1. SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION (NOMOPHOBIA)
 Nomo phobia (short for 'no mobile phobia')
is a humorous word for the fear of, or
anxiety caused by, not having a working
mobile phone. It has been considered
a symptom or syndrome of problematic
digital media use in mental health, the
definitions of which are not standardized.
 Nomo phobia is an important matter. Some studies have
claimed that the feeling of anxiety, in the absence of a mobile
phone, may affect about 50% of the population (though, within
these symptoms, the severity might differ greatly among those
who are affected).

2.  Furthermore, it is becoming an increasing problem since it
specially affects young
people, who have become used
to this technology from their
early ages and who are also more
vulnerable, as they need the
“social approval” provided by the
continuous use of platforms like
social networks. However, it is necessary to consider that no age is
free of risk.
 The word nomo phobia is a portmanteau made up of no + mobile
+ phone + phobia. The term was created by YouGov, a research
organization based in the United Kingdom. In a 2008 study,
researchers reported that 53% of mobile users felt anxious when
they were unable to use their mobile phones and over half of users
never shut their phones off. Subsequent studies have found that
the numbers have increased since then.

3. How does nomo phobia affect
someone’s daily life?
 In the first instance, nomo phobia forces someone who is suffering from
it to check their mobile phone constantly, to the point of neglecting other
aspects of their life. Thus, it can have an impact on someone’s work,
relationships and, in general, on any other aspect of the person’s life that
may require attention.
 But it doesn’t stop there. The anxiety generated by the idea of not having
a mobile phone and the need to check it constantly can produce a
widespread nervousness, which can increase dramatically in certain
situations, to the point of conditioning someone’s life.
 For example, someone who suffers from nomo phobia may avoid
travelling or going to areas where the broadband coverage might be poor,
because that would force him to be “disconnected”. Or someone could
miss the opportunity to go somewhere, because there is no close power
source available to connect one’s device and might run out of battery.
Bearing in mind our daily needs, the previous facts may become serious
limitations for our day-to-day.
 In addition, insomnia could cause harmful consequences. Some people
even wake up on countless occasions during the night, in order to check
that they still have connection and check the updates on their social
networks, etc.

4. The impact of mobile on our lifestyles and our
health is predominantly negative.
Mobile phones are potentially one of the most
dangerous devices on the market today, and yet
even children use them. The adoption of the mobile phone by young people
has been a global phenomenon in recent years. It is now an integral part of
adolescents daily lives and is for the majority the most popular form of
electronic communication. In fact, the mobile phone has turned from a
technological tool to a social tool. However, there are also negative impacts
on young peoples peer relationships. These can include ostracism and cyber
bullying. Similarly, the mobile phone has lead to changed dynamics in the
family, with issues of safety and surveillance from a parental perspective
leading to negotiated changing freedoms for young people.
The different packages which now-a-days the different mobile companies
have introduced have given the most negative impact on the people,
especially in teenagers. They waste their most precious time on the mobile
phones rather than using their time in studies and other important works in
life.

5.  Kanmani, Bhavani, and Maragatham (2017) found that
many young people are familiar with smartphone
addiction but not aware of nomophobia (Anshari, Alas,
& Sulaiman, 2019).
 This was stated by Dr Ayesha Sarwat
, associate “Glancing at your
Phone in the middle of a
conversation, checking your
phone when the conversation
stalls, keeping your
phone close by even during
one-on-one time with someone or interrupting a real-life
conversation to answer your phone are all acts of
phubbing,”

6. Nomophobia and its predictors in undergraduate students of Lahore, Pakistan
 Pakistan is one of the leading nations in statistically
significant increases in Smartphone ownership it ranks
11th in the list of emerging countries who have seen
significant changes in Smartphone ownership over
that period . Despite increasing levels of smartphone
use, however, only one study has been conducted, This
study found that there has been a statistically
significant increase in Smartphone usage in the
emerging nation of Pakistan.

7. Who experience Nomophobia
notably?
 In particular, women are notably more likely to experience
Nomo phobia,
because they do not want
to feel lonely in public
places, are afraid of
losing contact with
others and do not want
to give up their comfort
Nomophobia appears most common in young people, though
many phone users experience some degree of symptoms.

8. Symptoms
 Anxiety
 Respiratory alterations
 Trembling
 perspiration
 Agitation
 Disorientation
 tachycardia

9. Emotional symptoms
 depression
 panic
 fear
 dependence
 rejection
 low self-esteem
 loneliness

10. TREATMENT
Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, EMDR, and combined
with pharmacological interventions. Treatments using
tranylcypromine and clonazepam were successful in
reducing the effects of nomophobia.
However, it is important to note that these medications
were designed to treat social anxiety disorder and not nomo
phobia directly.[7] It may be rather difficult to treat nomo
phobia directly, but more plausible to investigate, identify,
and treat any underlying mental disorders if any exist.

11.  HOW OUR PAKISTANI SOCIETY HAS INVOLED
THEIRSELF SO MUCH WITH MOBILE PHONE?

12. 10 signs you might be suffering from
nomophobia;
i. Do you feel anxious when you don't have your phone with you?
ii. Do you compulsively check your phone for notifications?
iii. Do you get phantom vibration?
iv. are you constantly recharging your phone in fear of running out of
battery?
v. Do you have fear about losing service?
vi. Do you sleep with your phone?
vii. Is the first thing you check when you wake up?
viii. Do you bring your phone in the washroom?
ix. If you forget your phone must you turn around and get it
immediately?
x. Are you constantly losing track of conversation that happen in
person?

15. Man kills friend on suspicion of
mobile theft.
 LAHORE: A man killed his friend over the
suspicion of theft of a mobile phone and
later jumped down from the 5th floor,
resulting in his leg fracture in the Islampura
police limits on Tuesday.The victim was
identified as Naeem Akhtar while the
accused as Sarwar. Police reached the scene
after being informed and collected forensic
evidence

16. An 11-year-old boy killed his 12-year-old
friend in Attock on Friday after fighting
over a game.
1. The attacker has been arrested and a case
registered against him under Section 302
(murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
2. He is currently in the lockup at the Model
Police Station Rango. The boys were friends
and schoolmates but during a game they
fought. The attacker brought a knife from
home and stabbed the victim in the
stomach.

17. Conclusion
 NOMOPHOBIA is emerging as a threat to our “social,
mental as well as physical health.”
Recommendation
 We have to stay in the real world more than virtual
world. We have to re-establish the human-human
interactions, face to face connections. So, we need to
limit our use of mobile phones rather than banning it
because we cannot ignore the force of technological
advancement.