Nomophobia: The Fear of Being Without Your Phone

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsThe Origins of NomophobiaSignsWhy We Can’t Be Without Our PhonesDiagnosisCoping

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

The Origins of Nomophobia

Signs

Why We Can’t Be Without Our Phones

Diagnosis

Coping

Have you ever found yourself getting anxious or even panicked when you couldn’t find your phone? Does the thought of being stranded in an isolated place with no cellular service fill you with a sense of dread? If so, you just might have some of the symptoms of nomophobia.

Mobile phones have become a ubiquitous part of modern life. Not only do they serve as a way to communicate, but they also act as a social network tool, personal organizer, online shopping tool, calendar, alarm clock, and mobile bank. While they are without a doubt beneficial devices, some suggest that overreliance on digital devices may be a form ofbehavioral addiction.

In fact, the term nomophobia was coined fairly recently to describe the fear of being without your phone. This includes not just losing, forgetting, or breaking your phone, but also being outside of mobile phone contact. It is a growing concern in a world where always being connected seems more important than ever before. When people lose their phone, when their mobile runs out of battery, or when they are in an area with no cellular coverage, it can lead to feelings ofstressand anxiety—or even feelings of fear or panic.

This fear of being without a mobile device is often considered a sign of problematic digital device use, which some experts believe may have adetrimental impacton mental health and well-being.

Frequent mobile phone use has the potential to cause short-term negative outcomes such as increased distraction, but it may also have long-term consequences such as exacerbating existing mental health issues or contributing to behavioral addictions.

The study revealed that this fear can be so powerful that many people never turn off their phones, even at night or during times that they won’t be using their devices.When asked why they never turn off their phones, 55% cited a need to keep in touch with family and friends, 10% said they needed to be contactable for work reasons, and 9% reported that turning off their phones made them anxious.

The fear of missing out on something is perhaps what leads so many people to report that they would respond to a call or text even if they are in the middle of something else. The study revealed that people were often willing to interrupt life activities in order to respond to a call. The majority of people (80%) were willing to answer a call while watching television, 40% would respond to a call while eating a meal, and 18% would be willing to answer the phone when they were in bed with another person.

How Common Is It?While the research on the phenomenon is still limited, the available findings suggest that nomophobia is quite common. One study of students in India found that more than 22% of participants showed signs of severe nomophobia. Around 60% of those who took part in the study had moderate signs of the condition.

How Common Is It?

While the research on the phenomenon is still limited, the available findings suggest that nomophobia is quite common. One study of students in India found that more than 22% of participants showed signs of severe nomophobia. Around 60% of those who took part in the study had moderate signs of the condition.

Signs of Nomophobia

While nomophobia is not a clinical diagnosis, some of the signs that are commonly identified as related to this fear include:

In addition to emotional and cognitive symptoms, people may also experience physical symptoms as well. People might breathe faster, their heart rate may increase, they may sweat more, and may shake or tremble. They may also begin to feel weak or dizzy. In severe cases, these fear symptoms can escalate into apanic attack.

Characteristics of Nomophobia

In a 2015 study, researchers identified some key dimensions of nomophobia. The fear of being without a phone center on:

People with this phobia check their phones constantly, take their phones everywhere they go (including the shower and bathroom), spend many hours per day using their phones, and experience feelings of helplessness when they are separated from their phones.

Studies have shown that frequent or compulsive mobile phone use is connected to increased stress, anxiety, and depression. Excessive phone use has been linked to a number of negative effects that include decreased grades, increased anxiety, lower life satisfaction, and a lower sense of overall well-being.

There are a number of reasons why people experience symptoms of nomophobia.

Usefulness for Daily Tasks

The usefulness of mobile phones plays a key role in this fear of being without one’s phone. Smartphones are capable of doing so much; people use their phones to stay in touch, to research things that are interested in, to conduct business, to stay organized, to share personal information, and even to manage money.

Because people now turn to their phones for so many important tasks, it is perhaps not surprising that people fear being without their devices. Being without your phone can leave people feeling cut off and isolated from important aspects of their life including friends, family, work, finances, and information.

Amount of Use Each Day

A 2014 study published in theJournal of Behavioral Addictionsfound that college students spend as much as nine hours per day on their cell phones.

Researchers suggest that this constant cell phone use represents a paradox of technology. Smartphones can be both freeing and oppressing. People are able to communicate, gather information, and socialize, but at the same time cell phone use can lead to dependence that is both restricting and stress-inducing.

Familiarity With Technology

The National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens suggests that this cell phone separation anxiety may be more common in teens and young adults.Young people in this age cohort are mostly digital natives, meaning they were born and brought up in the age of digital technology. Because they had early experience with computers, the internet, and cell phones, these devices are often an integral part of daily life.

