![]() How much FOMO we experience is shaped by our negative life experiences and unmet social needs. In this case, nothing matches up, doubt descends, and you follow everyone else. Rather than priorities important personal goals, we may pursue lesser and unhealthier priorities. FOMO can distort this process and make it harder to accurately evaluate one’s current situation. When these do not line up, we may feel uncomfortable. ![]() Cybernetic process model: Our brains are constantly sizing up our options and comparing them to our goals or expectations for a situation. And learning to choose well in a world of unlimited possibilities is harder still-perhaps too hard.” 5 Did our choice make us miss out on something else? This theory is explored in psychologist Barry Schwartz’s book, The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less. Too many choices: Having lots of options seems like a good thing-until we start obsessing over whether we made the right decision. When they are not, our motivation and sense of well-being slack. When these are met, our self-motivation and mental health thrive. It suggests that each person is motivated by 3 innate psychological needs: competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Self-determination theory: This approach studies human motivation and personality. A number of other theories are applied to FOMO. It is thought to trigger 2 processes: the feeling or perception that one is missing out and a compulsive desire to continually track what others are doing. These feelings are deeply rooted in our need to belong and connect with others.įOMO preys on low self-esteem, loneliness, and fear of social exclusion, and it can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression. 3 It is natural to compare ourselves to others and even to experience envy. In fact, studies indicate that the same amount of FOMO occurs whether you hear about a missed event from a friend or from an online post. Of course, the feelings associated with FOMO existed long before social media. In 2013, FOMO was defined as a “pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent.” 2 It is associated with lack of sleep, reduced life competency, emotional tension, negatively affected physical well-being, anxiety, and a lack of emotional control ( Table). The term was first coined in 2004, when image-based platforms gave us a highly visual peek into people’s lives. It can also be applied to other aspects of life outside of social media use. 1 Yet, we continue to post and engage.įOMO is often associated with social media because it is linked to higher levels of engagement and problematic attachment. Not surprisingly, about 73% of those surveyed also said they find vacation posts annoying. Another 10% do it to make others feel jealous. Before long, we are spending more time on social media with the intention of confirming our deepest insecurities.Īs the summer travel season winds down, patients and clinicians alike could use a gentle reminder to question how we use social media and to put boundaries in place to resist the pitfalls of FOMO.Īccording to a 2017 survey, 21% of individuals said they post vacation updates on social media just so they can show off. We cannot help but compare and keep score. Perhaps our posts do not get as many likes. What we start to notice is that we are conspicuously absent from all the fun. We may see an image of friends enjoying an activity together or of the perfect family taking the vacation we have always wanted. This is when we are most vulnerable to the sticky trap of FOMO: the fear of missing out. It is easy for hours to slip by as we scroll through the lives of others. ![]() Today, social media continues to feed our need to live vicariously through others-except now we can tap into the lives of hundreds of other people whenever we want. ![]() In the 1980s and ‘90s, Polaroids gave us instant access to memorable moments. A polite inquiry into a host’s vacation over dinner might have resulted in hastily dimmed lights and an hourlong presentation. In the 1960s, these were replaced with slide carousels and projectors. In the late 1800s, postcards were the preferred way to brag about your summer travel. ![]()
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