A study conducted by the PostOffice in the UK has looked the stress that can be caused by being out of mobile phone contact, and has coined a new term for it: “NoMo Phobia”.

The total sample size of the study was 2,163 adults, and it gives some interesting insight into peoples’ mobile phone habits and feelings.

When asked why they never switched their mobile off:

• 55% said keeping in touch with family and friends is the top reason
• 10% said they needed to be contactable for their jobs
• 9% said it just made them anxious for it to be off.

Here is a list of what activities people are willing to interrupt in order to take a call:

• When watching TV: 80%
• When shopping: 79%
• When doing the housework/gardening: 78%
• When in bed alone: 58%
• When spending time with family/children: 48%
• When eating a meal: 40%

and the surprising one –

• When in bed with someone else: 18%

Experts warn that nomo-phobia could affect up to 53 per cent of mobile phone users -with 48 per cent of women and 58 per cent of men questioned admitting to experiencing feelings of anxiety when they run out of battery or credit, lose their phone or have no network coverage.

“Nomo-phobia is very real for many people in the UK,” said the company’s telecoms expert, Stewart Fox- Mills. “We’re all familiar with the stressful situations of everyday life such as moving house, break-ups and organising a family Christmas – but it seems that being out of mobile contact may be the 21st century’s contribution to our already manic lives.”