Nomophobia

Nomophobia is "no mobile phone" phobia, the fear of being without one’s phone. It includes “the fear of not being able to communicate, losing connectivity, not being able to access information and giving up on the convenience of instant communication via modern smartphone technology.

A 2019 Indian study of nomophobia described it as a type of “over-connection syndrome” because excessive mobile phone use reduces face-to-face interactions.

A 2020 survey of 2838 Australians found 43 per cent spent more than three hours a day on their phones and that 99 per cent of smartphone users exhibited some degree of nomophobia. While 37 per cent had only mild symptoms, nearly half experienced the phobia in the moderate range and 13 per cent had a severe case. For more than one in 10, the phobia is so severe it leads to dependent, compulsive or even dangerous use, for example when in cinemas, or while driving, cycling or walking.