2023-06-08 20:00:00
Technological development, the era of social networks and online games caused that many people become addicted to mobile devices. Did it ever happen to you to feel like you were missing something if you didn’t have your cell phone on you?
He term nomophobia (non-mobile-phone-phobia) was created in 2019 in the United Kingdom to describe this irrational fear or anxiety of not having it or not being able to use it.
Of course, small screens have become an extension of our hands and their absence is notorious in these times. However, having a phobia is an extreme that can happen to different people and, in particular, to children and adolescents.
According to a 2019 study published in the journal addictions There are four causes of nomophobia:
– The inability to communicate with others
– Loss of internet connection
– The inability to access the information that is needed
– The renunciation of the comfort that the device generates for daily use.
In this note from RED/ACCIÓN Antonio Manuel Rodríguez García explains that a clear example of a person suffering from nomophobia is when they begin to “get overwhelmed, feel afraid or paralyzed” when they forget their phone when going out, causing the feeling of not being able to communicate with others or the uncertainty of knowing if someone is trying to communicate with him or her.
To differentiate nomophobia from cell phone dependency, it is necessary to understand that the first option speaks of an extreme fear that affects a person’s daily life physically and mentally, for example, increases the risk of low self-esteem, anxiety, stress, depression. and poor performance at work or study.
In addition, eating behavior can be altered, increase social isolation and reduce rest time. The World Health Organization (WHO) has not yet recognized nomophobia as a category of mental disorder, despite the fact that the use of mobile devices has increased exponentially since the pandemic and has affected the mental health of users.
According to Statista, China, India and the United States are the countries with the highest use of smartphones in the world. According to the same statistics center, people spend more than three hours a day on cell phones. In a month the number is equivalent to 84 hours and 1095 hours in a year, that is, an equivalent to 46 days of the year using the cell phone.
Likewise, in the graph it can be seen that the category “games” and “social networks” are the most consumed on a daily basis.
What are the warning signs of nomophobia?
– Constantly checking the cell phone for no reason
– Feeling anxious if you don’t have the phone on you
– Avoid social interaction to spend time with the mobile
– Waking up in the middle of the night to check the cell phone
– Deterioration of academic or work performance
If you suffer from one of these symptoms and/or feel that cell phone use is affecting your life, it is important to see a mental health specialist to obtain a professional diagnosis.
How to improve cell phone dependency?
– Recognizing cell phone addiction is the first step
– Try to go out without the cell phone for short trips to gradually get used to its absence
– Set alarms to restrict its use
– Silence app notifications
This content was originally published on RED/ACCIÓN and is republished as part of the ‘Human Journalism’ program, an alliance for quality journalism between RÍO NEGRO and RED/ACCIÓN.
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