Is your smartphone your lifeline? You may have a phobia which affects 75 per cent of Indians 

By Ankita ChakravartiIf your smartphone means the world to you and the thought of going away from it for even a second, gives you anxiety, the chances are that you have the same phobia which affects three out of four Indians, which is approximately 75 per cent of the population.

Did you know that there’s a name for this fear? It’s called NoMoPhobia, and it affects three out of every four people in India, according to a recent study by Oppo and Counterpoint.

NoMoPhobia stands for “no mobile phobia,” which refers to the fear or anxiety caused by not having a working mobile phone. The study found that 65 percent of smartphone users in India feel emotional discomfort when their battery drains, which includes feeling worried, anxious, disconnected, helpless, fear of missing out, nervous, and unsafe.

To better understand the severity of this phobia, Oppo India teamed up with Counterpoint to conduct a survey of over 1,500 smartphone users in tier 1 and some tier 2 cities. The study revealed that 60 percent of people are going to replace their smartphones because the battery is not performing well. This information was crucial for Oppo’s Chief Marketing Officer, Damyant Singh Khanoria, who stated that this study will be instrumental in the way they make their products.

Moreover, the study also found that 82 percent of male users feel more anxious compared to 74 percent of female users. The survey also revealed that the majority of users are conscious about their phone’s battery life, with 92.5 percent utilizing power-saving mode and 87 percent using their phones while it’s charging. In terms of usage, 42 percent of respondents reported using their smartphones mainly for entertainment, with social media being the top activity. Additionally, while 65 percent of users limit their phone usage to conserve battery, 82 percent restrict their social media usage.

“Our smartphones have become our personal universes that enable us to stay connected, personally and professionally, and also for entertainment. Consequently, many of us have developed a phobia of being without our phones. As a result, people often feel anxious at the thought of running out of battery and being unable to use their phones. The feeling of low battery anxiety is higher among the working age group of 31 to 40 years followed by the age group of 25 to 30 years,” says Counterpoint Research Director, Tarun Pathak.

Our smartphones have changed how we talk and connect with others, but they can also have negative effects. It’s necessary to take breaks from using them, use them in moderation, and not let our phones control how we feel. By being aware and careful, we can overcome NoMoPhobia and use our smartphones in a healthy and balanced way.