What is FOMO and when can it become a serious problem?

Novelty is associated with pleasure. Notifications that jump on the mobile phone are based around social networks and scroll to it. But this dopamine rush in the brain is linked to others Less pleasant feelings. One of them is FOMO, an acronym that translates as fear of missing out. In 2004, author Patrick J. McGuinness term FOMO (fear of missing out) to describe the fear an individual may feel that they are missing out on certain information, events, or experiences that could improve their life. “This fear leads to increased consumption of content in media and social networks, with the goal of being aware of what is happening in their environment,” explains Oliver Serrano, a psychologist and digital communications consultant.

FOMO makes a person question their own decisions. For example, someone who decided to stay home of their own volition might feel tired from watching content on social media about how their friends are having a good time at dinner. This can provoke a series of unpleasant feelings and make you think that you did not make a good decision. This term was born in connection with technologies and is used to refer to People who suffer from anxiety Fear of missing out results in an event that generates positive experiences for the rest of the people,” shares Teresa Sanchez Gutierrez, Psychologist and Director of “University Expert in Technological Addiction” at the International University of La Rioja (UNIR) and researcher in UNIR’s Psychonline Group.

Why does FOMO appear?

The core of this experience is nothing new and is based on the concept of group belonging and social exclusion. In a way, there is a need for you to be part of all conversations and to be in all places. “If several events coincide on the same day, and at overlapping times, people with FOMO will want to attend all of them and do everything they can, even if it is in short periods of time and at the cost of accessing only a portion of the information,” he suggests. Sanchez.

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This phenomenon finds its utmost importance in the digital world: “In social networks, they need to be up to date on trends, with products that relevant leaders consider essential,” continues the researcher.

fumo worry

Anxiety is one of the main outcomes for someone who suffers from this fear of losing something. “Anxiety is the central difficulty for people with FOMO. In general, there is an onset condition that involves low self-esteem Relying on the evaluation of others. For this reason, the person feels obligated to be present in all events related to his social area, because, otherwise, he considers himself to be losing value”, suggests Sanchez.

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Although RRSS is designed to carry out several activities at the same time, this approach at the cognitive level has undesirable consequences for humans. This scenario invites you to live in multitasking mode, something that raises stress levels and fuels anxiety at the thought of missing something. “Anxiety will arise when I interpret it, since my abilities do not allow me to process information in parallel because my memory is saturated, I will cease to consider me, influence others, or even exist for them.” Sanchez adds.

When FOMO is a problem

The increase in the time of consumption on social networks has led to the elevation of FOMO into the category of psychopathology. “The emergence of FOMO can cause real relationships to be ignored, altering the default interaction, with a significant decrease in emotional well-being and the emergence of feelings of insecurity, avoidance and irritability in the face of real activities. In severe cases, symptoms of anxiety and, in many cases, depression appear”, shares Serrano .

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For his part, Sanchez cautions, “this sensation can be considered so problematic that it is clinically significant to the person.” One of its manifestations is the misuse of technology. Both experts insist that a psychologist should be consulted if this situation is found to be affecting behaviour, personal relationships or work.

avoid fear

To prevent the fear of losing something out of control, it is important to reduce the use of social networks and the ability to detach from them. “That is, limit its use by accompanying it with activities that include maintaining contact with reality,” Sanchez advises. Likewise, it is important to contextualize the content being consumed. “Keep in mind that what social networks show is only a small part of other people’s lives. Usually people post only the positive part, but the reality is more complex ”, concludes Serrano.