Nomophobia. Do you have it?

[scheherazade]

There's actually a name for the condition. It's called 'Nomophobia', first coined in 2008. Even in my little city it is astounding to observe the number of people who are walking down the street with their eyes glued to their mobile phone.

A new study conducted by OnePoll found that 66 per cent of people suffer from a crippling fear of being away from their mobile phone, a condition known as nomophobia.

They walk blindly across the streets, ignoring intersections and lights and they cause me great unease when I am driving on winter roads as it can be impossible to stop on ice, no matter how slow you are driving nor how good your tires and reaction time. :bugeye:

This item on CBC News.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2012/02/do-you-fear-being-without-your-cellphone.html

 

[KilljoyKlown]

There's actually a name for the condition. It's called 'Nomophobia', first coined in 2008. Even in my little city it is astounding to observe the number of people who are walking down the street with their eyes glued to their mobile phone.

They walk blindly across the streets, ignoring intersections and lights and they cause me great unease when I am driving on winter roads as it can be impossible to stop on ice, no matter how slow you are driving nor how good your tires and reaction time. :bugeye:

This item on CBC News.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2012/02/do-you-fear-being-without-your-cellphone.html

I do feel kind of cut off without my phone, but then I make a commitment not to let it happen again. But ever sense I moved to Washington, I hardly use my phone. I just like knowing I can make contact if I need to. I also, like knowing anyone else that needs to contact me can at anytime.

Not sure I'd call my desire to have my phone close at all times a phobia though.

Is there a phobia about Internet connections? If so, I'd probably resemble that.

 

[cosmictraveler]

I turned mine off over 2 months ago and still don't have any urge to want to have it back on again. I've also stopped the cable service to my TV as well which I'm not missing anything that I need to see. It's all mind over matter, if you don't mind , it doesn't matter. I don't think I had that problem for I didn't have my cell on much unless I wanted to use it for some reason.

 

[KilljoyKlown]

I turned mine off over 2 months ago and still don't have any urge to want to have it back on again. I've also stopped the cable service to my TV as well which I'm not missing anything that I need to see. It's all mind over matter, if you don't mind , it doesn't matter. I don't think I had that problem for I didn't have my cell on much unless I wanted to use it for some reason.

I think it's hard for humans to avoid all the so called phobias that are now listed. Do you have a clue as to what some of yours might be? Maybe you are avoiding them now, but at some point we all do fall pray to some extent do we not.

 

[leopold]

There's actually a name for the condition. It's called 'Nomophobia', first coined in 2008. Even in my little city it is astounding to observe the number of people who are walking down the street with their eyes glued to their mobile phone.




They walk blindly across the streets, ignoring intersections and lights and they cause me great unease when I am driving on winter roads as it can be impossible to stop on ice, no matter how slow you are driving nor how good your tires and reaction time. :bugeye:

This item on CBC News.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2012/02/do-you-fear-being-without-your-cellphone.html

people texting are especially prone to this.
i've been guilty a number of times.
although alert i was only "half there".

 

[KilljoyKlown]

people texting are especially prone to this.
i've been guilty a number of times.
although alert i was only "half there".

I've been guilty of texting while driving. I haven't done it for a few years now and the Stats. on cell phone accidents are looking very bad, so I would never do it again. There is no excuse for getting behind the wheel if your only half there, although in my case it was a female driving my problems and not a phobia.

 

[scheherazade]

I do feel kind of cut off without my phone, but then I make a commitment not to let it happen again. But ever sense I moved to Washington, I hardly use my phone. I just like knowing I can make contact if I need to. I also, like knowing anyone else that needs to contact me can at anytime.

Not sure I'd call my desire to have my phone close at all times a phobia though.

Is there a phobia about Internet connections? If so, I'd probably resemble that.

I don't get the impression that the news piece was dissing cell phones, merely taking note that some people become exceedingly anxious if denied access to their phone, even for short intervals as in 1 1/2 hours at work between breaks, as an example.

Being available to contact by others is a valid point, yet people now feel that they can call or text you 24/7/365 about anything!

The internet and email fill that function now too and I notice that even our cleaners are constantly glancing at their blooming communications devices several times a night and I know that it's not work related, lol... Their boss uses the land line when he needs to make contact.

