Through social distancing mandates, lockdown measures, and restrictions on gatherings and services, the pandemic has brought about widespread changes to how modern societies function. And everyone has become more reliant on smartphones. One study found smartphone use increased by 70 percent during the first few months of the pandemic. And a recent Canadian survey found more than 40 percent of respondents are spending even more time on their phones this year. The reliance on digital technologies, including smartphones, has increased tremendously because of the need to do everything from home—working, studying, staying connected, reading the news, and interacting with services such as food and grocery delivery. The relationships we form with smartphones have recently become of interest to researchers, especially the potential negative impacts when it comes to overuse and attachment. One relationship in particular concerns the anxiety felt when people are unable to use or be in contact with …