Published: 11 Feb 2024, 16:43 pm IST

Smartphones are handy devices meant to simplify communication and life. These can also double up as fitness trackers. But smartphone addiction cannot be healthy for anyone. If you notice dropping phone battery battery levels and feel a wave of anxiety in the pit of your stomach, you may be suffering from phone battery anxiety or low battery anxiety.

Health shots got in touch with psychiatrist Dr Shivangini Singh to understand what is low battery anxiety, and how to deal with it.

What is low battery anxiety?

Low Battery Anxiety refers to the overwhelming panic and fear that you get when the battery on your smartphone runs out and, hence, your life is governed by your phone’s needs rather than your own needs. The scientific terminology used for this is Nomophobia or “No mobile phone phobia” which is used to describe a psychological condition when people fear being detached from mobile phone connectivity.

Common symptoms of low battery anxiety

The symptoms of low battery anxiety usually occur as soon as battery levels start dipping below 50 percent. Some of the common symptoms include:

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1. Feeling worried or anxious
2. Feeling disconnected and helpless while having a low battery
3. Having a Fear of missing out (FOMO) on important updates
4. Frequently checking battery levels
5. Continuous search for charging points limiting your movement and productivity

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How to deal with low battery anxiety?

Anxiety is nothing but a form of perceived threat that our mind fears. There isn’t any form of anxiety that can’t be dealt with, and here are some ways to deal with low battery anxiety.

1. Try reducing phone dependence

We have all become so dependent on our phones for even trivial things like keeping notes or setting reminders that it feels hard to fathom a life without a phone. Some of ways in which you can distract yourself with better things to reduce phone dependence include:

• Engage more in outdoor activities and face-to-face communication
• Use screen timing apps for regulated use
• When off work, take a complete break from phone usage and engage in other media of entertainment such as television, music or reading.

2. Optimizing phone usage patterns

To minimize battery loss, users can optimize their phone usage patterns. Certain functions that they do not utilize can be disabled. Additionally, turn down the screen’s brightness and use fewer apps.

3. Relying on dependable charging solutions

It isn’t always easy to carry a wired phone charger with you. So, users can instead invest in other more reliable charging solutions. Consumers can invest money on more dependable charging solutions like vehicle chargers or portable power banks.

4. Advanced planning

New phones always tend to have a long battery life. However, as our phone grows old, it tends to get dead often. “If users know that their phone’s battery life is short, they can plan to carry a portable charger. They can also charge their phone before leaving the house.