I have no smartphone. I have a flip phone I got at a yard sale. So it is probably no wonder that when I see people who can't seem to go more than a second without texting, playing a game or looking up every other idea that pops into a conversation it doesn't seem healthy to me. Perhaps you are one of those people who would feel weird being without a smartphone. It feeling as if something is missing. That anxious feeling has a name — nomophobia, which stands for “no-mobile-phone-phobia.”

Researchers have identified four characteristics of smartphone separation anxiety. If these things bother you, then you might have nomophobia.

  • Can't communicate - You feel insecure when you can't text or call friends and family.
  • Lost connectedness - You feel disconnected from your online identity.
  • Can't access information - You feel inadequate because you can't Google answers to your questions or find directions with a swipe.
  • It's inconvenient - You feel annoyed that you can't accomplish simple tasks, such as making plans or dinner reservations, as easily without a smartphone.
  • Women are almost four times more likely to experience nomophobia than men.

The word I have for being without a cellphone is relaxing, at worst inconvenient so I'm thinking I'm fine. How you doin'?

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