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Nomophobia: How Fear of Being Without Your Phone Harms Health (& What to Do About It)

The AHA! Team — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 05:10:19 +0000

Kissairis Munoz via Dr. Axe – In today’s hyper-connected world, many people experience anxiety when they are without their smartphones. This condition, known as nomophobia, has become increasingly common. What exactly is nomophobia, and how can you recognize and address it? Does the “ding” of your phone have you dropping whatever you’re doing to see who “liked” your latest Facebook status? Are you answering work emails before rubbing the sleep from your eyes? Does a low battery icon leave you quivering in fear? You, my friend, are likely suffering from nomophobia. Thankfully, there are ways to treat this condition to help address your smartphone addiction. What Is Nomophobia? Nomophobia, short for “no-mobile-phone phobia,” is the fear of being without a mobile phone or being unable to use it. The term originated from a 2008 study commissioned by the U.K. Post Office to examine the anxieties mobile phone users experience. The study found that nearly 53 percent of mobile phone users in the U.K. tend to feel anxious when they “lose their mobile phone, run out of battery or credit, or have no network coverage.” More simply put, nomophobia is having a smartphone addiction, and it’s a “first world problem” that’s showing no signs of slowing down, regardless of age. While it might sound silly — can you really be addicted to a handheld device? — the implications are real. About half of U.S. adults are checking their phones at least several times an hour, with 11 percent tapping their screens awake every few minutes. No space is safe from the rush of a new tweet, either. Almost one in 10 Americans has admitted to using her phone during sex, and among young adults ages 18 to 34, the number is even higher: One in five has engaged with his smartphone when being intimate. Is it a surprise, then, that 12 percent think that smartphones are detrimental to relationships? When you combine nomophobia with cars, things get even scarier. Among American adult drivers, more than 27 percent have sent or read texts while driving. Among young adults, that number shoots up to 34 percent. What’s the harm in interacting with your phone at a red light or when traffic is heavy? Consider the fact that text messaging while driving makes a crash 23 times more likely. Yikes. Symptoms While there is no set criteria to diagnose this condition, experts believe nomophobia is a smartphone addiction and/or dependence. Recognizing the signs of nomophobia is the first step toward addressing it. Common symptoms include: Panic or anxiety when separated from your phone Checking your phone repeatedly without receiving notifications Doomscrolling Avoiding places or situations where phone use is restricted Feeling uneasy when your phone is out of sight Excessive time spent on your phone, impacting daily life Respiratory alterations Trembling Perspiration Agitation Disorientation Tachycardia Inability to turn off your smartphone Taking the phone everywhere Fear of being without phone access (no internet connection or cell signal) Fear of not being able to use phone in case of emergency Stressing about neglecting your online persona Socially isolating and skipping activities to spend more time on your smartphone Increased heart rate According to research, some signs that someone may have nomophobia can include the fear of: Feeling disconnected Not have immediate access to information Giving up the convenience of your mobile device Not being able to contact and communicate with others Causes Several factors contribute to the development of nomophobia: Social connectivity: Fear of missing out (FOMO) on social interactions and updates. Dependence on technology: Increasing reliance on smartphones for various daily tasks. Instant gratification: The immediate access to information and entertainment that phones provide. Psychological factors: Underlying anxiety disorders or personality traits. Other possible causes that research has unearthed include: obsessive thoughts and compulsive smartphone behaviors extremely large number of hours using a smartphone each day social discomfort and feelings of inferiority Damage Nomophobia Does Even for those of us who don’t text and drive, nomophobia has serious consequences. It can have several adverse effects on an individual’s well-being, such as: Mental health: Increased anxiety, depression, stress and feelings of loneliness. Physical health: Poor posture, eye strain and sleep disturbances due to excessive phone use. Social interactions: Reduced face-to-face communication and weakened relationships. Productivity: Decreased focus and productivity at work or school due to constant phone checking. Furthermore, research on nomophobia in adolescents and young adults published in 2021 in Frontier in Psychiatry concluded that “excessive smartphone use is associated with psychiatric, cognitive, emotional, medical and brain changes that should be considered by health and education professionals.” The authors revealed that “excessive smartphone use is associated with difficulties in cognitive-emotion regulation, impulsivity, impaired cognitive function, addiction to social networking, shyness and low self-esteem. Medical problems include sleep problems, reduced physical fitness, unhealthy eating habits, pain and migraines, reduced cognitive control and changes in the brain’s gray matter volume.” Here’s more on the negative effects of smartphone addiction: 1. You’re wasting time While many of us are convinced that multitasking allows us to get more done, multitasking doesn’t really work. Not only are our brains unequipped to handle two dissimilar tasks at once, but trying to accomplish several things at once ends up wasting more time than saving any. Think about it: How well do you retain information when someone’s talking to you as you’re scrolling through emails or watching the latest cat video your friend posted? Even if your body is in a room, it’s easy to miss important information when your brain is somewhere else completely. Plus, let’s face it: No one likes talking to someone who’s “listening” with her face buried in a screen. 