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And the word of 2018 is…. Nomophobia!

In this day and age, losing one’s mobile phone can probably be as stressful and worrisome as, say, losing a wallet.

And for this, Cambridge Dictionary’s word of 2018 is “Nomophobia” – the fear of having no mobile phone.

While the word itself might sound unfamiliar, the phenomenon it describes is one we can all relate to, said a report published on The Independent, adding that Cambridge defined nomophobia as “a fear or worry at the idea of being without your mobile phone or unable to use it.”

“While nomophobia is not a scientific term, it’s one that has become increasingly popular among researchers in recent years as technology addictions are now more prevalent than ever before,” The Independent’ report said.

Psychologists may term it as “smartphone separation anxiety,” pretty much the anxiety one feels when someone, a friend or kin, goes away.

Scientists from the City University of Hong Kong and the Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul have explained that nomophobia is about smartphones now being so advanced and personal to people that they’ve actually become an extension of their lives without which life becomes bleak.

“Therefore when we’re not within reach of them, it can make us feel like we’re losing a sense of our identity, which can prompt anxiety,” said The Independent.

Cambridge Dictionary revealed that nomophobia had been selected as “the people’s word of 2018” in a public vote that called on its blog readers and social media followers to choose from a shortlist of four words they thought best summed up the year, said the report.

“Your choice, nomophobia, tells us that people around the world probably experience this type of anxiety enough that you recognized it needed a name!” reads a blog post on the dictionary’s website.

Staff Report

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