The dread or worry of not having a cell phone or of not being able to use one for whatever reason—such as a dead battery or lost signal—is known as nomophobia. The phrase is an acronym for “no mobile phone phobia.” It’s a relatively recent development that reflects how frequently people use cellphones for information, entertainment, communication, and other purposes in their everyday lives. Nomophobia symptoms include a reluctance to switch off or put away the phone, even in contexts when its usage is improper or disruptive, and feelings of fear or discomfort when separated from one’s phone.