New technologies bring a lot if they are used wisely. However, they can be addictive and thus promote health risk behaviors.
Nomophobia
Nomophobia, ” no mobile phone phobia Is the irrational fear of being separated from your cell phone. The smartphone has become a useful tool, even essential in the daily life of the population. It has real strengths, but can also have harmful effects when a person uses it excessively. Indeed, researchers at Monash University in Melbourne (Australia) conducted a study on nomophobia, a fear that can actually turn into a disease. Smartphone addiction affects a lot of people. It can lead to having attitudes that are dangerous for your own mental and physical health, but can also impact that of others. The research includes 2,838 participants and the results have been published in the international journal Environmental Research and Public Health. The finding made by the researchers is not so surprising, since they reveal that 99.2% of the volunteers reported some form of nomophobia or different levels of anxiety related to the separation with their phone. It shows a psychological attachment to this intelligent tool. In addition, 13.2% had a severe level of nomophobia while more than 8 out of 10 participants had a mild to moderate level.
Risk behaviors
Scientists also observe that 43%, or more than 4 in ten participants, spent more than three hours a day on their mobile. However, the more time users spend in front of their screens, the more this increases the level of nomophobia. The most worrying thing is that this addiction can lead a person to adopt bad behaviors, dangerous for health, but can also lead to illegality. Indeed, people affected by this pathology are ten times more likely to use their phone in a prohibited place. Worse still, they are fourteen times more likely to behave dangerously, such as when used while driving. Young people between the ages of 18 and 25 are among those with the highest levels of nomophobia. In addition, women adopt half as much risky behavior as men when using their phones. The authors of the study conclude that: “ Our results prove that the fear of being without your mobile phone can lead to problematic dependent, prohibited or unsafe use, each factor of which can present significant health risks, such as overuse, antisocial behavior, or reckless use. and physically compromising “.