 

[scheherazade]

I turned mine off over 2 months ago and still don't have any urge to want to have it back on again. I've also stopped the cable service to my TV as well which I'm not missing anything that I need to see. It's all mind over matter, if you don't mind , it doesn't matter. I don't think I had that problem for I didn't have my cell on much unless I wanted to use it for some reason.

Perhaps some of us are from a more independent and self-entertaining generation, cosmic?

I watch very little TV, not even the news anymore since one can glance at the news feeds whenever one is online. My mother sometimes questions what she is paying for cable TV and has only a fairly basic package as she also has many other interests besides being connected and needing entertainment. It comes in handy, though, in the winter when the cold weather makes it very challenging for her to venture beyond the house and even getting the trash can to the curb is not something to look forward to.

My cell phone is used less than once monthly on average. The phone company has made a killing on me, $44.10 monthly for this little item alone, although it did come in handy a year ago when I had a flat tire on the way home and it was close to -40 with the windchill.

Tow truck on site within an hour, towed back to a tire shop and new tires all around (due to laws and lack of availability of similar tires) and home before 1:00 p.m.

 

[scheherazade]

people texting are especially prone to this.
i've been guilty a number of times.
although alert i was only "half there".

Thank you for drawing attention to the observation that people are not completely aware of their actions and surroundings when they are texting or using a cell phone.

The increase in accidents and the implementation of unenforceable laws pertaining to these uses speaks to the fact that distraction is dangerous, no matter what the form.

 

[scheherazade]

I've been guilty of texting while driving. I haven't done it for a few years now and the Stats. on cell phone accidents are looking very bad, so I would never do it again. There is no excuse for getting behind the wheel if your only half there, although in my case it was a female driving my problems and not a phobia.

I'm thinking that personal relationships are one of the biggest reasons that people are glued to their phones. I do recall that sense of anxiety one has when new in a relationship and just waiting and hoping he'll call!

Not that any of you fellows would ever admit to something like that, lol...

 

[wynn]

I'm thinking that personal relationships are one of the biggest reasons that people are glued to their phones.

Rather, it is the nature of relationships that keeps people glued to the phone - if a relationship is insecure, if the people are immature, they will be overly dependent on constantly staying in touch with others for validation, approval etc. In turn, such behavior just feeds relationship and personal paranoia, making things even worse, propelling itself.

The mobile phone is incidental in all this, and the name "nomophobia" misleading.



That, and many people don't wear wrist watches anymore, but check the time on their phones.

 

[wynn]

Being available to contact by others is a valid point, yet people now feel that they can call or text you 24/7/365 about anything!

In some companies, this is how they do business, though.

There is much debate whether this approach really increases productivity or not.

 

[cosmictraveler]

Do you have a clue as to what some of yours might be?

Phobias, no, concerns about what is going on in and around me, yes. There's a difference as to when your "imagining" things that are happening to you and when they really are but others might not believe you and ridicule you for your "imagination" about something.

I'm soon going to be cutting off my internet service which will be the most difficult thing to do for me because I've enjoyed the freedom of speech and the learning ability that I've been able to access. I will not be going online very much again for various reasons that I've decided are more for my well being than being able to say what I want. From time to time I just might go into a library and use their internet for a brief time but as for daily use, not any longer. This again isn't a phobia but a concern that I've had now ever since my home was broken into by someone and things moved around for some strange reason.

I'm moving away soon too, for I'm now concerned that I'm being watched intensely by someone or some group of people that makes me feel uncomfortable in my own home. So again I have no phobias but do have concerns about what's going on around me now a days and do not like it what so ever.

 

[cosmictraveler]

scheherazade

Perhaps some of us are from a more independent and self-entertaining generation, cosmic?

Perhaps some of us are concerned about others investigating what they are watching, reading and talking about too. Todays technology allows for many others to observe what you say, who you talk to and talk about which wasn't true just 30 years ago as much. I'd rather not be tracked like a plane on the radar to know what I'm doing or what I'm arranging to do. Now I'm going to unplug from things and see what happens instead of talking I'm going to become pro active about things going on around me much more.

 

[Stoniphi]

Sounds like a plan, Cosmic. I hope it works out well for you.

I have a pre - paid cell phone for emergency use. I leave it turned off and do not use it. I am certain that much of the cell phone angst has to do with security and a feeling of belonging, though I fear those feeling are an illusion.

