with severe nomophobia became extremely anxious when parted from their phone. Their anxiety kept them awake as well.
While this study was looking specifically at the habits of college students, many adults suffer from this same disorder. I have known adults who have their phone in their hands non-stop. For some it would seem that the only time they don’t have their phone either in their hands or right beside them is when they take a shower and I imagine that is even a challenge for them.
The issue here may not be an addiction to technology as much as it is some individuals only connection, as artificial as it may be, to any kind of social network. In striving to counteract this trend, building a real face-to-face network with people is the first step toward less smartphone addiction and a healthier life. Things to ponder.