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Nomophobia Is A Fear These People Know All Too Well

"It's a feeling I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy."
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If you're terrified of spiders, you're probably an arachnophobe. If you're afraid of clowns, you might be dealing with coulrophobia. But if you own a smartphone, then you may already be a nomophobe.

While most phobias deal with a fear or an aversion to something, nomophobia is the fear of lacking access to a mobile phone.

It's short for nomobile phobia, a term coined by the UK Post Office after their 2008 study, according to the Daily Mail.

The group's research found over half of mobile phone users in Britain became anxious when they lost their phone, ran out of power and had no network coverage. The phenomenon also caught the attention of researchers at Iowa State University, who created a 20-item test for anyone in need of a self-diagnosis.

And there are signs nomophobia is growing fast in other parts of the world. In South Korea, a study of 1,000 smartphone-owning children found 25 per cent of the group were already considered addicts, the BBC reports.

And that's just a fraction of Asia's 2.5 billion smartphone users.

So if you're reading this on your mobile phone and are having a hard time putting your device down, watch the video above and take some comfort that you're not alone.

Also on HuffPost

Most Egregious Violators of Cell Phone Etiquette
You break out in fits of rage while you're playing Flappy Bird (or Candy Crush, or Words With Friends...)(01 of12)
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We know. We can't believe it, either. And while we know you just "died" in your game, you're in public. Have a bit of dignity.
(credit:Getty Images)
You talk on your phone on the bus, in the bathroom, on the train...(02 of12)
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You enter a social contract by being in uncomfortably tight spaces. Please abide by the rules.
(credit:Image via Flickr.)
You're walking down the street talking to yourself chatting on Bluetooth, and you look at everyone like they're weird when they start to respond.(03 of12)
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Just talking to yourself again, we guess.
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"Waaaaaait, take it with MY phone!"(04 of12)
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Before you subject an innocent bystander to an interminable photo shoot, think of the wonders of living in the age of the smartphone. You can send your photos immediately! You can post them online! You can make yourself look prettier with the click of a button! And chances are, you don't want more than one of that picture floating around.
(credit:Chris Ryan via Getty Images)
You send multiple texts in a row knowing you won't get a response right away.(05 of12)
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This is equivalent to calling someone and asking if they're sleeping. The answer ... is self-evident.
You abuse your group-texting privileges.(06 of12)
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"Can you please take me off this text?"
"WAIT WAIT WAIT GUYS LET ME LOOK THAT UP"(07 of12)
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You're the person who has to stop every conversation in its tracks to IMDB a celebrity, look up a sports stat, or track down a movie quote. This does not make you witty or smart. If you're the person who cheats at bar trivia, this behavior is completely egregious.
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You force your bartender to make an obscure drink because you looked it up on your phone.(08 of12)
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"What do you mean you don't know how to make a White Grasshopper on Fire? I know there's a line out the door. This is important."
(credit:narvikk via Getty Images)
Your use of emoji is excessive and inscrutable.(09 of12)
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AHHHH WE CAN'T READ YOUR MIND.
TWO WORDS: Bathroom selfies(10 of12)
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We just ... want to use the sink.
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You try to be cute by adding your number to a stranger's phone with a 'fun' nickname.(11 of12)
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We doubt this is how she remembers you.
You leave voicemails.(12 of12)
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Note: If you're our moms, this is still OK.
(credit:Getty Images)

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