A new survey in the US has found that about two thirds of the people tested suffered from the phenomenon of "ringxiety" — hearing the mobile phone ring or feeling it vibrate when it is not actually ringing.
The study, conducted by David Laramie of the Wright Institute in Los Angeles, found that the more frequent a person used phone the more often he or she reported hearing a phantom ring.
Out of all the participants, aged 18-26 years, 67 per cent had higher monthly charges and so used more minutes, sent more text messages, and showed higher levels of impulsivity.
The study also revealed that some people relied on their mobile phones in order to regulate their moods and maintain social connectedness.
People who showed higher levels of loneliness, social anxiety, and problem phone use were the ones who preferred using phones for text messaging rather than talking.