If you’re sitting outside, close your eyes and turn your attention to the sounds around you or the feeling of the sun and wind. If you’re eating food, put away your phone, slow down, and savor the taste and smell. Do this for a few minutes, gently nudging your attention back to your senses when your thoughts begin to wander. If you’re constantly checking your phone to look at notifications from friends, you’ll have a harder time focusing on tasks in front of you. In attempting to multitask, you may end up making more mistakes. It may seem hard at first to take a social media break—maybe social media is the first thing we turn to on our phone or computer, but believe me, taking a break from social media is worth it.

As one researcher put it, social media “creates distorted perceptions of edited lives of others.” Suddenly, your own life feels a bit bland. FOMO, or the fear of missing out, is the fear or belief (often triggered by social media) that other people are having more fun, success, love, money, or other enjoyable things compared to you. You may believe they’re having more experiences than you are or just living a better life overall. If you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, or some other mental health issue, consider looking into local support groups or group therapy options. You may even be able to find groups for issues like smartphone and internet addiction. To limit the temptation to check your phone, leave it in a different room while you’re eating dinner or doing homework, for example.

By following accounts that inspire, educate, and reflect real-life experiences, you can minimize the impact of idealized relationships and reduce FOMO. People tend to post about their best moments and accomplishments, and they often avoid sharing their struggles or challenges. This can lead us to believe that other people’s relationships are perfect, when in reality, all relationships have their ups and downs. These comparisons can lead to feelings of inadequacy and the fear that your own relationship is not measuring up to the carefully selected highlights of ‎vimeo create video editor on the app store others.

The Psychology Behind FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)

The internet and social media certainly provide tons of options in various areas – whether it’s about things to do, or buy, or people to date. Fear of better options, or FOBO, is when you’re unable to make a choice because you’re afraid something (or someone!) better might come along. When we fear that we are missing out on opportunities, we’ll be also more likely to struggle to say no and over-commit our time. When people over extend themselves by not saying “no” to invites, opportunities or excessive social media use, the time poverty that results can erode wellbeing. Completely unplugging may not always be necessary to cultivate jomo.

Stop for a moment and acknowledge when you are having a feeling of FOMO. Understand that this is a natural (although undesirable) way of reacting in a certain situation. We all wish we could say “yes” all the time, but we’re only human. Alternatively, social media can be used as a de facto salve for those who intensely fear missing out, as they might feel it is a low-risk way to connect with others and to keep tabs on their activities. This includes taking the time to focus on yourself, what you are feeling, and what you are doing in the present moment. Developing offline hobbies as a couple not only reduces your reliance on social media but adds excitement and variety to your relationship.

Psychology and FOMO

Or perhaps you take classes to become a better cook or painter. Consider removing social media apps from your phone so you can’t access them with a single tap. Whether they come in the form of sounds, vibrations, or visual cues on your screen, notifications serve to pull your attention away from whatever you’re doing.

• Learning new skills reminds you that you’re capable of growth, boosting your self-esteem.
• A skilled therapist, either in-person or via an online therapy platform, can work with you to identify what’s behind your FOMO and how you can go about changing your behaviors in a healthy manner.
• Please donate today to help us save, support, and change lives.
• In the late 1800s, postcards were the preferred way to brag about your summer travel.
• Meaning, what you see online never paints a full picture of what’s really happening.

You’ll want to consider what’s driving your fear of missing out, what’s consuming your attention, and areas you’d rather focus on. Fear of missing out (FOMO) is a unique term introduced in 2004 to describe a phenomenon observed on social networking sites. By suspending negative judgments of your life, you begin to realize that your life is sufficient as it is. There is no reason for you to compare what you enjoy doing to what someone else enjoys doing. The funny thing about life is we all think the grass is greener on the other side.

The Impact of Procrastination on Productivity

Perhaps you’re worried that your relationships how to sell your bitcoin from wallet exodus buy bitcoin to transfer will only survive if you continually share or engage with other people’s posts. Maybe you fear that you’ll miss an invitation to an impromptu hangout or fall behind on news or gossip if you don’t check social media. One study found shy and depressive individuals benefited from increased social media use and online relationships.

If you are experiencing FOMO regularly, there are ways to overcome it. With the prevalence of social media, individuals are constantly exposed to carefully curated glimpses of others’ lives, often highlighting the positive aspects of their relationships. This exposure can exacerbate FOMO, promote unrealistic comparisons, and intensify feelings of inadequacy, leading to dissatisfaction with one’s own relationship. Sometimes, the fear of missing out can even affect your mental and physical well-being. Feeling like you’re always missing out on things can create anxiety and worsen feelings of loneliness and depression. Studies show that social media and anxiety have a tight relationship.

Temporarily remove those apps, set daily limits on how much you will use them, or cull your feel to remove people who make you feel bad about yourself or your life. They also tend to be at an age where they are particularly vulnerable to comparing themselves unfavorably to their peers. As a result, FOMO can have a powerful and often devastating impact on teenagers who spend a great deal of time on social media.

People share only the highlight reels of their lives on social media, making others feel how to buy global token exchange stock their lives are less exciting (Przybylski et al., 2013). If your fear of missing out has severely affected your day-to-day life and functioning, therapy may be a good option to help you regain clarity and balance. Putting your phone down and spending time with loved ones face-to-face can be a great way to re-center your most important relationships.

You might sit alone, feeling envious about how much fun others are having as you scroll through your feed, only to later realize how much time has passed you by. Sure, social media will display plenty of positive pictures and people traveling, but it’s also that person’s highlight reel. In other words, it doesn’t show the person smiling through gritted teeth because they don’t want to be there. It doesn’t show the happy couple on social media losing their baggage or feeling sick.

It is not the quantity but the quality of experiences that matters. Life’s greatest joys are often found in the simplest of moments shared with people who truly know and love us. Millions of readers rely on HelpGuide.org for free, evidence-based resources to understand and navigate mental health challenges.