The invisible threat to every person’s health
A surprising new study reveals that the fear of losing a smartphone ranks nearly as stressful as facing a terrorist attack! The Physiological Society surveyed over 200 people, asking them to list life’s most nerve-wracking moments. Believe it or not, losing your phone came just below the fear of a heart attack and is on par with planning a wedding or moving house. Dr. Lucy Donaldson, chair of the Policy Committee, pointed out how modern stressors like social media and smartphones are reshaping what challenges us today. It seems technology isn’t just a convenience—it’s become an emotional crutch.
So, what are the psychological and physical impacts of our smartphone addictions, and why does losing a phone feel so stressful? Click through the gallery to find out.
The swift progress in technology has made many gadgets an integral part of our daily routines, with mobile phones leading the way. These devices have transitioned from being convenient tools to indispensable companions in communication, work, and leisure.
People are increasingly dedicating their time to scrolling through social media, juggling work emails, searching for solutions to everyday questions, or unwinding with games. These activities show just how deeply technology has embedded itself into our routines.
Exploring the evolving relationship between people and their smartphones sheds light on how these devices—and the companies behind them—are reshaping essential aspects of human life.
For countless users, the way we engage with smartphones has deeply altered our perception of what it means to inhabit and experience a human body. These devices have become extensions of ourselves, influencing how we connect, perform tasks, and even process the world around us.
Phantom sensations describe a curious phenomenon where individuals perceive feelings or sensations in a body part that is no longer physically present.
While many cultures have acknowledged phantom sensations throughout history, the phenomenon found its first formal documentation in Western medicine thanks to French barber-surgeon Ambroise Paré.
In his 1564 "Treatise on surgery", Paré detailed accounts of wounded soldiers who reported feeling pain in limbs that had been recently amputated. This milestone marked the beginning of scientific exploration into the curious interplay between body, mind, and sensation.
Phantom sensations encompass a broad range of experiences, from pain and tingling to itching and even the feeling of performing actions with a missing body part, like reaching for an object with an amputated arm.
The physiological mechanisms behind phantom sensations remain elusive, but researchers point to neuroplasticity as a possible explanation. This remarkable property of the nervous system enables it to adapt, reorganize, and learn in response to experiences or changes in the body.
Our nervous systems uphold body schemas—detailed mental models of our physical selves. These schemas are crafted and refined through constant sensory inputs, motor experiences, and feedback from the environment.
Body schemas allow the brain to maintain a flexible, internal map of the body’s structure and its ability to engage with the world around us. When a body part is lost, the nervous system must update the body schema to align with the body's new structure.
Recalibrating the body schema after losing a part is a challenging and gradual process. The nervous system must work to unlearn deeply rooted patterns that have been reinforced over years of experience.
During the adjustment period, individuals often experience phantom sensations tied to the missing body part. These sensations persist until the brain successfully reconfigures its internal model to reflect the body's updated spatial reality.
Most smartphone users would never consider their devices as artificial body parts, yet research findings reveal an intriguing phenomenon. Reports of phantom sensations suggest that our brains have adapted to perceive smartphones as lasting extensions of our physical selves.
Just as a person with limited vision can integrate a cane into their spatial and perceptual system, smartphones, through consistent and repetitive use, reshape how our brains work.
These devices forge new neural pathways and rewire networks, highlighting their profound impact on the way we perceive, interact with, and navigate the world.
Much like the nervous system seamlessly incorporates each limb into its mental model of the body’s structure and capabilities, it can also integrate smartphones into this schema.
Over time, smartphones become perceived as extensions of ourselves, influencing both our physical interactions and our sense of self in the modern world.
Simply put, humans may feel phantom sensations when separated from their smartphones because our nervous systems treat these devices as essential extensions of our bodies.
Smartphone-related phantom sensations reveal a fascinating biological trait shared by various species: the ability to deeply integrate tools into their spatial, cognitive, and perceptual framework.
This process, known as tool embodiment, demonstrates how organisms can adapt to perceive external objects as extensions of their own bodies.
Tool embodiment isn’t exclusive to smartphones or even to humans; it’s a trait observed across species. However, smartphones revolutionize this phenomenon by constantly connecting us to the internet, which acts as an external digital nervous system.
This connection augments users’ ability to transmit, perceive, process, and respond to information beyond the limits of our innate biological bodies.
The seamless integration of smartphones with the internet carries significant consequences for privacy and autonomy. It exposes users to ongoing, real-time feedback loops controlled by external entities, highlighting how this technological connectivity can simultaneously empower and limit individuals.
Many tech companies exploit this capability by deploying advanced algorithms to subtly influence our behaviors and perceptions. These carefully crafted strategies often prioritize corporate agendas, operating beneath the surface of users’ conscious awareness.
In a nutshell, smartphones have revolutionized human experience, shifting computing from an occasional task to an integral part of daily life. This transformation is so profound that some smartphone users report feeling phantom sensations when separated from their devices.
For many avid smartphone users, the influence of these devices can be concerning. However, simply giving them up isn’t a practical solution, as smartphones have become vital tools for accessing information, staying connected, and utilizing essential services.
Rather than abandoning smartphones, consumers should advocate for technology that truly serves humanity. By demanding human-centered designs, we can push tech companies to prioritize empowering users while safeguarding our autonomy, privacy, and identity.
As connectivity continues to shape our lives, the distinction between body and machine becomes increasingly unclear. Gaining a deeper understanding of this evolving relationship is essential to guiding the development of future technologies that will enrich our humanity, rather than diminish it.
Sources: (BBC) (Emerald Insight) (SAPIENS) (Medium)
See also: How your smartphone can lead to serious health problems
Phantom vibrations: why losing a smartphone feels so unsettling
What happens when we’re too connected to our phones?
HEALTH Digital Dependence
A surprising new study reveals that the fear of losing a smartphone ranks nearly as stressful as facing a terrorist attack! The Physiological Society surveyed over 200 people, asking them to list life’s most nerve-wracking moments. Believe it or not, losing your phone came just below the fear of a heart attack and is on par with planning a wedding or moving homes!
Dr. Lucy Donaldson, chair of the Policy Committee, pointed out how modern stressors like social media and smartphones are reshaping what challenges us today. It seems technology isn’t just a convenience—it’s become an emotional crutch.
So, what are the psychological and physical impacts of our smartphone addictions, and why does losing a phone feel so stressful? Click through the following gallery to find out.