Recognizing Nomophobia

Researchers have developed the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) to assess symptoms of nomophobia, and studies suggest that the questionnaire is a useful measure of the fear of being without a cell phone.

The questionnaire asks respondents to rate how strongly they agree or disagree with statements such as:

How Your Cell Phone Might Affect Your Brain

Coping With Nomophobia

If you have symptoms of nomophobia or if you feel like your mobile phone use is causing problems in your life, talking to a mental health professional can help. While there is no specific treatment for nomophobia, your therapist may recommend exposuretherapy,cognitive-behavioral therapy, or both to address your symptoms. In some instances, your doctor may also prescribe some type of medication to address symptoms of anxiety or depression that you might be experiencing.

Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy is a behavioral technique in which you will learn to gradually face your fears. In the case of nomophobia, you will progressively get used to going without your phone. You might start very small (like leaving your phone in another room for a certain amount of time) and then progressively work your way up to longer periods of time without your phone (such as leaving it home while you go to the store or turning it off while you are busy doing something else).

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a process that involves addressing the negative and irrational thought patterns that contribute to maladaptive behaviors. Your therapist will help you learn to identify these ways of thinking and replace these thoughts with more realistic and rational ones.

For example, rather than thinking that you are going to miss out on something of vital importance if you don’t check your phone for messages every few minutes, CBT will help remind you that you aren’t likely to miss anything as long as you check your phone occasionally.

Medications

While there is no FDA-approved medication for the treatment of nomophobia, your doctor or psychiatrist may prescribe anti-anxiety medications or antidepressants to address some of your symptoms.Selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitorssuch as Lexapro, Zoloft, and Paxil are often used as first-line treatments for anxiety and depression.

Behavioral Therapy for Phobias

If you think you have nomophobia or feel that you are spending too much time on your phone, there are things that you can do to better manage your device use.

Nomophobia is a growing problem along with other fears and behavioral addictions tied to technology use. Given how reliant many people are on their mobile phones for work, school, news, entertainment, and social connectedness, it can be an incredibly difficult problem to overcome.

Stopping cell phone use entirely is not realistic, but learning how to set limits and boundaries on how much you allow your phone to control your life can help. Taking an occasional break from your phone, engaging in activities separate from your phone, and finding distractions to keep you busy rather than mindlessly playing on your phone are all good places to start.

What to Do If You’re Addicted to Your Phone

9 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bhattacharya S, Bashar MA, Srivastava A, Singh A.NOMOPHOBIA: NO MObile PHone PhoBIA.J Family Med Prim Care. 2019;8(4):1297–1300. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_71_19Farooqui IA, Pore P, Gothankar J.Nomophobia: an emerging issue in medical institutions?. J Ment Health. 2018;27(5):438-441. doi:10.1080/09638237.2017.1417564Yildirim C, Correia AP.Exploring the dimensions of nomophobia: Development and validation of a self-reported questionnaire.Computers in Human Behavior. 2015;49:130-137. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2015.02.059Lepp A, Barkley JE, Karpinski AC.The relationship between cell phone use, academic performance, anxiety, and satisfaction with life in college students.Computers in Human Behavior. 2014;31:343-350. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2013.10.049Roberts JA, Yaya LH, Manolis C.The invisible addiction: cell-phone activities and addiction among male and female college students.J Behav Addict. 2014;3(4):254–265. doi:10.1556/JBA.3.2014.015NIDA for Teens.Teens and “nomophobia”: cell phone separation anxiety.Lee S, Kim M, Mendoza JS, McDonough IM.Addicted to cellphones: exploring the psychometric properties between the nomophobia questionnaire and obsessiveness in college students.Heliyon. 2018;4(11):e00895. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e00895King AL, Valença AM, Silva AC, Sancassiani F, Machado S, Nardi AE.“Nomophobia”: impact of cell phone use interfering with symptoms and emotions of individuals with panic disorder compared with a control group.Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health. 2014;10:28-35. doi:10.2174/1745017901410010028Bandelow B, Michaelis S, Wedekind D.Treatment of anxiety disorders.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2017;19(2):93–107.

