It was a beautiful, sunny Saturday. I was going to meet an old university friend I hadn't seen for years, and was really excited to hear all his news.

 

My train was running a little late, but that was no big problem - I could text him to say I would be delayed¹. He would understand. But… where was my mobile² phone? I had that familiar sinking feeling. Yes, I'd forgotten it at home.

 

No mobile phone. I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling anxious, on edge³ and worried when I don't have my phone with me. In fact, I know I'm not alone: two-thirds of us experience 'nomophobia', the fear of being out of mobile phone contact.

 

That's according⁴ to a study from 2012 which surveyed 1,000 people in the UK about their relationship with mobile phones.

 

It says we check our mobile phones 34 times a day, that women are more 'nomophobic' than men, and that 18-24 year-olds are the most likely to suffer fear of being without their mobiles⁵: 77% of them say they are unable to be apart from their phones for more than a few minutes.

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