From school bus updates to late-night office chats, smartphones have become nearly impossible to separate from daily life. Mobile phones now serve as essential tools for work, family connection, safety, and social interaction.
However, health experts are warning that feeling anxious without a phone is not merely a habit – it may be a serious psychological condition.
Medical professionals refer to this condition as ‘nomophobia’ which is defined as the irrational fear or anxiety of being without a mobile phone.
According to a study published in the International Journal of Research Studies in Education, around 94 percent of mobile phone users in the United States experience nomophobia to some degree.
Although the study focuses on the US, psychologists working in the Middle East – particularly in the UAE – say similar symptoms are rapidly emerging in the region.
Doctors explain that nomophobia often goes unrecognized by individuals themselves and tends to appear through subtle, silent symptoms. Common complaints include sleep disturbances, irritability, anxiety, lack of concentration, and mental stress when the phone is not within reach.
Psychiatrist Dr Omar bin Abdulaziz of NMC Royal Hospital Abu Dhabi says patients rarely visit clinics complaining specifically of nomophobia yet its effects are clearly visible in disrupted sleep patterns, mood changes, and declining daily performance.
Various studies conducted on students and young people in the UAE also indicate a strong link between excessive mobile phone use, poor sleep quality, and increased psychological stress.
According to Dr Abdulaziz, the issue is not simply excessive phone use but the loss of balance and self-control. When being without a phone leads to persistent anxiety, strained relationships, or negatively affects work and education, it becomes a serious concern.
Experts warn that intense panic when disconnected, repeated failure to reduce phone usage, disturbed sleep, emotional distance from family, and household conflicts are red flags that should not be ignored. Among young people, emotional dependence on online validation is considered a particularly serious warning sign.
Clinical psychologist Srividhya Srinivas from Mediclinic Kamali Clinic Dubai says cases related to nomophobia are increasingly appearing in therapy rooms, even though patients are often unfamiliar with the term itself.
She notes that anxiety, restlessness, panic, sleep problems, and reduced focus when separated from phones are becoming common symptoms among youth – especially in societies where digital connectivity is deeply embedded in everyday life.
Experts agree that the solution does not lie in banning phones entirely but in restoring balance. Dr Abdulaziz emphasizes gradual and practical changes, such as keeping phones out of the bedroom at night, slowly increasing time spent away from screens, and reducing unnecessary notifications. For teenagers, parents adopting balanced digital habits themselves and setting clear, mutually agreed boundaries proves more effective.
Meanwhile, Dr Shaju George, psychiatrist at International Modern Hospital Dubai, says that although nomophobia is not yet officially recognized as a mental disorder, screening for it is increasing in clinical settings.
He notes that physical symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, panic, and irregular breathing when separated from a phone are becoming increasingly common.
Experts add that while large-scale data in the UAE remains limited, regional trends clearly indicate that young people – particularly women – are more affected by this condition, highlighting the urgent need to restore balance in today’s digital lifestyle.
