No mobile phone phobia on the rise
Modern Healthcare
We’ve all done it.
Minutes after leaving the house (remember those days?), panic sets in. We pat down our pockets, empty our bags, search every inch of the car.
Nomophobia fear of being without a mobile phone is a real problem, and is having serious consequences, at least in Australia.
A new study from Monash University published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that 99% of users have some fear of being without their phone. For 13% of the population, their level of nomophobia is severe and 43% of people in the study spend nearly three hours a day on their phone.
ABC Newcastle: (02) 4922 1200
ABC Newcastle Newsroom: (02) 4922 1250
General ABC enquiries: 13 9994 ABC Newcastle Newsletter
Your information is handled in accordance with the ABC Privacy Collection Statement.
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.
Nearly All Australians Have ‘Nomophobia’
An Australia-first study has found that 99.2 percent of Aussies have “nomophobia” or the fear of being without their phone.
Researchers from BehaviourWorks Australia found in their study that as reliance on the device for everyday activities increases, a new phenomenon is emerging: nomophobia, or no mobile phone phobia.
Lead researcher of the study, Ph.D. candidate Fareed Kaviani, said on Jan. 3 that while fear of being without one’s mobile phone was rational given we now rely on them for staying in contact with friends and family, COVIDSafe QR codes, or to pay for shopping and gain access information, they should be used with caution.
Smartphone has been one of the most important technological advancements in recent times. The computer in your pocket can perform a wide variety of jobs. Hence, it has become an important accessory in our daily lives. But can you stay without your smartphone? While many will say they can easily live without it, in reality, that is next to impossible.
According to a recent survey, most people from millennials to Generation Z and Generation alpha cannot stay without a mobile device. Known as nomophobia, the so-called disorder plagues society. In Australia, as per the survey, 99 percent of people suffer from the disorder.
Nomophobia? Photo Jorge Barahona – Pixabay.
A Monash University study shows that Australians are addicted to their mobile phones and their inability to disconnect could be endangering their health.
The Australia-first study, measuring nomophobia (no mobile phone phobia) and its consequences, shows 99.2 per cent of users have some fear of being without their phone.
And for 13.2 per centre of the population, their level of nomophobia is severe – leading to an increased risk of dependence and dangerous use.
The study,
Nomophobia: Is the Fear of Being without a Smartphone Associated with Problematic Use, was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.