2. You’re more anxious Not having your phone around can increase anxiety. One British study found that 51 percent of participants suffer “extreme tech anxiety” when separated from their smartphones. Some of that stems from feeling that, if we’re apart from our phones, we won’t be included when friends make plans or won’t know what the latest Facebook meme is. Even our bodies are starting to recognize when our phones aren’t around. A University of Missouri study discovered that iPhone users who parted with their devices during situations that require a significant amount of attention, like taking a test or completing a work assignment, could result in poorer performance. That’s because, when participants were separated from their phones and then asked to complete simple word search puzzles, their heart rates and blood pressure increased — as did their feelings of anxiety and unpleasantness. 3. You’re not sleeping as well “Check email one last time, make sure no friends posted anything interesting, one last glance of Instagram … oh wait, a new work email came in. Darn it, that afternoon meeting got pushed up. Did I prep enough for it? Should I review things one more time? Wait, it’s late already. I guess I’ll just think about it for the next half-hour while I toss and turn trying to fall asleep.” Sound familiar? Being inundated with stimulating information right before bed often means you can’t sleep well, particularly when we’re presented with situations beyond our control. And most of us are sleeping with our phones. In almost every age group, at least 40 percent of Americans sleep with their phones within reach. For those 25 to 29 years old, the number’s even higher: Almost 80 percent are snuggling up to their devices. The danger isn’t only that each beep overnight has the potential to wake us up. Smartphones also emit a blue light, signaling to the brain that it’s time to wake up. Blue lights suppress melatonin, the hormone that dictates our sleep rhythms. Yes, the struggle to sleep with your phone is real. 4. Your children are picking up your naughty habits “Do as I say, not as I do” is all too real when it comes to smartphone time. Even as parents ask children and teens to lay off Snapchat or put their phones down during dinner, they’re checking calendars, answering texts or indulging in one last game of Candy Crush. It stands to reason then that in almost every study of smartphone use, young adults have the highest usage rates. Children are learning that always being connected is normal — and missing out on the importance of human-to-human interaction. Are You Addicted to Your Smartphone? If any of these apply to you, all signs point to a smartphone addiction: You reach for your smartphone upon waking up and right before bed. It’s not uncommon for you to catch up on emails or the latest in the news while you’re eating. When your phone is out of reach, low on battery or (gasp) completely turned off, you feel anxious or stressed out. Being out of cell phone signal makes you feel like you might be missing something. You live for that next Instagrammable moment. Pavlov’s dogs have nothing on you: When you hear that familiar text sound, you perk up. You’ve checked your phone at least once while reading this article! Treatment Addressing nomophobia involves a combination of strategies: Digital detox: Gradually reducing the amount of time spent on your phone. Setting boundaries: Establishing phone-free zones or times, such as during meals or before bed. Mindfulness practices: Engaging in activities that promote relaxation and reduce anxiety, such as meditation or yoga. Professional help: Seeking therapy or counseling to address underlying anxiety or dependence issues. Behavioral therapies such as cognitive behavior therapy, exposure therapy, systematic desensitization, aversion therapy and hypnotherapy are often used to help treat phobias. Medications: Certain medications can help in severe cases. Support groups: Realizing you aren’t alone and talking with others can help. Self-care: Do things to improve your mental and physical well-being, such as progressive muscle relaxation, breathing exercises, calming activities, ecotherapy and getting outdoors, etc. In addition, follow these steps to enjoy a life that’s complemented, not ruled, by your smartphone: 1. Turn off your cell phone at least an hour before bed Give your brain a chance to unwind and commit to turning off your phone an hour before bedtime. That means off, not just on silent. Those vibrations and blinking lights are still harmful, as is knowing that you’re just one reach away from seeing the latest. Remember, nomophobia never sleeps, and neither will you. No wonder so many of us are always tired, huh? If you have a legitimate reason for keeping your phone on — your daughter is out with friends or your parents are elderly and you don’t have a landline — turn your phone on “do not disturb,” and place your phone on the other side of the room. In this mode, your phone will silence all notifications but allow you to enable exceptions, such as a phone call from a specific number. Remember: Seeing how many “likes” your last Instagram post received is not a legitimate reason. “But I use my phone as my alarm clock,” you say. “I need it nearby!” To that I respond … 2. Stop shacking up with your phone Get a real alarm clock. (Yes, you can still find these Stone Age relics.) Not only will this allow you to turn off your phone completely overnight (again, unless you need to stay on alert for a family member and don’t have a landline), but instead of waking up with the temptation to see what you missed overnight, you can spend the first moments of the morning stretching, thinking about what’s on schedule for the day or basically doing anything other than checking your phone. For extra credit, I challenge you not to turn your phone on again until your morning routine is finished: You’ve exercised, showered, dressed, eaten breakfast, maybe even read the paper (remember that pastime!) and pushed the kids out the door. 3. Set certain times to check your phone Do you really need to look at every single email the second it’s received? Save your sanity and simultaneously help your productivity by designating certain times to glance at...

