wacky wednesday - a good thing?

We have all experienced it. In the mad dash to get out the door, we leave our smartphone on the dresser, remembering it only after we are sitting in traffic on the freeway and reach for it to check on the traffic delay. And just like that, a feeling of doom and gloom hits.

And then the "What ifs" begin. What if I have a flat tire? What if Johnny gets sick at school and they try to call me? What if my boss emails that report to me? What if I need to call someone? No one remembers phone numbers anymore.

It turns out this phenomenon is a real thing called "smartphone separation anxiety." While not yet a disorder recognized by the medical community, independent research conducted in the U.S. (at the University of Missouri) and in Canada (at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario) concluded that smartphone separation caused increased perceived anxiety, blood pressure, heart rate and decreased cognitive ability in test subjects. The U.S. study focused on not having your smartphone available but knowing where it was while the Canadian study focused on separation due to loss or theft where security of personal information was at risk.

YouGov, a U.K.-based research organization, established a new category of addiction called "nomophobia" meaning the fear of being separated from your mobile phone. Its major symptoms are a compulsion to constantly check for text and email messages and to be available for any and every phone call. Other symptoms include anxiety, panic, sweating, shaking, increased heart rate and shallow rapid breathing.

So, how do we avoid these disorders? Researchers and behavioral health experts advise setting aside periods of time when you don't use your smartphone AT ALL - during meals, when visiting with friends, and when driving, for example. And they also recommend keeping your smartphone with you (and silenced) when you have detailed work to do (like taking a test or attending a meeting) so cognitive function doesn't suffer.

Marketing tells us that smartphones make our lives easier, less complicated and less stressful.

I wonder.