What is FOMO and How to Deal with it?

FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): The FOMO is an emotional response when we believe that people around us are living better and have a more satisfying life than us and we are missing out on important opportunities are known as FOMO (fear of missing out). Fomo often leads to a person feeling unease, dissatisfied, depressed stressed. In recent years, with the active use of social media, the FOMO word is much more in use now, especially amongst the millennial community(People born between 1980 and 1995). In this article, we will discuss the use of FOMO, the reason for it, and how to feel better without having the feeling of FOMO.

It’s essential to remember that most people experience FOMO feelings to a certain degree and at some time. This uncomfortable emotion is normal and it comes with the extensive use of social media, which is quite common. However, understanding the feeling and finding positive ways to deal with it can help us be happy and give us more satisfaction in our lives without thinking about what we might be missing out on.

FOMO

FOMO Word In use

FOMO involves negative affect from unmet social needs. It is a relatively new psychological phenomenon. It is a state of mind in which an individual feels a deeper sense of social inferiority, loneliness, or intense rage. It’s often seen how in today’s times, individuals are constantly looking out for better opportunities or trying to see what their peers are doing, there is a constant need for validation. People often doubt their intentions or are not sure as to what they are doing in their lives, whether are they on the right track, do they have to work more.

FOMO word is used to express

1. The feeling of missing out on things, accompanied by a compulsive behavior to maintain social connections
2. Considered a type of problematic attachment to social media & is associated with a range of negative life experiences & feelings, like lack of sleep, reduced life competency, emotional tension, negative effects on physical well-being, anxiety, a lack of emotional control; being closely connected to someone is possibly seen as a way to counter social rejection.

Social media and other causes of FOMO

It is seen that FOMO is caused by feelings of anxiety when one has a belief that they are missing out on an exciting opportunity. FoMO is generated by the amygdala (part of the brain) responsible for detecting what may or may not be a threat to survival. Amygdala creates the impression of being left out as a threat, leading to stress & anxiety. A person is more likely to experience FoMO if they are highly sensitive to environmental threats. This is seen especially among people struggling with social anxiety, obsessive or compulsive behaviors, or who have faced emotional trauma in their past.

Extensive use of smartphones and social media has increased the FoMO even more as it creates situations in which users are constantly comparing their lives to the idealized experiences they see posted online. By constantly being glued to their mobile screens, mindlessly scrolling individuals often want a lifestyle full of glamour that they view, they are left with a feeling of having less & not doing enough. They often seek approval through social media.

FOMO marketing is seen as a way how consumers are eager to buy certain products or attend events. It triggers the customer’s FOMO so that they can take action. Some FOMO marketing strategies include:

• Showing other people buying the products;
• Displaying a countdown until the promotion expires;
• Creating competition by showing how other people are getting the deal &
• Promoting an idea by showing proof of how other consumers are enjoying the event or product.

FOMO marketing succeeds as it leads people to buy more. But eventually, it affects consumers by causing depression & anxiety due to FOMO feelings.

Effects of FOMO

The effect of FOMO sometimes makes people restless and some people have doubts of they are missing something in their life.

Constantly checking the phone while at a movie, posting everything on social media & being restless if left without a phone are a few of the most visible effects of FoMO.

These visible effects of FoMO impact mental health. A person having FoMO constantly thinks about what others are doing, leading him/her to miss out on their own life. When a person is consumed with other people & their lives, they lose their sense of self & are unable to participate in the world as a real person.

FoMO is an emotion that is driven by thoughts, which may trigger something that might lead to a bigger problem.

How to get over FoMO

If you want to get over the feeling of FOMO we need to find out what is FOMO and how we can get over the feeling of FOMO. Once the reason for FOMO has been recognized, one can take actions to deal with how to prevent FOMO. Common suggestions for people looking to overcome FoMO deal with a digital detox, paying more attention to being in the present moment, and being connected to the people & environment surrounding us. By being present at the moment removes threats brought by the amygdala which lessens stress & fear.

Ways to prevent the feeling of FOMO

• Being focused on what we have in our lives instead of what we don’t have. This can be done by being surrounded by positive people & thoughts that make one happy.
• Maintaining a journal where we list our good memories & experiences instead of posting on social media. By keeping a journal our focus shifts away from public validation to private admiration of what makes life great.
• Keeping a gratitude journal can help as well by making us more focused on the good things in life. It will prevent dissatisfaction & feeling of being inadequate as we realize the importance of good things in our life.
• Making real connections with people face-to-face or on a one-on-one basis. Going out with friends & stepping out of the house makes us feel a sense of belonging & reduces the feelings of missing out. Instead of putting up a public post, sending a direct message to a close one can create a positive, intimate interaction that makes us feel more connected & decrease FoMO.

History of FOMO

FOMO (Fear of missing out) is a unique word that started to be in use in 2004 and has been extensively used since 2010 to describe a feeling on social networking sites. Dr. Dan Herman, a marketing strategist first studied FOMO in 1996. In 2004, Patrick McGinnis, a Harvard MBA student, published an article in the Harvard Business School student newspaper, The Harbus, called, “Social Theory at HBS: McGinnis’s Two FOs.” This is how the FoMO term became popular.

Earlier, McGinnis had called this emotion FoBO (fear of a better option). He & his friends had noticed how their peers had a hard time staying committed to plans & associated it with the increased awareness of mortality & need to live life to the fullest in the years following the 9/11 attack. However, they realized that the negativity wasn’t really about the fear of settling for something that might not be the best but was rather a fear of missing out on an unknown experience.  

Since then, this topic has been researched from time to time.

FoMO (Fear of Missing Out) – FAQs

What is the meaning of the FOMO Word?

Fomo is an internal emotion or feeling that makes a person to have the feel of something is missing out from their life. Often FOMO word is used extensively on social media to express their feeling that they are missing something from their life which other people have.

How is FOMO used in a sentence?

FoMO when used in a sentence, sounds like it’s some kind of negative condition one has or feels all of a sudden. For eg:- While FoMO has been a constant companion of mine, it has never been as strong as it is right now.

Where can I use FOMO?

FoMO is usually used to describe social situations especially the ones we aren’t able to experience like when you can’t go to a party or a picnic with your friends. But FoMO is also used to describe the fear of missing professional or “life” opportunities, like getting a degree, or getting a promotion. FoMO can be used to describe “serious,” non-social situations as well.

Is FOMO positive or negative?

FoMO involves negative affect from unmet social needs. It is a relatively new psychological phenomenon. It is a state of mind in which an individual feels a deeper sense of social inferiority, loneliness, or intense rage. If left unchecked, FoMO affects our mental health & can have negative life experiences & feelings, like sleeplessness, reduced life competency, emotional tension, negative effects on physical well-being, anxiety, a lack of emotional control; & being closely connected to someone is possibly seen as a way to counter social rejection.

What is FOMO on social media?

In today’s world of social media, FoMO has become more prevalent. Social media provides a situation in which we end up comparing our lives to others. Therefore, our sense of “normal” becomes specific & we feel we are not doing good in comparison to others. Social media creates a platform where everyone is constantly bragging about their lifestyle. People are comparing their best, picture-perfect experiences, which may lead one wondering what is lacking in our lives. We are in a constantly seeking validation.

Why do I have FOMO?

One may experience of FOMO is the anxiety or apprehension when we miss out on things like:

• social events
• gatherings
• the latest gossip or news

Experiencing FOMO makes one feel disconnected to the latest happenings & norms of society.

What is FOMO meaning in chat?

FOMO word is used to express a feeling of something is missing out from someone’s life. it is extensively used on social media.