Are You Suffering From Phone Separation Anxiety?

Mental HealthMay 4, 2020

Smartphones provide us with immense advantages in today’s world. Increased connectivity with people across the globe, fast web surfing, and general entertainment are a few of the benefits that we can get from smartphones. Hence, becoming over-dependent on them is quite normal. But every coin has two sides. Being excessively reliant on our smartphones has its downsides, too, which most of us are oblivious to. One of the sinister aspects of using a mobile phone too much is that we may suffer from phone separation anxiety. Read on to find whether you are suffering from this particular mental disorder.

What is Phone Separation Anxiety?

Popularly known as PSA or nomophobia (no mobile phobia), phone separation anxiety is, in fact, the fear of getting separated from your cellphone. If you are unable to leave your room without your smartphone or can’t live a second without it, then, in all probability, you are going through phone separation anxiety. Some other characteristics of PSA include imagining your phone ringing when it’s actually not. Checking your phone incessantly for alerts, staying glued to your phone at places and times when you are not supposed to, like while taking a shower or having dinner with family. Some individuals even enter into a state of depression if their phone is not in their line of vision.

Who Can Develop Phone Separation Anxiety?

Any individual who owns a smartphone has the potential to get affected with PSA. While 39 percent of American adults had a smartphone with them back in 2012, the figure has now reached a massive 66 percent. People who likely own a smartphone fall in the age category of 16 to 24 years old, and statistics reveal that around 90% of them have a smartphone with them. The number of mobile addicts has had a shocking growth of 123 percent in the last year. This implies that cases of PSA are on the rise, and it’s feared that a good part of the population will be affected more drastically in the coming days.

Effects of PSA

PSA will surely have a detrimental effect on your social life as well as your mental wellness, thus affecting your personal relationships and hindering your communication ability with friends and family. You are most likely to forget about the real world as you’ll be constantly trying to live your virtual life. There will be an increase in your stress levels. The incessant vibrations and sounds from your phone won’t let you focus on anything else, and you will continue living on the edge which is not at all good for you. Poor sleep quality can cause depression in young adults, irrespective of gender. Individuals suffering from PSA would not have any social life and would ultimately isolate themselves from society. Personal relationships will go for a toss, and you wouldn’t be able to gauge what negative feelings could do. PSA causes eye strain and eye problems, too. Touching or looking at the screen for a longer period of time can also lead to weakened immunity. All these add up and will eventually cause long-term problems on your physical and mental health.

Symptoms of PSA

If you feel that you must take your phone along with you everywhere you go, then you are actually affected by phone separation anxiety. The constant urge to check it is another symptom that you have PSA. Consider asking yourself whether you feel uncomfortable if you don’t have your phone in your hand. Do you feel restless or somewhat annoyed at that point in time? If your smartphone is running out of battery, do you feel worried? If the answer to all the above questions is yes, then you are probably suffering from PSA. It’s high time that you go for a phone detox!

PSA is not incurable. Most of the time, the symptoms can easily be addressed and alleviated either by yourself or with a little help from your near and dear ones. First of all, you need to acknowledge the fact that you are going through PSA. Unless and until you realize that, nothing on this planet can help you recover from it. You can switch off your phones or turn off the notifications for some time and then slowly increase the duration. You will notice the change in yourself within a few days. Best of luck!