Dianova publishes a series of articles on non-substance related addictions – today’s article is about “nomophobia”
Nomophobia is the term used by researchers to describe the anxious feeling you get when you misplace your cellphone or when your phone battery dies. The term, an abbreviation for “no-mobile-phone phobia”, was coined during a 2010 study by the UK Post Office who commissioned YouGov, a UK-based market research organization, to look at anxieties suffered by mobile phone users.
Forgetting your mobile phone at home is the promise of a confusing and disorganized day. However, the discomfort you may feel when it happens is now becoming a scientifically recognized “disorder”, which describes some kind a cell phone addiction or mobile phone overuse.
Social psychologists at Iowa State University have put together a 20-item questionnaire designed to measure an individual’s self-reported level of nomophobia, a survey they hope will be used in further research on the subject.
Indicators
- I would feel uncomfortable without constant access to information through my smartphone.
- I would be annoyed if I could not look information up on my smartphone when I wanted to do so.
- Being unable to get the news (e.g., happenings, weather, etc.) on my smartphone would make me nervous.
- I would be annoyed if I could not use my smartphone and/or its capabilities when I wanted to do so.
- Running out of battery in my smartphone would scare me.
- If I were to run out of credits or hit my monthly data limit, I would panic.
- If I did not have a data signal or could not connect to Wi-Fi, then I would constantly check to see if I had a signal or could find a Wi-Fi network.
- If I could not use my smartphone, I would be afraid of getting stranded somewhere.
- If I could not check my smartphone for a while, I would feel a desire to check it.
If I did not have my smartphone with me
- I would feel anxious because I could not instantly communicate with my family and/or friends.
- I would be worried because my family and/or friends could not reach me.
- I would feel nervous because I would not be able to receive text messages and calls.
- I would be anxious because I could not keep in touch with my family and/or friends.
- I would be nervous because I could not know if someone had tried to get a hold of me.
- I would feel anxious because my constant connection to my family and friends would be broken.
- I would be nervous because I would be disconnected from my online identity.
- I would be uncomfortable because I could not stay up-to-date with social media and online networks.
- I would feel awkward because I could not check my notifications for updates from my connections and online networks.
- I would feel anxious because I could not check my email messages.
- I would feel weird because I would not know what to do
Related articles
Internet Addiction: Fact of Fad?
When Sex on the Internet Becomes an Addiction
