Nomophobia, A Phobia Without Cell Phone That Cause Anxiety

Mobile phones are taken anywhere even as a bedtime companion. Mobile phones are not only a means of communication but also entertainment. From just exchanging information, listening to music to playing games.

So how do you react if you leave your cell phone at home? Panic, anxiety, confusion, or even stress? If you feel that psychological condition, it means you are under the influence of nomophobia.

Nomophobia is a term that means 'no mobile phone phobia'. The term was coined by the UK Post Office in 2008 based on research by YouGov.

The journal entitled Nomophobia: No MObile PHone PhoBIA explained that the purpose of the study was to evaluate the possibility of anxiety disorders due to excessive cell phone use.

The study found nearly 53% of Britons who use mobile phones feign concern when they “lose their phone, run out of battery or credit, or have no network coverage”.

The study also revealed that around 58% of men and 47% of women suffer from nomophonia, and 9% feel tense when their cell phones are turned off.

Meanwhile, 55% of respondents agreed that nomophobia arises because they cannot maintain connectivity with people close or dear to them. When comparing stress levels, it was found that anxiety levels were equivalent to “wedding day jitters.”

Now the condition of nomophobia has spread along with the increasing use of cell phones. This condition can affect the mental health of users.

The characteristics of someone who has nomophobia include, often carrying a cell phone everywhere; check the phone continuously and don't miss any notifications; even the acute ones, someone is willing to break the rules and miss a scheduled event in order to spend time with their cell phone.

There are several physical symptoms that can be felt due to this phobia. Patients who experience nomphobia can have difficulty sleeping, chest tightness, sweating easily, a sensation of wanting to faint, to pain in the neck and wrists, and decreased quality of vision.

However, there are ways to prevent acute nomophobia. To keep the desire to carry a cellphone distracted, you can do this by temporarily turning off the cellphone and looking for a replacement activity. For example, turning off your cell phone an hour before going to bed and placing it out of reach.

After that, do other activities instead of holding a cell phone, for example reading a book or completing a crossword puzzle (TTS). This kind of activity can help the brain divert the desire to hold a cell phone, and stimulate other creativity.

Apart from turning off your cellphone, you can also temporarily leave your cellphone out of reach. Instead, invite relatives or family members to talk. Interaction with family members can help the process of recovering dependence from nomophobia.

Another way, reduce the habit of using the cellphone while carrying out other activities. For example, not using your cell phone while eating or on the toilet. If it feels heavy even though you have been trying for six months, you can consult a psychologist. That way, you will get the right handler and input through psychotherapy sessions.