FOMO (Fear of missing out)
FOMO or fear of missing out first coined by McGinni in 2004 and added to Oxford English Dictionary in 2013.
FOMO is defined as the feeling of anxiety or apprehension over the possibility of not being included in an exciting event.
Indeed, it came into being when social media like Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, etc. were born.
People who were once trying to keep up with a handful of neighbors, now trying to keep up with hundreds or even thousands of social media friends, followers, trends, new gossip, and so on.
It is not clear to researchers whether social media is responsible for creating feelings of FOMO Or if it simply makes it easier for people to be involved in it.
According to a 2013 study published in Computers in human behavior, people with a high degree of FOMO feel:-
Less competent
Less autonomous
Less connected in their daily lives
Problems that people face due to FOMO are mainly:-
Decreased self-esteem
Less satisfied with what they have
Self-doubt
Increase screen time
Psychological issues
Stress to keep themselves on the same page as others are
This can lead to anxiety and restlessness which affects anyone mentally. So there is a need to overcome this for which various steps can be taken such as:-
Limit your social media intake
Spend time around positive and supportive people
Remind yourself social media is airbrushed
Be grateful, believe in yourself, and don't let materialistic things affect your mental health
Practice meditation
Seek out real connections and do exercise and spend time around nature
Don't even compare anything based on what you see on social media