Cell phone use becoming a major problem for some, expert says

For a growing number of people across the globe, the idea of being out of touch, even just for a 90-minute movie, is enough to induce anxiety, says a University of Florida psychologist who studies addictions to the Internet and other technologies.University of Florida News -- '' A Japanese study revealed that children with cell phones often dont make friends with their less tech-savvy peers. -- A Hungarian study found that three-fourths of children had mobile phones -- An Italian study showed that one quarter of adolescents owned multiple phones and many claimed to be somewhat addicted to them. -- A British study also recently found that 36 percent of college students surveyed said they could not get by without cell phones. But this may be more a sign that students view cell phones as a modern necessity like a car, said David Sheffield, a psychologist who conducted the study at Staffordshire University in England. The most shocking figure was that 7 percent said the use of mobile phones had caused them to lose a relationship or a job, Sheffield said.