Cell phone addiction is a real-time phenomenon. Research has shown some people experience serious psychological effects when separated from their phones. The popularity of smartphones among college students is because of its numerous features and functionalities they provide. Smartphones make it possible to perform a variety of daily tasks in one device, including, but not limited to, calling and texting people, checking and sending email messages, scheduling appointments, surfing the internet, shopping, social networking, searching for information on the internet, gaming, entertainment, etc.
They state that smartphones enable people “fulfill needs such as capability, safety, and human relationships” which is attributed to the mobility of smartphones. While the mobility of smartphones provides apparent benefits and help people satisfy their basic needs, it may induce some problems associated with smartphone use. Studies have shown that smartphones may cause compulsive checking habits, that smartphones may lead to compulsive usage and increased distress and that smartphones can be addictive.
Another problem exacerbated by smartphones is nomophobia. Nomophobia or no mobile phone phobia is “the fear of being out of mobile phone contact” or in other words, nomophobia is the irrational fear of being without mobile phone or being unable to use your phone for some reasons. This term describes a growing fear in today’s world. And among high school and college students its on a rise. 53% of mobile phone users be anxious when they lose their mobile phone ,run out of battery, have no network coverage. In one of the very first research studies, nomophobia is considered to be 21st century disorder resulting from new technologies.
Research shows that nomophobia is on the rise across the globe and more and more people fear being without or losing their mobile phones. Although there has been an increasing interest in investigating the problems arising from smartphone use, research into nomophobia has been scarce.
References
- Cell Phone Addiction
- Nomophobia and Smartphone Addiction among College Students in the USA: Investigating Moderators in a Large-Scale National Sample
- A Systematic Review on Smartphone Addiction Amongst Students in Asia
- The Relationship Between Self-Control, Smartphone Addiction, and Nomophobia Among University Students in China: A Longitudinal Analysis
