日常英語 恐懼離開手機的生活

It was a beautiful, sunny Saturday. I was going to meet an old university friend I hadn't seen for years, and was really excited to hear all his news.

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My train was running a little late, but that was no big problem - I could text him to say I would be delayed. He would understand. But… where was my mobile phone? I had that familiar sinking feeling. Yes, I'd forgotten it at home.

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No mobile phone. I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling anxious, on edge and worried when I don't have my phone with me. In fact, I know I'm not alone: two-thirds of us experience 'nomophobia', the fear of being out of mobile phone contact.

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That's according to a study from 2012 which surveyed 1,000 people in the UK about their relationship with mobile phones.

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It says we check our mobile phones 34 times a day, that women are more 'nomophobic' than men, and that 18-24 year-olds are the most likely to suffer fear of being without their mobiles: 77% of them say they are unable to be apart from their phones for more than a few minutes.