A British survey says 66 percent of people are afraid of being separated from cell phones. It's called Nomophobia, a fear that's growing, and more than likely, you're suffering from it.
It's name is a play on words for "no mobile" phobia, and Conway resident Alisha Lopez-Wilson lives with that fear everyday.
"It's my lifeline, literally, in every shape of the word," said Lopez-Wilson.
Lopez-Wilson has lost her cell phone four times in her life, and thinking about losing it again makes her lose sleep.
"If I don't have this, I'm a mess. That is not a joke."
What's not a joke are the situations Horry Telephone Cooperative customer service supervisor Kipp McDowell goes through everyday.
"We've had people who are in tears. We've had people who are yelling, upset," said McDowell. "We've had people that have threatened lawsuits."
McDowell said at least two to three people are frantically in need of a new phone a day.
He believes once people lose their cell phones, their minds automatically go to the worst possible thought because people originally used cell phones for emergencies only.
"Now, it's become entertainment. We use it for apps. All the other things we use it for," said McDowell. "But when we use it or it's gone, we always go back to that fear of what if i'm stranded. What if i can't get in touch."
"They can't do without it," said Coastal Carolina University Social Psychologist Dr. Tony Albiniak. "That is the heart of addiction, in the chemical sense."
The warning signs of Nomophobia include never turning off your phone, obsessively checking for missed calls or texts and always checking your phone, even in the bathroom.
