Are you anxious without connectivity?

Nomophobia or no-mobile-phobia is the anxiety associated with the absence of smartphone or internet connectivity which give us the advantages of seamless communication, ready access to information, instant gratification and entertainment. Individual traits of extroversion, impulsivity, anxiousness, emotional instability, low self-esteem in young people add to the propensity for nomophobia. Technological advancements and shifts in workplace culture, exacerbated by the global COVID-19 pandemic, have introduced additional dimensions. The shift towards remote work has heightened reliance on mobile devices for professional communications potentially amplifying anxieties associated with mobile phone separation. The erosion of  boundaries between work and life has increased screen time and integrated mobile devices into daily routines. The need for uninterrupted connectivity to manage work tasks, has become an incremental stressor. Social shifts toward digital communication over traditional face-to-face interactions also play a critical role. In education, the use of internet-based tools of information dissemination, research tools, e-books and research papers which has also been propounded by a need to be environmentally conscious digital has necessitated the student to always be connected to the internet.

The increased usage of internet devices causes an increased load of the executive functions of planning, working memory, inhibition, mental flexibility and deterioration of attentional abilities. It has  increased stress, lowered productivity, decreased social skills owing to over-reliance on virtual communication , caused sleep difficulties caused by continual connection, and even physical symptoms like as headaches or muscular strain. It can also worsen feelings of loneliness and reliance, limiting one’s capacity to cope with solitude or in-person contact.

Solutions to this problem include individual therapy, group therapy at educational institutions and workplaces, behavioral modifications to decrease dependence, digital detoxification and practicing mindfulness based exercises.