Nomophobia: A Horrible Terror

What are you afraid of? Statistically, the top human fears are quite shocking. Public speaking ranks number one above heights, bugs, deep water, financial problems, and even death. For some people, these popular fears are a cakewalk compared their biggest fear; being without their cell phones!

Nomophobia is a Thing
The fear of being without a cell phone carries an actual name; nomophobia. Yes, this is real. If you experience anxiety when you run out of battery life, lack reception, run out of minutes, or are simply away from your phone, then you suffer from nomophobia. In a recent study, 53% of cell phone users experienced some level of anxiety when they were disconnected from their devices. The study also found that nomophobia comes with a stress level equivalent to visiting the dentist, or even getting married.

If you feel the need to always have your phone in your pocket or purse, you might be a nomophobe. Symptoms include:

• Never turning off your phone
• Social awkwardness
• Inability to get work done/poor customer service
• Obsession with checking email, social media, and texts
• Constantly charging your phone
• Avoiding geographical areas with no cell service
• Destroying every piece of furniture while searching for a lost phone
• Inability to carry on a conversation without a device in hand
• Keeping a backup phone handy.
• Inability to visit the john without your phone (yes, there's a poop app. You're welcome.)

The Root of Nomophobia
So what causes nomophobia? We don't think it can be the actual technology, because cell phones and smartphones are revolutionarily and productive tools. Instead, it's probably aliens.

Seriously, people are afraid to lose their cell phones to aliens. There have been hundreds of accounts of alien abductions around the world over the past 40-50 years. When was the cell phone invented you ask? About 42 years ago! Coincidence? Not a chance!

Aliens are abducting humans because of our awesome cell phone technologies. They are super jealous, and want to learn how to make their own. All this time they've just been abducting cell phone users to steal their phones and develop their own models. Upon their return to earth, abductors have been spreading the fear of losing cell phones to aliens, and the rest is history. Therefore, America is a nomophobic nation because of aliens.

This Halloween, you don't have to go through the trouble of buying an expensive costume, or meticulously making your own to cause fright. Terrify 53% of your friends by simply hiding their cell phones. It'll be the best prank because it's so terrifying. Happy Halloween from Computerware!