Technophobia: Causes, Symptoms, & Treatment

What Is Technophobia?

Technophobia is a type of specific phobia in which a person experiences an irrational fear towards new technology, including smartphones, computers, artificial intelligence, and other forms of modern devices and technologies. This aversion often affects people who lack knowledge or have misconceptions about technology. Paradoxically, as technology rapidly grows, so can someone’s technophobia, increasingly affecting them at work and personal lives.^1,2,3

Causes of Technophobia

Technophobia does not have an exact cause. However, it is believed that a combination of multiple factors, such as resistance to change, lack of confidence in digital skills, and misconceptions about the future perpetuated by popular culture.

Possible causes of technophobia include:

Fear of Change

Fear of change is a factor that may lead to technophobia. Our brains are not wired to readily acclimate to new ways of doing things. As creatures of habit, we find comfort in consistency. For many people, having to learn new programs or systems, adjust to new or upgraded machines, or worry about cyber-attacks can produce persistent feelings of anxiety and dread. Moreover, the fear of one day being replaced by artificial intelligence, particularly at work, further perpetuates cyberphobia.^2,3

Self-Doubt in Adulthood

It is generally believed that technophobia is more prominent in older adults due to aging and cognitive decline. While this may be true for some, aging or aging-related issues do not necessarily predict the development of technophobia. Instead, the fear of technology may be more closely related to the adult’s own anxieties and insecurities about being replaced, feeling useless, and having to rely on younger generations, which instills self-doubt about their competence and skills.^4,5

Popular Culture

As technology rapidly grows, technology-induced anxiety is often heightened by alarmist views depicted in popular culture, such as social media, sci-fi books, and blockbuster movies. These are generally fatalistic in nature and suggest that there is a “dark side” to technology. Doomsdays scenarios of technology “going wrong” or robots taking over the planet are a key component in fueling cyberphobia.^1,2

Symptoms of Technophobia

Those with a specific phobia like technophobia typically experience strong physical, cognitive, and behavioral responses to new technology. These reactions are similar to symptoms of anxiety or panic disorder and negatively impact overall wellness and functioning.^7,8,9 In instances of long-term sustained situational phobias, individuals tend to develop unhealthy avoidance coping mechanisms to deal with symptoms of technophobia. Unfortunately, avoidance usually feeds into anxiety and fear, therefore negatively impacting a person’s mental health, quality of life, and inhibiting autonomy, particularly in older adults.^4,6,7

Physical symptoms of technophobia may include:

• Rapid heartbeat
• Quick breathing or shortness of breath
• Dizziness or fainting
• Trembling or shaking
• Nausea, vomiting, and/or upset stomach
• Chest pain
• Sweating or chills
• Muscle tension

Below are common cognitive and behavioral symptoms of technophobia:^1,2,3,5 

• Excessive preoccupation with having to use new technology
• Avoidance behaviors (i.e., putting off the purchase or upgrade of a mobile phone or smart device)
• Refusing to use computers or smart devices
• Not engaging in any type of transactions online
• Criticizing modern technology or innovative changes
• In extreme cases, some people move to rural areas where there isn’t access to technology

How is Technophobia Diagnosed?

Technophobia is not recognized as a formal disorder, but it may fall under the category of specific phobias if it meets certain criteria outlined by the DSM-5. Generally, a trained mental health practitioner conducts a psychological assessment to determine a diagnosis; this typically measures severity of fear, responses to technology, history of symptoms, and assess factors for the development of technophobia.^8,9

The process to diagnose someone with technophobia typically includes:

• Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID): This contains a list of questions to assess the diagnostic criteria for a psychological disorder, such as specific phobias.
• Self-report questionnaires: This helps measure the severity of the fear and how it impacts a person’s mental state.
• Behavioral assessments: This includes behavioral observations, diaries, or behavioral approach testing (BAT), which involves exposing a client to their feared object or situation to assess their fear level and responses.
• Skills assessment: This can help determine the cause of the client’s technophobia.

Treatment for Technophobia

Many technophobes are aware that their fear is irrational, but may struggle reaching out for help, especially as phobias tend to worsen over time.^8,9 Phobia treatments typically works best in a structured environment, where a client can gradually and safely confront and extinguish their phobia. Medication for anxiety can also be helpful in alleviating symptoms triggered by technophobia, and often used in combination with psychotherapy.

Common treatment options for technophobia include:

Therapy

There are many effective interventions to treat specific phobias, including technophobia; these may be used by themselves or combined to create an eclectic therapy approach. Most fall under the umbrella of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), with an emphasis on in vivo exposure to the object or situation producing the phobia.^8,9 

Therapies for the treatment of technophobia may include:

• CBT
• Exposure Therapy
• Systematic Desensitization
• Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy

Medications

Medication alone cannot treat technophobia, but in conjunction with psychotherapy, it can help manage more severe symptoms. Medication for phobias is typically used short-term to treat symptoms associated with the phobia and help people to calmly work through the initial obstacles and triggers encountered in therapy.^8,9

Medications for the treatment of technophobia may include:

• Spend time in nature
• Journal

When to Get Professional Help

As we get older, it is normal to have a bit more trouble adapting to technology. Nevertheless, if you notice that this is becoming persistent, irrational, and interfering with your overall functioning, professional help is recommended. This includes psychotherapy, psychiatric help, support groups, and/or instruction. Therapy allows you to confront your fear in a safe space and identify ways to reframe cognitive distortions that often accompany technophobia. As a result, therapy can teach you coping skills to gradually conquer your fear of technology.^8,9

If you are interested in finding a therapist, consider asking your primary doctor to refer you to a mental health specialist or browsing  an online therapist directory. Although this may be a huge step for you, it is often the first step in confronting your technophobia.

Final Thoughts

Coping with your fear of technology can feel like an uphill battle. This phobia can prevent you from accessing innovative solutions that may make your life easier, including paying bills online, learning important information on the web, connecting with others via video calls, and advancing in your career. Luckily, with the appropriate guidance and resources, along with professional help, many individuals can overcome technophobia.