The FOMO Syndrome: The Fear Of Missing Out On Something

We are constantly interacting with others, both online and offline. With its wealth of information, thanks to modern technologies and social networks, the digital world has established itself as the central space for interactions. In this world, the FOMO syndrome or “Fear of missing out” develops, in German the fear of missing out on something.

FOMO syndrome is characterized by a social fear that, to be honest, has always existed: the fear of being left out. It’s that bitter feeling that we’re missing out on something that others enjoy. This feeling begins as a simple perception that grows and humiliates us so much that we feel the need to stay connected via our social media accounts so that we can really get everything.

“Let’s focus on being social, not on doing social.”

Jay Baer

Knowing that our friends are going to do something better than we already planned makes us feel like we are the ones who are losing. The feeling that their life is more interesting than ours. Thanks to smartphones and the speed of social networks, these feelings of alertness and fear have become an integral part of many people’s lives.

The cause of this phenomenon is the constant connection through the social networks. With the new technologies, this social anxiety reached new dimensions that require analysis by sociologists, psychologists, and even doctors.

So we can’t enjoy ourselves because others do too?

Let’s imagine the following scenario: We decide to stay home on a Saturday evening. We enjoy a good movie, a good book or a good conversation. Then we log into Facebook and see that a lot of our friends are doing cool things like exercising, traveling, or having a fancy dinner. When we feel bad about not being there, we fall into the trap of FOMO syndrome.

“It takes discipline not to let social networks steal your time.”

Alexis Ohanisch

We’ve all been scared at one point or another because we felt like we were missing out on something important. It is completely normal. It only becomes a problem when we feel like we can’t have fun (even if we do) just because other people are doing more exciting things at the moment.

We share the best aspects of our lives through social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, which has become overwhelming for some people: they always want what they can’t have. Their fear increases significantly when the thought that something is essential to their satisfaction is mixed with the constant fear that they are missing something important.

FOMO syndrome is becoming more and more common thanks to new technologies

As we mentioned earlier, the fear of missing out has always existed. However, thanks to smartphones and the omnipresence of social networks, it has become something else: a fundamental human motivation based on our need to belong.

Being part of a group is an important factor in social identity and a key component of our self-esteem. For this reason, social networks play a fundamental role in the current relationships between individuals. Thanks to new technologies , we are always informed about what others are doing. That is why we find out what we are missing much faster today. This is what really triggers FOMO syndrome, which makes us feel fearful, excluded, and rejected.

Are you familiar with that?