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The Anti-Anxiety Toolkit

AHA Publisher — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 07:00:20 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #386) and blog, I talk about what anxiety is and ways to manage it and prevent it from taking over your day-to-day life. There is a lot to be anxious and worried about these days. From the uncertainty of a global pandemic, to turbulent elections, worldwide protests, acts of violence and political infighting, it does at times seem like we are living through the Apocalypse! It is easy to feel overwhelmed, stressed out and fearful; indeed, these are normal human reactions to adverse events. However, the good news is that we don’t have to be controlled by these feelings. We can’t always control the circumstances of life, but we can learn to edit what has happened to us — we have the power to determine how these emotions impact us. In fact, everyone experiences a level of anxiety from time to time; this is completely normal. Often, there are times in our life where “stuff” accumulates, and it is okay to be anxious when this happens. However, if left unmanaged, this “stuff” can progress to a point where we feel so overwhelmed with anxiety that our ability to go about daily life is obstructed, especially if it results in debilitating anxiety or panic attacks. The key word here is “managed”. How we manage anxiety is, in large part, based on how we view anxiety. Managing anxiety means reframing those anxious thoughts when they arise. If we just see anxiety as a “disease” or “biochemical medical illness”, it can be pretty scary! It can even make us feel hopeless. The label alone can lock us in, potentially shaping the way we see ourselves and our capacity, or stigmatizing our biology—some people may view themselves as inherently lacking control and potentially unstable or even dangerous to themselves and others. But there is another way to reframe anxiety to mitigate and manage it, one that I believe is more hopeful, kinder and less stigmatizing. Anxiety can be seen as a warning signal—a helpful messenger. It is telling us there is something going on in our lives that needs attention; something is threatening our peace and survival. This framing points to the narrative that is related to our anxiety, or what has happened to make us feel this way, rather than just focusing on a biological root as the cause of our anxiety. Yes, this may sound great, but what happens when you are suddenly faced with some really bad news or you read something on social media that starts making you panic? In these moments, I have found that it is useful to have a worry-reducing toolbox with simple, everyday things you can do to help you control your fears and anxiety. Having these practical techniques at hand can really help you in the moment, especially when you can’t think clearly or don’t know what to do with yourself: 1. See your anxiety as a learning experience. When you’re experiencing intense, anxious feelings, it can be hard to feel in control and work through these emotions. One thing I always recommend (it’s not easy but so effective and gets better with practice!) is to ask yourself: “what can I learn from this?” or “What is this situation telling me about myself?” Simple questions like these can make the biggest difference when it comes to your mental health and resilience. This technique works really well if you use it along with another technique I call the multiple perspective advantage (MPA), where you objectively stand back and observe your own thinking as you ask, answer and discuss these two questions. This creates a strong, integrated energy flow throughout the brain that literally helps you see multiple ways of viewing a situation. 2. Distract yourself, temporarily! Yes, temporary distractions can be a good thing. They can give you the space you need to let your emotions calm down, which is especially necessary when you feel overwhelmed with fear and anxiety. In fact, it takes about 60-90 seconds for intense emotions to die down, so a distraction (like going for a run, doing yoga or reading a good novel) when you are feeling very anxious can be a good thing. But be careful! Distractions can become an issue when you find yourself turning to them a lot and using them to suppress what you feel and avoid dealing with the issue that drove you to the distraction. So, take a good look at the diversions in your life and ask yourself, “How am I using these distractions? Am I trying to avoid an issue? How can I better use distractions in my life?”. Commit to dealing with the issue once you are in a better mental space. 