To all the numerous illnesses that humankind succumbs to, a new one has been added, very recently, one that is called ‘Nomophobia’. True, as mind doctors delve into the complexities of our psyches, newer phobias are discovered, named, and added to the ever-growing lexicon of ailments and disorders, mental, psychological and physical, that the complex human condition is prey to. But Nomophobia, the ailment, is not new in that manner. It is unique in the sense that it is an absolutely fresh ailment, one that was not seen in a doctor's inventory of illnesses even a decade ago.

Indeed, it could not have existed at that time, for the illness is dependent on technology. What is Nomophobia, then? To cut the suspense, Nomophobia is the fear of being out of mobile contact. NO MObile contact PHOBIA. Aha. That rings a bell, does it not? In today's urban or peri-urban life, this is a phobia that has affected, to a greater or lesser degree, a lot of us, has it not? Those whose job it is to measure stress levels tell us that people with this phobia who find themselves out of mobile contact experience anxiety intensities similar to those experienced during a trip to the dentist. Wow. That's really something, isn't it?

Who has not had a sinking feeling as she or he realizes, with dismay, that one's cellphone has been left behind at home? It may be that one is away for just an hour or two. But we chafe and fret the entire time we are out of reach of the gizmo. If we anticipate being out of the house for the day, we arrange for someone to bring the gadget to us at our workplace. Sometimes we make a lengthy trip back just to retrieve the thingy. The fear of being out of mobile contact is so great and so real, that the first thing we do on reaching home is to rush to the cellphone and find out how many missed calls and messages are being shown on the screens of our cells.

It must be said here that Nomophobia is a disease that afflicts the user of cellphones, quite impartially. It does not matter how many calls the afflicted person actually receives, or expects to receive, during the period he or she is separated from the phone. Nor is it necessary that the calls he gets be important ones. The middle aged woman, whose calls give her the latest low down on the town's gossip, is quite as likely to be afflicted with Nomophobia as is the doctor for whom it is imperative to be in touch with his seriously ill patients at all times. To its credit, Nomophobia makes no distinction of class or creed. With mobile penetration growing so rapidly in our country, and handsets now so affordable, many working class people are as addicted to their cellphones as are their middle class or rich counterparts.

Younger people are more likely to be afflicted with Nomophobia than are oldies. This is because a larger percentage of their lives has been lived in close proximity to their cellphones. Many of them seem to have a phone permanently stuck to their ears. It is amazing to see the way they conduct two conversations, simultaneously, with different people - one at the other end of the phone, the other standing before them. With this kind of dependency, it is no wonder that they suffer such acute withdrawal symptoms when, for some reason, they are out of mobile contact.

But it is also quite startling to see the attachment to cellphones that is prevalent among the older generation, as well. Considering that this gadget was an unknown in our lives even a decade ago, the huge role it plays now is astounding. The mobile charger is, for instance, the very first thing we pack on our out-of-town trips. Unthinkable that one should run out of juice for one's phone in mid-conversation while in a strange city! We check and recheck our bags and pockets to confirm that our cellphones are with us as we set out of the house. When airport security make it necessary for us to surrender, at least for a few minutes, our phones, we rush to retrieve them in a way that is actually quite at variance with the intrinsic worth of the gadget. That shows the extent to which we are afflicted with this phobia.

Talking of worth, it is interesting to see that most of us check our bags first for our phones, and only then for wallets containing cash and credit cards. Is this, then, a case of "He who steals my wallet steals trash…but he who steals my phone steals my phonebook, and hence all my business, official and personal relationships"? Hm. Perhaps!

Indeed, taking a flight provides an excellent opportunity to watch Nomophobia in full bloom. The plane is filled with people who resist switching off their cells right up to the last possible second. Many in fact sneakily keep their phones on, in silent mode, peeping into them every now and again to see if there are any new messages. They know that they are endangering their own lives, and those of their co-passengers and crew, by doing so. But it seems that they would rather risk their lives in an aircrash, than be out of mobile contact. Sometimes they forget to put their phone on silent mode. When their cellphone betrays them by ringing out loud and clear thirty thousand feet above the ground, they are not even abashed at the dressing down that the Chief Stewardess gives them. They are quite impervious, too, to the angry looks of their fellow travellers. It's all worth it, perhaps, in their book, for after all they could stay in mobile contact, at least for a bit, could they not?

In any case, nobody heeds the pleas of the cabin crew when they implore the passengers to switch on their cells only after the plane actually stops. As soon as the wheels touch the ground, much before the aircraft has actually rolled to a halt, people are busy informing their near and dear ones, via their phones, in loud tones, that they are now in such and such a place, and should be at home/the office/ hotel at such and such a time. Nomophobia strikes, again!

Till the other day, one needed two things to help one tide over a crisis: money and manpower. To those two Ms is now added a third: the Mobile. Having the wherewithal to make calls to those who can help us out when we are in a spot is indeed empowering. This is no doubt one of the reasons why we cling to our phones like babies hang on to their mothers, and why Nomophobia flourishes. We journey forth confidently - and alone - to strange cities, strange countries even, knowing that our many contacts are just a button away from our cells in a crisis. Thank goodness, then, for National and International Roaming, which sees to it that we do not need to succumb to Nomophobia while out of our hometowns.

We are a country of extremely talkative people. This is no doubt the reason why the growth of cellphone connections here is one of the highest in the world. All Things Considered, then, it is no wonder that Nomophobia flourishes among us! We already have the highest number of diabetics in the world. It would be interesting to know if we have now reached the state of being the country with the highest number as Nomophobics, as well!

MITRA PHUKAN