A New Phobia for the Wireless Age

Word of Mouth intern Jacob Eaton has introduced us to a new phobia for the 21st Century: "Nomophobia" -- the fear of being out of cell phone contact.

According to this article in This Is London, British "experts" say "nomophobia 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."

It could be easy to dismiss this study as a headline-grabbing blip equivalent to Pet Rock research in the 1960s. But there is growing evidence that our fast-paced digital culture -- from Blackberries to blogging -- is adding stress to our lives.

Oh, and if you think you might suffer from Nomophobia, you're in good company. Comedian and commentator Mo Rocca recently addressed his own issues with the disorder on CBS Sunday Morning.

(Photo by Antonio Blay)