For many people, the mobile phone is like a fifth limb, something that they cannot do without, and in fact ringxiety has been likened to phantom limb syndrome, a psychological condition whereby amputees feel the sensation of a limb that no longer exists. Falsely perceived ringtones are sometimes likewise referred to as phantom (phone) rings.
Psychologists have even suggested that there might be a link between ringxiety and self-esteem. They claim that people are growing emotionally dependent on their phones for feelings of self-worth, so that when they hear an imaginary ring, it is their subconscious calculating how popular they are.