Nomophobia or smartphone addiction affects 80% of Swiss people

Monday 11th November 2024 06:36 PM

A new study reveals that smartphone addiction is growing in Switzerland and affecting more and more individuals, across all social classes.

Although it is not yet officially recognized, smartphone addiction is growing strongly and creating stressful situations among a large part of the population; almost 40% of the Swiss population is said to present “obvious signs of smartphone addiction, sometimes pronounced.”

A new Comparis study focuses on the phenomenon of nomophobia (from the English No Mobile Phobia) and the results are worrying, particularly for the mental health of young French-speaking Swiss. Thus, 16-35 year olds are particularly affected by excessive smartphone use:

“In this age group, 54% clearly suffer from nomophobia, with symptoms sometimes pronounced. Only 14% can do without their cell phone without any problem. Among those over 55, on the other hand, 38% are impervious to smartphone addiction.”

Comparis

In total, 77% of Swiss people show signs of nomophobia

This fear, which in the most severe cases can lead to anxiety disorders, manifests itself in different ways, as indicated by the people surveyed by Comparis:

Most often, they said they check their device several times a day to make sure they haven’t missed any messages,
Next comes the mention of a feeling of stress in the absence of the smartphone,
In third place among the most frequent responses comes the feeling of agitation at the very idea of not having your cell phone with you for at least a day,
Likewise, they develop anxiety when the device battery drains.

Families, the first victims of smartphones

If young people are vulnerable, everyone can develop this nomophobia, in particular, because everyone needs a smartphone for the most diverse activities: paying for a croissant at the bakery or at the Coop, showing their CFF subscription, checking the time or consult the media and social networks.

An interesting element that the study that Comparis reveals is the high prevalence of this new phobia among families with three or more members. Thus, people suffering from it are more numerous in this latter group than individuals living alone or couples without children. Jean-Claude Frick, digital expert for Comparis, explains the phenomenon at work and its probable cause:

“Within families, smartphone dependence is often higher, because parents and their children share the need to be contactable and have access to information. In addition, during adolescence, young people rub off on their parents when it comes to their smartphone use. Thus, certain objects go from paper to digital, like the family calendar formerly hung on the wall.

French-speaking Switzerland particularly affected

The representative survey carried out by the online comparator reveals significant differences between the different linguistic regions of Switzerland since in French-speaking Switzerland “47% of the population present at least obvious signs of nomophobia”, whereas in German-speaking Switzerland this rate reached 37%.

Which seems to indicate a correlation between these new data and the fact that digitalization is more developed in Romandie, as noted in the Digimonitor Study on the use of media in Switzerland, which notably included the use of streaming or even networks social:

“French-speaking Switzerland is also in the lead for the use of social media and games”

Comparis again notes a contrast between the countryside and the urban areas of the country:

“In rural areas, 28% of people surveyed can do without their cell phone without any problem (compared to only 19% of city dwellers”