10 technology phobias you’ve probably never heard of

When was the last time you let your phone out of sight? Better yet, when was the last time it was out of your hand? We’ve become so addicted to technology that it’s a little frightening.

Enter: the rise of technology phobias. Move over arachnophobia, there are much edgier things to be scared of nowadays in our hyper-connected world. Sure, they’re not technically medical conditions, but we bet you didn’t know you had some of the phobias on the list: until now.

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1. Cyberphobia: Fear of computers

Nope (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

This is a straight-up, no-nonsense type of phobia. Computers are just not for you, no matter how shiny or sleek they are. See also telephonophobia: a fear of telephones.

2. Nomophobia: Fear of being without your phone

I lost my phone and I had a mini heart attack

— Itzel Elizarraraz (@Itzelelizar) September 12, 2016

This is the complete opposite of telephonophobia: You simply can’t be without your mobile phone. If you don’t have your mobile, how else will you scroll through Twitter, like your best friend’s Instagram post or potentially find true love on Tinder? The prospect makes all phone addicts shudder.

3. Selfiephobia: Fear of taking a selfie

Safe to say there are millions of Instagram users who do not have this fear, judging by our feeds.

4. Loremophobia: Fear of losing the remote

Where art thou? (Daniel Law/PA)

Okay, this isn’t a hugely new phobia, but it’s still technology-related. We’ve all been there: You settle down with your snacks to watch some football or Made In Chelsea, when panic strikes. You break into a cold sweat as you realise you have absolutely no idea where the remote is, and the TV’s stuck on the shopping channel.

Luckily, most of the time it’s just under the sofa or you’ve accidentally sat on it. Disaster averted.

5. Drosmartoiphobia: Fear of dropping your phone down the toilet

Trust me to drop my phone down the toilet 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

— Chloe (@chloe_keaney) September 22, 2016

This is another that is a bit too real for many of us. Don’t deny it, most of us take our phones with us when nature calls. If you’re in the middle of a Whatsapp conversation or scrolling through Instagram, you don’t want to suddenly break off, do you? That would just be rude.

(Manuel Faba Ortega/Thinkstock)

But this is riddled with dangers. One slip and your phone’s down the loo, and along with it your life (to be a touch melodramatic). A sub-phobia of this is drosmarturphobia – the fear of dropping your phone in the urinal. Gross.

Fun fact: if you drop your phone in the toilet it will in fact stop working.

— Ben Fugitt (@Ben_Fugitt) August 16, 2016

6. Foransequephobia: Fear of forgetting the answer to your secret question

Idk why I make secret questions if I forget my password because I NEVER remember the answer to my secret question 😂

— Payten Wilson✌ (@Payyyyyyyyy1) May 8, 2015

Security settings are great for stopping hackers, but what if you forget your password and get locked out yourself? The awkward moment when you can’t remember how to spell your mother’s maiden name, or where you actually went to nursery – sheer terror.

7. Formaspassphobia: Fear of forgetting your master password

When you forget your password so they send you a new one to your email but you forgot the password to your email too pic.twitter.com/ZEUCWHIHnB

— Noris 😎 (@iam_NORIS) August 26, 2016

It’s not like you can write down your password and leave it lying around for potential spies to see, so you have to remember it with (heaven forbid) your brain. Also, many of us have multiple master passwords – how do you remember which one is right?

I changed my Twitter password to “incorrect” so whenever I forget it, it will tell me “your password is incorrect”

— King Ginger (@Rylan_16) August 27, 2016

8. Expensivetechophobia: Fear of paying for an expensive technology you have little or no knowledge about

(Richard Vogel/AP)

We all want the latest, shiniest and best piece of kit, and this normally comes at a high price. But can you ascertain that it’s actually a good bit of tech, if all you know about it is that it’s a cute colour?

What’s worse is that most of us are too proud to actually ask an expert before shelling out the money, so it’s between trawling Internet reviews (boring) or just taking a gamble (dangerous).

9. Nointernetophobia: Fear of not having access to the internet

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There is nothing worse than having no signal when you simply have to post that perfect brunch picture on Instagram. When you’re on holiday, how quickly do you find out the wifi code wherever you go?

No one can betray me like my own wifi.

— Daddy (@Borgore) August 30, 2016

We thought so – it just goes to show we just can’t survive without an internet connection.

10. FOMO: Fear Of Missing Out

FOMO rules my entire life

— shelby daws (@daws_shelby) August 27, 2016

FOMO isn’t technically a tech phobia, but thanks to social media it’s become a much bigger problem than it used to be.

Think of how many parties you’ve stalked on Facebook wishing you were there, or how many times you’ve unwillingly dragged yourself out because you’re scared you’ll miss out on the Instagram snaps. A tragic part of everyday life.