3. Don’t go to bed anxious. If you often feel very anxious at night, try writing down your thoughts and feelings before going to sleep. You don’t have to analyze or “fix” them—just get them down on paper! The simple act of writing things down often brings balance back in the brain and helps produce feel good chemicals like serotonin. Writing also makes things seem a little less scary and overwhelming. Indeed, one of the best things about writing is that it weakens the impact and hold that anxious thought have over you, in both your mind and brain! Some statements that can help you release this anxiety at night are: I did my best today and that is good enough. My level of productivity or checklist does not determine my self-worth. Tomorrow is another day for me to use my skills and talents to help others. Today I learned … and I am grateful for …. I am proud of myself for doing … today. My thoughts and feelings are temporary and will pass. 4. Have a game plan when you start getting WORRIED about the future. Worrying about the future tricks us into believing we can control the future. Worry is an understandable attempt to reduce uncertainty, but it can often cause more problems. For a healthier approach to uncertainty, step out of destructive worry and into constructive worry by doing the following: Identify which uncertainty is causing you the most fear. Create a game plan for the best and worse outcomes. Set a 5-minute timer to allow yourself to worry about something, so you don’t suppress it. Talk to someone you trust, such as a loved one or therapist. Remember, there is no shame in asking for help! 5. Surround yourself with people who help, not hurt, your mental wellbeing. Who you hang out with can hinder or help your emotional wellbeing. Remind yourself that it’s okay to surround yourself with people who are good for your mental health. Take note of how certain people make you feel, and take note of the people you are around when you are your happiest and truest self—these are the people who you need to be around more, especially when you feel very anxious or fearful! Remember, it’s not only okay to put up boundaries, it’s essential. It’s okay to say no to certain engagements. It’s okay to end a relationship that makes you anxious or upset all the time. It’s okay to move on. It’s okay to say no. It’s okay to take breaks from certain people. It’s okay to make yourself a priority! 6. Respond, don’t react. Learn to respond, not just react, to your anxious thoughts and feelings. What’s the difference between responding and reacting? Responding means pausing between the stimulus and the action. It enables you to use that pause to evaluate what a beneficial or harmful response will look like. Reacting, on the other hand, is impulsive. Just reacting to what you are thinking or feeling in the moment gives more energy to the anxious structures and neurons in the brain. A great way to make responding, not reacting, a habit is to stop and breathe for 60-90 seconds before responding to something (especially an anxious thought!), which will give your emotions time to calm down so you can self-regulate your thinking and ask yourself what your thoughts and feelings are trying to tell you. If you make this a conscious and deliberate practice, it will become easier over time, improving relationships and mental health! 7. Shift your attention. Although it is important that you acknowledge your anxiety, don’t dwell on it. For every anxious thought you have, try to think about three positive things. These positive thoughts should not be something vague like “just be happy.” They should include specific things that make you joyful, like things you are grateful for in your life, what you appreciate, what makes you laugh, and what makes you feel content. What is great about this 3:1 ratio is that you don’t have to suppress your worry or try to have an unrealistic, “happy-all-the-time” life. You don’t have to feel guilt or shame when you think anxious thoughts. Indeed, you need to allow room for negative thoughts in your life, as they can help you prepare for worst-case scenarios, deal with the past and keep you grounded. However, these negative thoughts need to be balanced with the good, so that they don’t become the dominant structure in your brain. Remember: what you think about the most will grow! These are just a few great tips you can use in the moment to help you control and deal with your anxiety. You can write them down, set them as a reminder on your phone, post them around the house or on your fridge, or create a “worry box” that you can pull out when you are feeling very anxious or fearful. Most importantly, remember that your worry or anxiety does not define you. We demonstrated in our most recent clinical trial that you can become empowered to feel in control of your mind, which can increase your feelings of control over your anxiety by up to 81%. See worry and anxiety as signals telling you something is going on around you or in your life that needs attention, not as something to fear or suppress. These techniques can help you get to a place where you can address the roots of your fear and anxiety, so that it no longer has power over you or your thinking! To read the original article click here.

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