[rotorwrench]

I was diagnosed yesterday with Phantom Phone Syndrome. I'm wondering how many on this forum, especially longtime smartphone or powerusers, have developed it as well and undiagnosed or in denial. Apparently long term exposure to a smartphone against the body, especially in a holster on the hip is the culprit. I've been carrying a smartphone on my hip since the Treo600 days virtually 15 to 16 hours a day, all my waking hours, including weekends, as I'm on call 7 days a week.

This past week I've been on a project which precluded the carrying of a phone and after the second day, which is the longest I can remember going without a Treo or BB on my hip, I realized several times throughout the day I would catch myself reaching to answer my phone, which obviously wasn't there, but I was certain I felt it vibrating!! This continued for several days and I was becoming concerned. On more than one occasion I actually froze in mid grab for the ghost phone, looking at my right hip and thinking "This is nuts, I actually feel a buzzing where my phone would be but there's nothing there!"

Yesterday I was telling this to friend who is an orthopedic surgeon and he diagnosed me with Phantom Phone Syndrome, which is similar to Phantom Limb Syndrome, an illusion of feeling a limb that is no longer there, experienced by some amputees.

I'm curious how many other users have experienced this. It's outed now, so don't be ashamed to confront or acknowledge it. We're here for you. I'm starting a Phantom Phone Syndrome BBM group. You'll be welcome.

Joking aside, while the diagnosis was done tongue-in-cheek (he was laughing) this really happened. Anyone else experience this "phantom vibration" when you don't have your phone on?

[n3v3r_kw]

Yup it used to happen to me all the time, but for the last month I have not been wearing my phone on my hip, it sits on my desk most or the time now, and I have not experienced it in a few weeks.

[gebco]

*eyes tear up* I thought I was the only one!

Posted via CB10

[dangerousfen]

Yep, happens to me regularly. Glad I'm not the only one.

[TheScionicMan]

I've had bouts of it. I swear it went away when I switched from a GSM to a CDMA phone. Now I'm back to T-Mo...

Part of it (at least) is just getting used to something being in a certain place. I wear my sunglasses around my neck and have for years. On the rare occasions that I forget them, I constantly check and double-check for them. I probably reached for them 20 times in my hour and a half commute.

[rotorwrench]

I've had bouts of it. I swear it went away when I switched from a GSM to a CDMA phone. Now I'm back to T-Mo...

Part of it (at least) is just getting used to something being in a certain place. I wear my sunglasses around my neck and have for years. On the rare occasions that I forget them, I constantly check and double-check for them. I probably reached for them 20 times in my hour and a half commute.

I know what you mean about the sunglasses but that is more of a habitual issue, like when I forget I don't have my hat on and go to remove it, but in this case I would have sworn I was actually feeling a vibration on a number of occasions. Weird.

[amazinglygraceless]

I've seen this discussed over the years and although I have been phone user for a very long time, I can honestly say I have never experienced this.

[SunshineStateFlyer]

I've never experienced this since I barely use the vibration mode.

However, I'm suffering from serious "Phantom notification LED syndrome". I have my BlackBerry on my desk in an angle of my view and I constantly keep seeing the notification LED flashing. When I take a closer look at my phone there is maybe a 40% chance that it is really flashing.

Posted via CB10

[larry5]

Happens to me sometimes even when my phone is in my holster. I pull it out thinking it went off, and there's no message

[Patrick Pierobon]

Yup all habits to break. Your body gets accustomed to the phone vibrating every so many minutes. So its a natural reaction in the brain to check. Happens to all of us.