Anxiety Without Connection: 21st Century Disease

Disputes about the painful attachment to the Internet were transferred from the humorous sections of newspapers to the pages of serious scientific journals on psychiatry. Although this disease is not officially recognized and not listed in medical reference books, a number of scientists put forward serious arguments that the disease exists. More precisely, this phenomenon can indeed be called a disease. Now he came up with a new definition: an alarming state without a connection (disconnect anxiety). The term can also be translated as pointless alarm when disconnecting.

A new study from the Solutions Research Group ( PDF ) showed that 27% of the US population is experiencing strong pointless alarm when disconnected from the network or in the absence of a mobile phone. Another 41% experience such anxiety from time to time, and only 32% experience very little anxiety or do not experience it at all. At the same time, “diseases” are more often affected by younger patients, and after 50 years, it practically does not occur.

It turns out that two-thirds of the population suffer from the disease, and young people - almost without exception. A natural question arises: perhaps in this case such a state can be considered normal? And the calm of the remaining 32% of the population is some kind of anomalous condition that can be treated? Experts can not yet decide.