Nomophobia

Dear Sir
People are now spending more time making friends on social media rather than communicating face to face. This attitude is hindering our real-time interactions. This mobile addiction often takes the form of 'NOMOPHOBIA.' It refers to the fear of being without access to a functional cell phone or an app. Although it is not a recognized disease, many people around the world are sufferers of this problem.

NOMOPHOBIA is a syndrome of problematic digital media use in mental health. According to a recent survey, 53% of the U.K and 23% of Indian residents suffer from this problem. The biggest victims of mobile addiction are young people. In Italy, nearly 61% of people use mobile devices while going to bed, and among them, 81% are from the age group of 18-34. As in other countries, mobile addiction is slowly grasping our country too.

Excessive mobile dependency is undermining the prevailing norms of society. Kids now have been addicted to playing mobile games from a very young age. As a result, they lose interest in playing outside. This habit hinders their physical and mental growth. Teenagers and young people spend more time on the internet scrolling Facebook or youtube than paying attention in their classes or careers.

Sayed Arafat Zubayer
Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet & Shahida Aroby, North South University