What is FOMO & How do we get over this?

The “fear of missing out” refers to the feeling or perception that others are having more fun, living better lives, or experiencing better things than you are. It involves a deep sense of envy and affects self-esteem. It is often exacerbated by social media sites like Instagram and Facebook.

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Let’s take a look at Related Terms before diving

Inspired by FOMO, several other related concepts have also emerged:

• FOBO (Fear of Better Options): This refers to fearing that you are missing out on potentially better alternatives.

• MOMO (Mystery of Missing Out): This refers to fearing that you are missing out but not having any clues about what you’re missing out on.

• ROMO: (Reality of Missing Out): This refers to knowing that you aren’t missing out on anything.

• FOJI (Fear of Joining In): The fear of sharing things on social media but not garnering any response.

⭐ JOMO (Joy of Missing Out): This is the opposite of FOMO and refers to positive feelings about missing out or disconnecting from social media.

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Social media and other causes of FOMO

FOMO is due to emotions of tension across the concept that an attractive enjoyment or critical possibility is being neglected or taken away. FOMO is generated with the aid of using the amygdala — the part of the mind that detects whether or not or now no longer something is a hazard to survival. This part of the mind perceives the effect of being omitted as a hazard, growing strain and anxiety. Individuals might be much more likely to enjoy FOMO if they are already noticeably touchy about environmental threats. This consists of individuals who warfare with social anxiety, obsessive or compulsive behaviours — along with identified obsessive-compulsive disorder — or have a shape of the emotional trauma of their past.

Smartphones and social media have escalated the incidence of FOMO through growing conditions wherein customers continuously evaluate their lives to the idealized reports they see published online. apps and websites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat make it simpler to look at what different human beings are doing. The glamorized variations in their lives which are broadcast on functions like Instagram Stories or Facebook partitions alter a user`s experience of what’s regular and make them suppose they’re doing worse than their peers. People appear outward on the reports of others in place of inward on the tremendous matters of their lives.

However, the tension and dissatisfaction created through FOMO also can lead human beings to choose connection and interplay or to boom, their efforts to now no longer omit out through checking special social networking websites. Either way, human beings are led to return to social media and a dangerous circle is created. Therefore, social media is each a reason and an impact of FOMO.

FOMO marketing has emerged as a manner to trap customers to shop for sure merchandise or attend events. FOMO advertising triggers the customer`s worry of missing out with a view to encouraging them to take action. Some FOMO marketing strategies include:

• showing other people buying the products;
• displaying a clock counting down until the promotion expires;
• creating competition by revealing how many other people are looking at the deal and
• promoting experiences by showing actual proof of other people enjoying the event or product.

How to get over FOMO

The first step to defeating FOMO and growing lifestyles pleasure is to recognize what it’s miles and from which it comes. Once FOMO has been recognized, movements may be taken to dispose of it from a person`s lifestyle. Most tips for human beings searching to conquer FOMO include taking breaks from social media and paying extra interest to the instant and the encompassing human beings and environment. Being extra withinside the second gets rid of threats being perceived with the aid of using the amygdala and lessens strain and fear.

Other actions that could help alleviate FOMO include:

• Changing cognizance to what’s found in lifestyles rather than what’s lacking. This should consist of enhancing social media sites so more positive humans are acting withinside the feed than negative or simply more posts that generate happiness.
• Keeping a journal of amusing memories and experiences instead of posting the whole thing on social media. The magazine shifts the focus away from public validation to private admiration of what makes life great.
• Keeping a gratitude journal also can assist circulate cognizance toward the good stuff in lifestyles. It may also make it more difficult to sense dissatisfaction and insufficient as it forces the belief that lifestyles are already complete with awesome things.
• Seeking out real connections with people face-to-face or one-on-one. Making plans with friends and getting out of the house can instill a sense of belonging and reduce the feelings of missing out. Sending a direct message to a friend instead of a public post can also create a positive, intimate interaction that will increase feelings of connection and decrease FOMO.

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• FOMO starts with sadness.
• Social media makes it worse, not better. | Facebook isn’t evil — but relying on it for happiness is.
• Happiness is about attention. | Focus on the good and you will feel good.
• Gratitude is essential. | Imagine losing the things you’re lucky to have and you will appreciate them.

While FOMO marketing succeeds in getting people to buy more, it has a negative effect on consumers by triggering the depression and anxiety brought on by FOMO.

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Don’t become the “product” of brands.

Source: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov(detailed resource), time.com, techtarget.com