title: "Nomophobia": impact of cell phone use interfering with symptoms and emotions of individuals with panic disorder compared with a control group.
abstract: Panic disorder refers to the frequent and recurring acute attacks of anxiety.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study describes the routine use of mobiles phones (MPs) and investigates the appearance of possible emotional alterations or symptoms related to their use in patients with panic disorder (PD).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  We compared patients with PD and agoraphobia being treated at the Panic and Respiration Laboratory of The Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to a control group of healthy volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  An MP-use questionnaire was administered to a consecutive sample of 50 patients and 70 controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  People with PD showed significant increases in anxiety, tachycardia, respiratory alterations, trembling, perspiration, panic, fear and depression related to the lack of an MP compared to the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both groups exhibited dependence on and were comforted by having an MP; however, people with PD and agoraphobia showed significantly more emotional alterations as well as intense physical and psychological symptoms when they were apart from or unable to use an MP compared to healthy volunteers.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Panic and Respiration, Institute of Psychiatry of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (IPUB/UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), Brazil;
authors.forename: Anna Lucia Spear
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Panic and Respiration, Institute of Psychiatry of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (IPUB/UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), Brazil;
authors.forename: Alexandre Martins
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Valença
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Panic and Respiration, Institute of Psychiatry of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (IPUB/UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), Brazil;
authors.forename: Adriana Cardoso
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Health psychologist. Psychotherapist. Researcher at Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Cagliari, Italy;
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sancassiani
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Panic and Respiration, Institute of Psychiatry of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (IPUB/UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), Brazil; ; Quiropraxia Program of Faculty of Health Sciences, Central University (UCEN), Santiago, Chile; ; Institute of Philosophy, Federal University of Uberlandia (IFILO/UFU), Minas Gerais, Brazil; ; Physical Activity Neuroscience Laboratory (LABNAF), Physical Activity Sciences Postgraduate Program of Salgado de Oliveira University (PPGCAF/UNIVERSO), Niterói, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Panic and Respiration, Institute of Psychiatry of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (IPUB/UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), Brazil;
authors.forename: Antonio Egidio
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Nardi
keywords: Anxiety; dependence; nomophobia; panic.