Kjellquist Blog

Disconnect anxiety is described in a new report by Solutions Research Group as “…various feelings of disorientation and nervousness experienced when a person is deprived of Internet or wireless access for a period of time.” Sound familiar? Well, according to the report 68% of us suffer at least a little, and 27% are nervous wrecks.
It’s no surprise that work related issues are a major contributor to this anxiety. From the study –

“Computers and technology may make our lives easier
from some aspects, but they have also caused us to place
urgency on everything, and I always feel rushed. Before
computers, if you wanted to communicate with someone, you sent them a
letter, and received a reply a week or two later. Now, with email, you send one
out today, and you expect a reply by the next day, later the same day, or even
within minutes.”
In addition, our research suggests that people begin to crave the idea of access to the world
of information, almost as much as the messages themselves. Being plugged in validates
your importance.
“I think between leaving the house and getting to work I probably check my
BlackBerry about 10 times, and that’s on the subway…it’s just the driven high stress
world that we live in, managing issues, needing to stay on top of things.”

According to the report –

63% of BlackBerry users who used their device in the washroom in the past
37% % of laptop owners who use their laptops “frequently” in the bedroom

Of course for the younger crowd staying connected (and resulting anxiety if disconnected) is a major social thing. Long gone from the scene is the argument with a teenager over an extension phone in the bedroom (yes, I’m that old!). Now it’s texting…

74% of Americans 12-24 year olds text on their cell phones regularly
the average 12-24 year old has 178 friends on MySpace and 158 on Facebook

“Normally before eight o’clock in the morning you haven’t talked to your friends so
the fact that now you are already corresponding before you even get to class and
see people—you know you are in your PJs with your toothbrush hanging out and
you are already talking to your friends. That’s pretty diff erent from 2005 I guess.“

“My cell phone is my social life. Getting calls from friends, text messaging about the night’s plans. My
whole summer is detailed in pictures on my phone. If I forget it at home I’m going nuts wondering
what’s going on, what I’m missing. It’s my social life.”

Some personal observations and admissions. Am I a sufferer, yes but not in most of the ways described in the report. Constant cell phone connection crackBerry or other? – no. E-mail (daily) mildly. I do like at least daily checks and frequently more often. Internet connectivity – major sufferer! I crave the ability to check information that just happens to come up. We live in such a sound bite world that I get VERY annoyed when only half (or much less) of a topic is presented. Googling for more info is essential. For me, frequent checking of my favorite newsfeeds is also a habit. So, I admit it; I’m an anxiety sufferer.

Update – 3-23-2008
Even Dilbert suffers disconnect anxiety! At least I’m not considering carving a canoe.