Ways to Come Out from Phubbing: A Social Allergen and a Digital Disease

Abstract

Smartphone usage especially among adolescents and young adults has increased drastically and this popularization of smartphones and internet addiction have led to a digital disease called Phubbing. It is the act of snubbing or ignoring interlocutors by looking at phone instead of paying attention to them. People who phub (often called “phubbers”) Glance at their phones in the middle of a conversation, keep Checking their phones when the conversation stalls, keep their phone close by even during in -person interactions and interrupt a real-life conversation to attend phone calls.  They are unmindful of cell phone etiquettes. The addiction is due to FOMO (fear of missing out), emotional dependence. They don’t want to miss a single update or text as every pop up raises their dopamine levels which make them feel good. It is high time that we realise the detrimental consequences of digital diseases and start rejuvenating our social relations and interactions. Many times, it is the root cause of conflict as our loved ones feel ignored, ostricized and unwanted due to our immersion in e world. It is in this backdrop that the present study was carried to highlight the causes, ramifications and remedies for phubbing suggested by Cyber psychologists, researchers and social scientists.