What is nomophobia, this obsessive fear of being separated from one's motive?

Are you extremely anxious about being separated from your smartphone, even for a few minutes? So you may have nomophobia, a real 21st century disease that proves one thing: the world is hyperconnected and some people can really suffer from it.

At this very moment in the world, almost one in three humans owns a smartphone and forecasts announce a growing number year after year according to a graph published on the Statista portal.

Since the appearance of smartphones, the addiction to mobile phones has exploded, quite simply because these are no longer used only for calls and sending SMS, but also integrate games and multiple applications, including a number incalculable number of social networks and other messaging services.

A 2008 UK study commissioned by mobile security solutions company SecurEnvoy drew alarming conclusions. It has been revealed that 53% of smartphone users (76% among 18/24 year olds) have a tendency to become anxious when their mobile is unavailable, whether it is lost, running out of battery or credit or even when the network coverage is poor. Incredible isn't it? And yet...

“The phenomenon has grown with the arrival of smartphones and unlimited plans. Everyone has access to a range of services: where am I? Are there any restaurants nearby? I buy my train ticket for this weekend, I plan my evening, etc. “, declared the expert in technologies Damien Douani for L’Obs in 2012.

Nomophobia would therefore be an evil that would affect many more people than we think, simply because it is proportional to the number of users and relative to the nature and frequency of the use made of it. For example, the manufacturer Nokia commissioned a survey in 2010 and it also delivered incredible results: smartphone users would consult their mobile almost 150 times a day on average, or about every 6 minutes.

It is therefore not really surprising that some people completely lose their means when faced with a problem preventing them from using their smartphone, given the addictions that are no longer to be proven today. Nomophobia is a real neurosis which represents one of the excesses of our consumer society, the latter having taken a new turn since the beginning of this century.

And you, are you nomophobic? To find out, take this quiz.

Sources: Slate — Marie Claire — Health Medicine