It is the weekend. It can be a time to relax. It may be a time to run errands taking kids to and fro parties. My six year old son has a more active social life than I do. This is the third weekend in a row where he has one or more parties to attend. Regardless of the time to relax or bask in the glory of my child’s social life, I still have that cell phone attached to me. It may be deep in my handbag but it is in there. As he plays around at the parties, I am reading some article on phone. I tell myself I am keeping up with world events. But is hanging on to that cell phone too much of a good thing?
In this day in age, there is now a new phobia. There is nomophobia which is the fear of being out of mobile phone contact. You have seen it all around you. The second someone thinks they have misplaced their cell phone they stop everything and panic while they turn a room upside down trying to find their cell phone. For many, being without their cell phone is like being without a key part of themselves. I have seen Facebook updates wherein individuals let everyone know that they left their cell phone home that day. Literally, being without a cell phone is a “stop the presses” moment. A few years back, researchers out of England coined this term based on their finding that that nearly 53% of mobile phone users in Britain tend to be anxious when they “lose their mobile phone, run out of battery or credit, or have no network coverage.” Yup, we have all seen that moment of anxiety at work, at home, at the supermarket and even at parties. Of course, probably even more at parties. How else could you update your facebook status or tweet about how much fun you are having at the party. Sadly, the second you realize that you cannot let the world know how much fun you are having you stop having fun. Nomophobia takes you away from that broadcast moment where you can shout to the world. I believe that is what is at the heart of this fear.
We have become so super attuned to staying connected to people without really having to talk to them that we are unable to process the moment we live in fully. Yes, mobile phones have led to a situation where we have too much of a technology good thing that has replaced our in the moment human interaction events.
What are you doing this weekend? Will you relax and read a book? Watch a movie? In the movie theatre there will inevitably be those that while they sit there grabbing popcorn with one hand, their other hand will be tightly holding on their cell phone (or two). While reading a book on the porch or on the couch, the cell phone will be resting right there next to one’s leg as if it were a pet. While trying on that pair of sexy high heels, we will bend down, take a snapshot and let our social networks know we are about to treat ourselves. The treat itself at that point becoming somewhat irrelevant. As a society we might just all be nomophobes. Hell, I am uploading this post via my cell phone. Yes, Alanis isn’t that ironic?
Categories: current events, Health, Humor, Psychology, social media, work
psychologistmimi 
I’m glad you decided to write about this because I’ve faced this issue with others who couldn’t put their phone down even when they were hanging out with actual people.
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thanks. Oh yes. You see this at restaurants all the time. A group of people eating together looking down at the phone their laps.
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I’m heading off to the gym today and will most likely do a little shopping with my husband. The phone will be joining us, but will be placed in the front pocket of my hand bag. I’m not one to post pics to social media, but I’ll probably use it to look up something or other while we’re out. Enjoy your Saturday! 🙂
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haha yes. I take my phone with me to the treadmill all the time. Guilty as charged by myself 🙂
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Well, I don’t have a life that is “facebook” worthy, and I find it a time-suck anyway, but as my phone is the main way I keep in touch with my REAL friends – I do get freaked out when I think I have lost it, or going out for more than a few hours. When I have been really busy at times, I turn my ringer off, place if out of sight, and literally forget it until I have to go to bed. I know, I know, scandalous!
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I hear ya. I too have my phone with me everywhere. I too at around 7pm put my phone in the kitchen and leave it there till I go upstairs to sleep. lol.
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I bought my mobile phone to keep my kids happy, but even they have got used to the fact that if I don’t answer it, it doesn’t mean I’m dead. As for ‘posting’ on it – what? But then, I’m old…
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lol. Its good they know to not be freaked out by your lack of response. yip. wordpress has a phone application allowing one to post from the phone. I did it during superstorm sandy 🙂
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Guilty! It feels like you wrote this post about me… I’m not crazy about posting everything on social media but I definitely feel “unsafe” without my phone. And somehow it feels like I’m no longer in touch with the world if I do not know the latest news and updates the second they were released. How sad is this…? 😦
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Its not that sad. I feel ya. I have my phone set to receive breaking news alerts from three websites. Got to be in the know… 🙂
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Now I know this beast has a name. Most of the people I know and care about have not yet been caught in its clutches. Unfortunately, I fear that my sister has. At least that’s the excuse I’m willing to let her use (even though SHE doesn’t know she needs it) to cover the fact that she would rather spend time with and accept advice from lowlifes she meets on the internet than the family who has loved her in spite of that.
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Younger sister? Thats often the case, sadly. Hopefully she will come around.
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So very true! I was one of the last to actually get a smartphone, but now even I keep it within reach at all times. It is mostly for work contact vs social, but it’s hard to argue the difference.
I had an idea about opening a bar or restaurant that would prevent internet use and force people to talk to each other, but quickly came to the conclusion that no one would come. LOL!
-ValS
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Oh i like your bar idea ..it can be a new version of a “speakeasy” lol
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It’s sad that people think they can gain more connection, interaction and satisfaction from a device, than real life interactions that involve DISCONNECTING! being 22 I see it all the time. I also see a lot of parents of the kids I babysit shoving a screen in their face as entertainment. scary!
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