How do I know if I have a FOMO problem?

You may have never heard of FOMO (Fear of missing out, fear of losing something that happens), but you have probably felt it at some point. occasion, since it is more and more common that it happens in the digital age, where we receive the information ASAP (As soon as possible, the sooner possible). In fact, statistics indicate that most people have experienced FOMO at some time and that approximately 70% of young people experience it at least once a month.

Seen like this, "I have FOMO?" It is the natural question that we can ask ourselves in this circumstance, which is why it is important to identify the keys to this problem and, in the event that it becomes palpable, how to find a solution.

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Origins: Where does FOMO come from?

Let's take a historical perspective, beyond the social networks that have caused an outbreak of concern as a latent and chronic problem in society. To fully understand where it comes from we must focus on the human psyche.

As gregarious beings, we have social tendencies that have been valuable for the survival of the human species. These trends can be summarized in two: the desire for group permanence and the need for information, or curiosity. The first is given by the need to remain in a group, the second has earned us as explorers to know and learn new things. useful strategies to survive, also to transmit this information in order to perpetuate ourselves as a species, making life more comfortable. The form of transmission of information began to be oral, from information carried by word of mouth to writing with print and currently through a combination of both: digital media, from a YouTube channel to a Blog.

We are continuously connected and informed of what is happening in the environment, which is why we are allowed to participate in events, raffles and other social activities. At the same time, the fears of knowing that so much happens in our environment that we do not give enough to receive and process so much information appear and that is when that feeling of fear of missing out on something important that may be happening.

Therefore, FOMO is not an exclusive sensation of our time, it has been present as a human concern but nowadays We are aware that we could have all the information at our fingertips but we do not have the necessary resources to manage it.

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Do I have FOMO?

It is possible that you present FOMO in the event that you inevitably spend all day on Instagram, facebook, the whatsapp or tik tok status, comparing your life with that of the other people you follow on the networks social. Frequently, people with FOMO find themselves browsing the profiles of family, friends or influencers, observing what they do, eat, cook, the number of children they have, how they dress, what they get and ultimately what they show us.

If the fact of verifying that you cannot attend that concert in your city, for which all your contacts have a ticket, or that you cannot leave looking at linkedIn in case that job offer that you have been waiting for months comes out, it causes you anxiety and agitation, it is possible that you are suffering from FOMO. You can also have this problem, if when you enter a piece of news, you search for more and more about it, or you check the trends and fashions of digital magazines over and over again.

You probably have FOMO when feeling jealous because you would like to be able to travel to that destination where your neighbor has gone, if he wants the same car that your cousin has and you think that they are doing better, because he has experiences and possessions that you want and do not have. In short, if your emotional well-being is diminished by your desire to have what the people who appear on your social networks have.

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To what extent can this problem affect me?

The consequences of FOMO are extensive, but the emotional exhaustion they produce can be highlighted, since we are constantly worried about not missing anything of the latest happening, when in reality this information is useful limited. On the other hand, focusing on what you do not have can result in losing the here and now, that is, the awareness of what is happening in the present of our own lives. It can also damage our selfconceptSince not what one owns is insufficient, as well as relationships with third parties by generating resentment for what they have.

To minimize the consequences of FOMO we can carry out small actions such as limiting our exposure time to social networks, thinking positively about what we have and what we have achieved in our lives, setting goals for what we want to do and who we want to become, as well as how to meditate and focus on our own self care.

Should I go to therapy for FOMO?

Although the OMO itself does not appear in the diagnostic manuals of psychiatry and clinical psychology, it can give lead to behavioral dynamics harmful enough to be a reason to attend therapy. In addition, on many occasions, this kind of dependence on the use of digital platforms "in the cloud" hides forms of discomfort behind it. emotions that are masked by such routine actions as "scrolling" through Instagram or Twitter as a way of escaping from present.

As a conclusion, FOMO can affect our lives in a negative way, so It is important to have strategies to control these actions and thoughts, and in the event that it is necessary because it causes us a lot of discomfort we must go to a professional. If you notice that this problem affects you too much, please contact me; I can assist you and make my experience as a psychologist specialized in clinical psychology available to you.