9 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bhattacharya S, Bashar MA, Srivastava A, Singh A.NOMOPHOBIA: NO MObile PHone PhoBIA.J Family Med Prim Care. 2019;8(4):1297–1300. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_71_19Farooqui IA, Pore P, Gothankar J.Nomophobia: an emerging issue in medical institutions?. J Ment Health. 2018;27(5):438-441. doi:10.1080/09638237.2017.1417564Yildirim C, Correia AP.Exploring the dimensions of nomophobia: Development and validation of a self-reported questionnaire.Computers in Human Behavior. 2015;49:130-137. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2015.02.059Lepp A, Barkley JE, Karpinski AC.The relationship between cell phone use, academic performance, anxiety, and satisfaction with life in college students.Computers in Human Behavior. 2014;31:343-350. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2013.10.049Roberts JA, Yaya LH, Manolis C.The invisible addiction: cell-phone activities and addiction among male and female college students.J Behav Addict. 2014;3(4):254–265. doi:10.1556/JBA.3.2014.015NIDA for Teens.Teens and “nomophobia”: cell phone separation anxiety.Lee S, Kim M, Mendoza JS, McDonough IM.Addicted to cellphones: exploring the psychometric properties between the nomophobia questionnaire and obsessiveness in college students.Heliyon. 2018;4(11):e00895. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e00895King AL, Valença AM, Silva AC, Sancassiani F, Machado S, Nardi AE.“Nomophobia”: impact of cell phone use interfering with symptoms and emotions of individuals with panic disorder compared with a control group.Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health. 2014;10:28-35. doi:10.2174/1745017901410010028Bandelow B, Michaelis S, Wedekind D.Treatment of anxiety disorders.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2017;19(2):93–107.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Bhattacharya S, Bashar MA, Srivastava A, Singh A.NOMOPHOBIA: NO MObile PHone PhoBIA.J Family Med Prim Care. 2019;8(4):1297–1300. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_71_19Farooqui IA, Pore P, Gothankar J.Nomophobia: an emerging issue in medical institutions?. J Ment Health. 2018;27(5):438-441. doi:10.1080/09638237.2017.1417564Yildirim C, Correia AP.Exploring the dimensions of nomophobia: Development and validation of a self-reported questionnaire.Computers in Human Behavior. 2015;49:130-137. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2015.02.059Lepp A, Barkley JE, Karpinski AC.The relationship between cell phone use, academic performance, anxiety, and satisfaction with life in college students.Computers in Human Behavior. 2014;31:343-350. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2013.10.049Roberts JA, Yaya LH, Manolis C.The invisible addiction: cell-phone activities and addiction among male and female college students.J Behav Addict. 2014;3(4):254–265. doi:10.1556/JBA.3.2014.015NIDA for Teens.Teens and “nomophobia”: cell phone separation anxiety.Lee S, Kim M, Mendoza JS, McDonough IM.Addicted to cellphones: exploring the psychometric properties between the nomophobia questionnaire and obsessiveness in college students.Heliyon. 2018;4(11):e00895. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e00895King AL, Valença AM, Silva AC, Sancassiani F, Machado S, Nardi AE.“Nomophobia”: impact of cell phone use interfering with symptoms and emotions of individuals with panic disorder compared with a control group.Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health. 2014;10:28-35. doi:10.2174/1745017901410010028Bandelow B, Michaelis S, Wedekind D.Treatment of anxiety disorders.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2017;19(2):93–107.

Bhattacharya S, Bashar MA, Srivastava A, Singh A.NOMOPHOBIA: NO MObile PHone PhoBIA.J Family Med Prim Care. 2019;8(4):1297–1300. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_71_19

Farooqui IA, Pore P, Gothankar J.Nomophobia: an emerging issue in medical institutions?. J Ment Health. 2018;27(5):438-441. doi:10.1080/09638237.2017.1417564

Yildirim C, Correia AP.Exploring the dimensions of nomophobia: Development and validation of a self-reported questionnaire.Computers in Human Behavior. 2015;49:130-137. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2015.02.059

Lepp A, Barkley JE, Karpinski AC.The relationship between cell phone use, academic performance, anxiety, and satisfaction with life in college students.Computers in Human Behavior. 2014;31:343-350. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2013.10.049

Roberts JA, Yaya LH, Manolis C.The invisible addiction: cell-phone activities and addiction among male and female college students.J Behav Addict. 2014;3(4):254–265. doi:10.1556/JBA.3.2014.015

NIDA for Teens.Teens and “nomophobia”: cell phone separation anxiety.

Lee S, Kim M, Mendoza JS, McDonough IM.Addicted to cellphones: exploring the psychometric properties between the nomophobia questionnaire and obsessiveness in college students.Heliyon. 2018;4(11):e00895. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e00895

King AL, Valença AM, Silva AC, Sancassiani F, Machado S, Nardi AE.“Nomophobia”: impact of cell phone use interfering with symptoms and emotions of individuals with panic disorder compared with a control group.Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health. 2014;10:28-35. doi:10.2174/1745017901410010028

Bandelow B, Michaelis S, Wedekind D.Treatment of anxiety disorders.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2017;19(2):93–107.

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