Yesterday in traffic there was a man in the Lexus next to me who was texting, smoking a cigarette and drinking a coffee while piloting his sedan down the road in heavy traffic. He missed every light, went too slow or too fast and had a lot of trouble staying in his own lane.

A short time back a young lady playing with her phone ran the red light and nearly ran my dog and I down while we were in the cross walk.

Sad.

 

[elte]

Perhaps some of us are from a more independent and self-entertaining generation, cosmic?

I watch very little TV, not even the news anymore since one can glance at the news feeds whenever one is online. My mother sometimes questions what she is paying for cable TV and has only a fairly basic package as she also has many other interests besides being connected and needing entertainment. It comes in handy, though, in the winter when the cold weather makes it very challenging for her to venture beyond the house and even getting the trash can to the curb is not something to look forward to.

My cell phone is used less than once monthly on average. The phone company has made a killing on me, $44.10 monthly for this little item alone, although it did come in handy a year ago when I had a flat tire on the way home and it was close to -40 with the windchill.

Tow truck on site within an hour, towed back to a tire shop and new tires all around (due to laws and lack of availability of similar tires) and home before 1:00 p.m.

I just use the TV to get the weather when my computer is not in use. I find TV demands to much attention and I prefer more freedom and control over my attention.

My cell phone is on a prepay plan that costs about $7 per month. It is just mostly for emergencies, but I don't even want to have to carry it around. I never figured out how to answer it, even. I have been unable to think of who to call long distance to use up some minutes.

 

[RichW9090]

Cosmic, you are either having a go at us, or you need serious professional intervention.

Rich

 

[KilljoyKlown]

Phobias, no, concerns about what is going on in and around me, yes. There's a difference as to when your "imagining" things that are happening to you and when they really are but others might not believe you and ridicule you for your "imagination" about something.

I'm soon going to be cutting off my internet service which will be the most difficult thing to do for me because I've enjoyed the freedom of speech and the learning ability that I've been able to access. I will not be going online very much again for various reasons that I've decided are more for my well being than being able to say what I want. From time to time I just might go into a library and use their internet for a brief time but as for daily use, not any longer. This again isn't a phobia but a concern that I've had now ever since my home was broken into by someone and things moved around for some strange reason.

I'm moving away soon too, for I'm now concerned that I'm being watched intensely by someone or some group of people that makes me feel uncomfortable in my own home. So again I have no phobias but do have concerns about what's going on around me now a days and do not like it what so ever.

You really caught me off guard with this. But I do believe that being paranoid doesn't mean you don't have good reason. However when it comes to your life or even just the quality of your life, it's a little more serious than a simple phobia.

Sense I really know very little about you, I couldn't say whether you are worth tracking or not. But from what I do know about you, I can't imagine anybody or company or government thinking that you are worth all the resources it would take to track you the way you have described.

If you are doing nothing wrong and you don't really have much that anyone else wants. What do you think about why anyone would want to keep track of everything you are doing? If you can't think of anything maybe it's not real in the way you seem to think it is.

May I ask if you have a plan to occupy your time after you drop the Internet? Nothing is impossible if you have something else to do that's at least of equal value to you. If you find your life is suffering because of it, are your going to be willing change your mind and go back to boring whoever is keeping track of you. Personally I don't like boring even if I'm getting paid to do it.

 

[leopold]

I've been guilty of texting while driving.

i've never texted while driving but i have run through my phone list looking for numbers, gabbed on the phone, and checked who called.
all of the above can distract you enough to cause an accident.
texting while driving is ten times worse.

I haven't done it for a few years now and the Stats. on cell phone accidents are looking very bad, so I would never do it again.

i was on my bike and watched an SUV blow right through a red light.
cause?
yakking on the phone.
another 2 seconds and she would have t-boned my ass.

 

[KilljoyKlown]

i've never texted while driving but i have run through my phone list looking for numbers, gabbed on the phone, and checked who called.
all of the above can distract you enough to cause an accident.
texting while driving is ten times worse.

i was on my bike and watched an SUV blow right through a red light.
cause?
yakking on the phone.
another 2 seconds and she would have t-boned my ass.

I believe Washington state has passed laws that make it illegal to use a cell phone while driving and the fines are painful enough to make you think twice about doing it. As far as texting goes I was very good at one hand texting and I had the keypad memorized well enough that I didn't need to be looking at it. However, it is still to distracting, I believe cell phone caused accidents are close to surpassing drunk driving accidents, and that's really saying something.