The feeling of being worried that others surrounding you are having more fun, experiencing better opportunities or living a better life is something we all have experienced: FOMO, which stands for fear of missing out. There are too many times to count when FOMO has occurred, whether you simply end up going to a party because your friends are there or start wishing you were on vacation while seeing someone’s Instagram post about their luxurious getaway, fear of missing out can take a toll on well-being more than you would realize. 

Experiences of FOMO can happen to anyone, regardless of age or gender, and now, it is happening more frequently due to social media. The vicious cycle of doom scrolling convinces people that their lives are not as grand as everyone else’s being displayed online. Social media is one of the main causes of FOMO because it causes an overall lack of self esteem. 

FOMO is a leading factor to experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression and making bad decisions due to peer pressure. This happens the most in adolescents and young adults because their brains are not fully developed yet, so they are not considering the true consequences of their actions. According to studies, “FOMO has also been linked to distracted driving, which in some cases can be deadly.” FOMO should be taken into consideration by knowing the signs and being aware of how to resolve these feelings because it can impact anyone’s life if they get too severe. 

Fortunately, there are some tips and tricks on how to minimize the dreadful feeling of FOMO. This feeling stems from the fact that people want validation that their lives are  up to par or satisfactory  to others. The start of getting rid of FOMO is changing your mindset by remembering the positive aspects of your life. There is a reason why we all do not live the same life— because if we did, it would not be as special. We can adopt a new mindset by expressing gratitude through  journaling and self reflection. As previously mentioned, FOMO is mostly influenced by social media, so contemplating a social media detox is not a bad idea. The key solution to FOMO is making genuine connections with others. It may take time to “find your people,” but it will be rewarding to discover a sense of belonging through others caring about you. 

There is no need to feel embarrassed with yourself or with your lifestyle if you are experiencing FOMO. This feeling is completely normal and it can be difficult to improve your mental state with society creating standards of what you should and should not be. Most importantly, life is a gift, and it is your choice on how you perceive it.

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Hi! I’m Kayla Friedman, A Magazine’s editor-in-chief. My staff and I are committed to bringing you the most important and entertaining news from the realms of fashion, beauty and culture. We are full-time students and hard-working journalists. While we get support from the student media fee and earned revenue such as advertising, both of those continue to decline. Your generous gift of any amount will help enhance our student experience as we grow into working professionals. Please go here to donate to A Magazine.