NOMOPHOBIA: AN EMERGING PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDER

Portable technologies especially smart phones have emerged as an advantage for providing a galaxy of opportunity and has steered the society for accessing network, communicating in social circles and gaining knowledge. It has intensified the amount of work and opportunities but excessive use and long-time exposure also brings serious problems. Recently one of the major problems is the excessive usage of mobile or smartphone by the huge population without any specific reason leading to addiction of smart phones from child of early age to adult ones. This is slowly penetrating in human habits and behaviour causing behavioural dependency on electronic gadgets especially smartphones. One of major factor for causing this problematic condition is connection of mobile phone to the internet. Several research reports from different parts of world are indicating the causes, phases of onset of smartphone addiction, consequences and health issues due to the emerging threat of ‘no mobile phone phobia’ (nomophobia). Therefore, present review is intended to address the current problems associated with nomophobia and the future strategies to overcome its negative impact on society.