How to identify if you suffer from Nomophobia, cell phone addiction?

What would a day be like without a cell phone? Without a WhatsApp, a call or a post on social networks. Have you thought about? Surely at some point yes, but have you done it?

In the midst of this pandemic, in which electronic devices are a tool for work and maintenance of social, family and love life, it is very difficult to let go. In fact, dependency is more noticeable because there is a fear of being without a cell phone or of disconnecting from any mobile device with internet. Most people hide their addiction by justifying that they fear feeling alone, isolated, while others say it is because of work needs.

This addiction, called Nomophobia, has increased because in addition to the high penetration of the internet in recent years, applications and social networks aim to build loyalty and retain the user through different strategies that create habits that end in dependency. An example that even involves young people and children at home is the time they spend doing trendy dances and challenges to show on Tik Tok.

How to identify that you have cell phone dependence?

  1. If you are constantly alert and give high priority to any notificationwhich can range from a WhatsApp message to a like on social networks.
  2. If you lie in bed with the intention of sleeping, but end up immersed in your cell phone checking social networks, a video or playing games, until sleep goes away.
  3. If you think twice about going somewhere that does not have signal or internet coverage to constantly communicate with your contacts or check social networks.
  4. If your mood depends on your cell phone batteryThat is, if it is at 100% you are happy, if it is at 40% – 30% you start to feel anxious and if you reach 5% or 2% you panic because you don’t have a way to charge it.
See also  Ten tips that work if you are an extremely sensitive person

According to a survey carried out by the Telecommunications Industry Association (Asomóvil), this is the cell phone use of Colombians:

Who is more likely to suffer from it?

Although at any age it can become an addiction, children and young people, who were born connected and surrounded by screens, are the most likely to be affected by this irrational fear of disconnecting from the world, because in the middle of the time they have to be in front of the cell phones are vulnerable, due to their innocence, in the face of some dangerous situations that lurk on the Internet.

Tips to reduce nomophobia

  1. Put your cell phone away when you meet with family and friends. You can also do it for a while if you are alone.
  2. Turn it on or check it a little later each day.
  3. Forget the charger from time to time.
  4. Silence notifications.
  5. Avoid taking it to the bathroom.

Discover here other tips to reduce it: