Without knowing it, you may be suffering from nomophobia

Children aren’t the only ones who suffer from overexposure to smartphones. In a new study on screen addiction published on January 23, 2024 by the PRO BTP Health Observatory, in partnership with the Raphael Institute’s Research Center, we learn that six out of ten users “Related to their dependence on smartphones and therefore problematic use of screens” is likely to be a hyper-connection Serious health consequences and daily life.

You may have nomophobia

Most of the French people’s free time is devoted to the screen. So that one of the two people spends the least An hour and a half

on their phones every day, with a peak of more than three hours per day for 18-39 year olds.

This almost compulsive use of your phone is also a cause for concern: that you can no longer be contacted. Half of the respondents indicated that they would like to reduce their exposure time to screens without success. This phobia that affects six out of ten Internet users even has a name: FoMo, for Fear of missing out (fear of missing something in English), or Nomophobia in french.

This irrational fear of your smartphone malfunctioning (breakdown, dead battery or even lack of network) is the first step to a more serious syndrome, Athazagoraphobia, or the fear of being forgotten or ignored by those around you. If this phobia did not wait for the existence of smartphones and screens, it grew with their democratization, and now haunts 7% of the population of France, unable to spend more than a few minutes without consulting the instructions on her phone, and preying on them. is A deep feeling of uneasiness at the thought of being left behind “seen”.

Are smartphones dangerous?

While they often contribute (positively or negatively) to our state of mental health, smartphones also push us engaging in risky behaviour, Study reports. Thus, 44% of those questioned say they use their smartphone while driving, and 14% send messages while driving. This danger also applies to pedestrians: walking while only looking at your smartphone (a practice called smomby, or the shrinking of smartphones and zombies) put one in ten people at risk in urban areas.

Overall, smartphones are especially dangerous for us Perception of time. Infinite scrolling regularly turns five-minute breaks into compulsive browsing all night. Thus, two out of three users believe that they waste time on their smartphones, when they could devote themselves to more interesting and informative activities.

🟣 To never miss any news on Journal du Geek, subscribe to Google News. And if you love us, we have a newsletter every morning.