What comes to mind when you hear the word “phobia”? Heights, spiders, public speaking? Probably so, but with the quickly growing, tech-dominated world we now live in, new phobias are creeping their way into our lives. Although tech-related anxiety is not yet officially covered by clinical terms, it sure does exist. Read on below to learn more.
Nomophobia
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Short for no mo bile phone phobia, nomophobia is the fear of losing or being out of touch with your phone. If you’re a phone addict, you know this feeling all too well. This phobia causes panic when your phone is unavailable, including losing reception, running out of battery life, and, of course, losing your precious communication device and feeling completely disconnected from the world. Hey, it happens to the best of us.
Telephonophobia
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Yes, that’s a word, and although it literally means “fear of telephone,” it isn’t what you’d suspect. Telephonophobia is the fear of answering and receiving incoming calls. Just the ringing or vibrating of a phone can be intimidating to some, and it’s already spiraled a few people into panic attacks, or at least had them hyperventilating. Research shows that this can fall under the category of anxiety disorder, since it’s related to the fear of being criticized or appearing foolish.
Cyberphobia
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Most people enjoy wasting time on their computers, but those who suffer from cyberphobia do not. They’re actually quite afraid of them. Symptoms of cyberphobia include feeling paranoid and anxious when it comes to doing anything computer related, as people with this anxiety see anything connected to the Internet as invasive. These are the kind of folks you’d find at anti-technology social movements.
Loremophobia
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You’re probably wondering, “What in the world does that mean?” Loremophobia is actually the fear of lo sing the remo te control for the TV. Although it’s not a new phobia, it’s still happening to us as we take a seat on the couch after a long day of work. Finding out that it’s missing just affects some more than others.
Technophobia
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This is the umbrella term for describing someone who has any type of tech-related fear. Broad and simple, technophobia is the fear of technology. The word was first thrown around during the Industrial Revolution, and is still evolving. Defined as “the abnormal fear or anxiety about the effects of technology,” it describes people who feel uncomfortable around advanced technology. They’re also known as “technophobes.”
Selfiephobia
Image via diyphotography.net
Before you think this one is too ridiculous, hear me out. Although it sounds like a joke, this one is just as serious, and is an ever-growing personal issue for many. Taking “selfies” has become quite popular in the past few years, so it’s no surprise that selfiephobia, which is hating how you look in a photo, has emerged. This phobia has its reasons, including not thinking you’re photogenic, to a simple cry for attention. But the truth is, we’re all more than just pretty faces.
Do you know of any tech-related phobias that have recently emerged? Let us know – leave a comment below.
Source: Mashable.
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