What Is FOMO?

Have you ever wished you were at that concert where all of your friends are? Or felt anxious when seeing that your friends on instagram appear to be leading more interesting, and more fulfilling lives than you? Everybody has experienced this feeling, which is sometimes called Fomo or Fear of Missing Out. In this video I am going to explain exactly what fomo is, why it can be bad for people’s mental health, and what we can do to mitigate it and make people feel better.

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Fomo, or fear of missing out, is a feeling of anxiety that people sometimes get when they feel like they are missing an event or opportunity that they perceive others are making the most of. Studies have found that higher rates of fomo are linked to higher rates of social media usage and this can partly help to explain it. When people view their friends’ social media stories as opposed to encountering them on the street, they are often encountering a highlight reel of people’s lives- you’re hardly going to put your daily chores on social media, but you’ll probably put a picture of you at the eiffel tower. With social media, people also have the ability to portray the best version of themselves with filters, perfect camera angles etc.

Fomo is bad because it taps into our fight or flight instinct, causing our body to release stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol which in turn makes us think that missing out on something could be a threat to our lives. Studies have found that higher rates of fomo are linked to lower rates of life satisfaction. It is worth noting as well that Fomo relies on one of our worst emotions- envy. Being envious of others may make us dislike people or gossip about somebody, just because they overshare on facebook. Comparing ourselves to others and resultantly feeling inadequate also keeps us needlessly stressed out because we might be feeling like we need to copy or outdo somebody just to feel better about ourselves. Consequently, we might feel that we have to buy products that we don’t actually need, just to fit in, like fast fashion or the latest iPhone, which can be bad for the environment and a waste of our money. We might also refresh social media repetitively, leading to a circle of dependence, where we’re actually addicted to the thing that is bringing us sorrow.

Fomo can be mitigated by focusing on the things you have, and being grateful for these things. Yes you’re not at that party, but think of that friend you’re going to meet next week- or your favourite dinner that you’re having tonight. You could use a journal to record all the positive things you do and things you feel grateful for, as opposed to comparing yourselves with others on facebook or using it to brag when you’re feeling better about yourself. Another good thing to try is telling your friends that you feel grateful for their friendship, this is good because not only does it make you feel good but it also makes others feel good which in turn makes you feel good. Also here’s an idea, rather than looking at people’s stories on social media- message them directly- or even better- actually meet up with them? and when you do meet up with them, savour the moment and put your phone away! don't use facebook to compare, use it to plan get togethers. If you’re really struggling, maybe block people on social media who brag too much or delete your own social media. However the most important thing to note is that fomo affects everybody every now and again, so it’s nothing to feel guilty about.

Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRYEhroa19A_nOzpITRySJA2Ua9hoBQxzh7rUs1XeGrtyRMY2jsR0J1-zs5dW2UqilK0QcmL-lfKFUB/pub

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