If you’re anything like me, then you are probably reading this in an anxious state, overthinking the possible outcomes of next Friday night. The first thing I’d tell you is to chill. The second is that you have a serious illness…the prognosis looks like FOMO. Luckily for you, it’s curable.Â
What is FOMO?
What is the fear of missing out, a term widely known by its 2004 acronym, FOMO? According to professionals at the National Library of Medicine, FOMO is a social networking behavior where you fear that others, often in your friend group, are having rewarding experiences without you. It can occur in short episodes or prolonged periods and lead to feelings of social inadequacy. These feelings are on the rise, and their effects have been seen largely in younger generations, despite constant interaction through social media. Regardless of why you have FOMO, what can we do about it?Â
Bye-bye, Fomo
As a retired FOMO warrior, it turns out there’s a lot we can do to help ourselves get out of this social cycle of despair. My advice, while not grounded in any research, has worked well for me. When we are struck with these feelings, we need to be realistic. This means that our friends don’t need to invite us to everything. It is incredibly healthy to have friendships that include separate activities and interests. Always start by checking your inward projections at the door. Don’t let negative past experiences ruin new friendships.Â
Next, please, please, please get off social media. I am not saying to delete your Instagram or put a screen time lock on Yik Yak, but genuinely take some time away from being on your phone. In high school, my biggest enemy was Snapchat. The constant private stories and notifications made me feel like I was always behind on inside jokes. I realized the simple step of turning off my notifications has freed me from those feelings. I still go on and rant about life on my private story, but I am not constantly checking for responses. It’s the little things that can have a huge positive impact.
The next step might seem counterintuitive, but go out and do things alone. Our generation fears being alone so much, and I get it. It is terrifying, at first, to learn to exist completely alone when, naturally, we are social beings. However, I have learned that being alone is great in the long term, mentally and socially. I usually spend one weekend night a week doing something that means staying in alone. That can be a movie and self-care, or even crafting while listening to a podcast. It has improved my view on my friendships and shown me that I can enjoy not going out, especially if the main motivator is that I fear my friends won’t like me or forget my existence if I don’t.
This all being said, FOMO is often an inward feeling; if you’re genuinely finding yourself isolated and in distress, please reach out to a mental health provider, or for immediate mental health care, the UMass Center for Counseling and Psychology Hotline at 413-545-HELP (4357).Â
Can’t get enough of HC UMass Amherst? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, listen to us on Spotify, like us on Facebook, and read our latest Tweets! Â