How social media makes you suffer from FOMO

chauanh2604
Dec 8, 2021
5 min read

It is obvious that social media is a huge part of most people’s lives in today’s world. Social media is so common that it’s hard to find anyone without an account at least on one of the social media platforms, whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok. Despite their several advantages, one must keep in mind that they can be a double-edged sword. Many studies have convinced the strong link between heavy use of social media and an increased risk of mental health problems. Spending an excessive amount of time on social media can actually create FOMO as well as social anxiety.

But wait...have you ever heard of FOMO or Fear of Missing Out? What is it? How does it affect you? Why is it so dangerous? I’m pretty sure almost everyone has experienced the term at least once, perhaps in a magazine, a Facebook post, or in a Ted Talk video. However, not everyone completely aware of its signs and potential consequences in their life.

For my final task, I researched the relationship between social media and FOMO by comparing and collecting data from initial psychological studies. Based on the results, I created a series of metaphorical illustrations about FOMO which relates to social anxiety and social media engagement for the purpose of raising awareness of this phenomenon on people’s minds.

1. What is FOMO?

According to Cambridge Dictionary, FOMO is an abbreviation for “Fear of Missing Out”, an anxious feeling that you may miss exciting events that other people are going to, especially caused by things you see on social media.

Although FOMO has been around as a recognized phenomenon for a longer time before the birth of social media, networking sites such as Facebook and Instagram seem to exacerbate feelings that others are having more fun, living better lives, or experiencing better things than you are. It is not only the sense of envy but also “the worried feeling that you are missing out on something fundamentally important that others are experiencing right now”, as Verywellmind referred.

Let’s think about how we use social media. When users share things on networking sites, they naturally only post photos and videos that make it look like they are living an awesome and exciting life. And then, every time we go through your friend’s timeline, we’d think they are living the best life ever. This idea is best encapsulated by the following quote:

The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel. - Steve Furtick

So, we only see the positive perception of people’s lives and then compare them to our negative sides in life. That’s totally harmful for our mental health and may lead to other problematic behaviors as well as psychological issues.

2. The series of illustrations

Looking at these 4 drawings with 4 color and 4 main characters, you can clearly understand the general meaning of “Fear Of Missing Out” and its negative impacts. I chose the dark and monochromatic tones of colors for each drawing in order to create a very strong sense of depression, loneliness, and anxiety. I believe this dark color scheme can convey clearly and precisely the messages about FOMO and social media engagement to audiences.

Moreover, the use of square color scheme with four colors: blue-yellow-green-red is associated with a variety of individuals who are addicted to social networking sites and suffer from FOMO. This means that anyone in any gender or any age can experience FOMO. As several studies have found out, both “problematic” engagement in social media and smartphone usage were related to fear of missing out as well as negative effects on mood. Contrary to that, FOMO was also convinced to heavily link to the need to engage in social networking platforms. In other words, FOMO and social media habits may cause a negative, self-perpetuating cycle.

In addition, the main characters, also 4 young adults appearing with a sad tune on their faces emphasize that people between the ages of 18 and 33 are more likely to experience FOMO. According to a survey, two-thirds of people in this age group suffer from FOMO on a regular basis.

3. The dangers of FOMO on social media users

Due to the development of technology, the proportion of people suffering from FOMO has been increasing recently. It would not be an exaggeration to say that social networking sites create many opportunities for FOMO. It is clear to see that this phenomenon has been attributed to several negative psychological and behavioral effects on social media users, especially teens and young adults.

Stick to phone

The worry feeling that you may miss something important can compel you to pick up your phone every single minute to check for updates or response your friend's comments immediately. Spending an excessive amount of time on networking sites will lead to sleep deprivation, poor concentration and make you become a slave to your phone.

The sense of envy and anxiety

Maybe you're concerned about being left out of the conversation at school because of not keeping up with the latest news or gossip on social media. Or you could be worried you’ll lose a chance to attend a party or that other people are having a better time than you. Or perhaps you feel upset and envious when your colleague gets a promotion at work.

Low self-esteem

Comparing your normal life with other people’s highlight reels may evoke a sense of inferiority. Consequently, you have a tendency to judge as well as be so tough on yourself.

Be easily distracted

The constant alerts and notifications from social media platforms always suddenly come up while you’re working or studying. Those do not only affect your concentration but also reduce your productivity.

4. How to deal with FOMO?

Personally, I also used to struggle with FOMO and I knew that it’s hard to resolve this issue. We’ve already known that lessening or cutting back on social media use is the most effective solution. However, 30 minutes a day on networking sites may be an impossible target for many of us. So, here are some ways to curb this missing out feeling that I figured out from my experience:

Change your focus

Rather than noticing other people’s awesome life and keep worrying about their evaluation of what you lack, try focusing your attention inward. Let’s take a look at what you’re having right now, what achievements you’ve gained, and pride in yourself. Follow more positive people who inspire you and remove toxic ones who are not supportive of you and just show up too much.

Be honest to yourself and talk to your beloves

Accepting the feeling of depression, envy, and anxiety is one of the best ways to deal with FOMO. In other words, you need to understand yourself and recognize the FOMO signs first. Then, you can confide those uncomfortable emotions and thoughts to family members or best friends who you completely trust in. I’m sure that a call or a chat with them will lift your spirit and make you feel better.

Reflect and write daily journal

Don be too quick to judge! “Daily” does not completely mean that you must write down what’s going on in your life every single day. You don’t have to spend too much time reflecting because I know we’re all too busy with deadlines and school tasks. Every time you feel highly satisfied and grateful about the things that make your life great, you can privately share some images or write down your thoughts about that moment. Personally, I also write journals even when I feel depressed or overwhelmed because it helps me to release anxiety and stressful thoughts.

5. Conclusion

It is important to be aware of the symptoms and understand what FOMO really is in order to get out of it. I truly hope that my series of illustrations and this blog post will provide you with a better understanding of FOMO. If you feel you’re suffering from this phenomenon...don’t hesitate to try the tips above which may help you break the cycle of social media and FOMO.