FOMO - The Fear of Missing Out!
The New Lifestyle Disorder!!!
What is FOMO?
FOMO is the fear of missing out on something more interesting or more exciting than what we are doing right now. There is a fear that something might be happening while we are busy in our real life.
FOMO is a social disorder that causes anxiety at not being able to decide which of multiple equally fun-sounding events to be a part of.
FOMO is both an addiction and a phobia. We may suffer from it and not even realize it.
FOMO happens when we invalidate the experience we're having because we're obsessed with the ones we're not having.
FOMO victims are always stressed about what they are missing rather than enjoying what they have in hand.
Remember - The more we fear it, the more we tend to miss out.
FOMO Symptoms
· Texting while sitting in your car at the red light of an intersection
· Checking your Twitter stream while out for coffee with a friend
· Answering your cell phone when you are eating dinner with family members
· Checking our social networks in a coffee shop with a friend
Reasons of suffering with FOMO
Strong urge to stay connected with our friends, be it while driving, working, eating, and even while in bed.
We don't want to be alone, and the feeling is so intense that even when we have decided to disconnect, we decide to check with our online presence just to make sure we stay updated.
When we see pictures of our friends having fun at a party that we didn't attend, we go through these emotions wherein we feel left out…
People are always looking for some kind of action. They want a higher level of acceptance in social circumstances and want to be seen as someone who has multiple contacts, which is a sign of affluence and control. When someone misses a particular party, they end up making several calls to find out what happened at the party as they feel left out.
This happens when there is extreme dependence on external approval.
Social media and FOMO
Social media acts as a fuel on FOMO's fire
But what's bad for individuals may just be good for Facebook: People high in FOMO were also more likely to use social media, seemingly driven by a need to see what's going on when they're not around.
So people are glued to their smartphones, obsessively checking mails, WhatsApping, BBMing, texting, or posting on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or individual blogs.
These people are always attuned to the outside world and fear that others are having better experiences.
This is indeed one disorder that we can blame on fast-advancing technology.
As people post their minute-by-minute activities, thoughts, spotlight moments and achievements on social networking sites, it causes envy and restless inadequacy amongst others.
Often we go to bed in deep distress after a session on Facebook. The fact that I’m sitting up in bed on social networking sites makes me feel like such a loser compared to friends tweeting photos from holidays or from happening bars or parties where they are rubbing shoulders with the best.
We need to understand that people exaggerate on social networking sites because everyone wants to project their best side to the world. In that sense, what people with FOMO hanker for isn’t even real.
When Envy Works
In a controlled environment FOMO can be very motivating and encouraging to keep us connected to other people and ideas.
We should use our FOMO as a catalyst to set realistic goals. We can use what other people are doing as inspiration.
Our goal is to let FOMO inspire us to live better, not let it ruin our fun.
FOMO-Free
Let’s promise to each other that as we read this article we will be FOMO-free.
· We will not worry about what others are doing.
· We will not get stressed about what else we could be doing.
· We will not worry about our friends who didn’t accept our friend invite on FB.
· We will take time away from social media. Doing so will allow us more time to focus on work, household tasks, and activities with family and friends.
· Let other people in your social media networks know when you are busy to help lower your feelings of being overwhelmed. This will help manage expectations of your followers and they will appreciate your honesty. You let them know that your absences are not personal and are instead about prioritization.
Let’s turn the fear of missing out within and figure out what we would most like to do for our own selves, independent of others.
What is it that enhances life for us?
What gives us a feeling of completion and satisfaction?
Let us focus on our own bucket list, rather than on fake ones created by others!
Let’s identify our PURPOSE OF LIFE and work on to achieve the same.
find purpose of life
find purpose of life
