FOMO syndrome: the rare feeling of "missing something"

The feeling of missing something or FOMO syndrome (fear of missing out) has been recognized by psychologists as a disorder produced by the advancement of technology and the number of options that are presented to us today. The cause of this phenomenon is to be continuously connected to the network.

What is FOMO Syndrome?

In previous articles of Psychology and Mind, we echoed the growing selfie phenomenon and we made reference to the importance of education to prevent the possible harmful use that we face because we are always connected.

The number of individuals they feel that their life is much less interesting than that of their acquaintances is growing. Wanting to be accepted by others has always existed, and it is logical since it refers to social identity. Nobody likes to feel left out. We usually function in society wanting to be recognized by the different groups of which we are part: our family, our childhood friends, college friends, co-workers, among others.

Social media and the FOMO

The social media they expose the variety of activities one could be doing at any given time and provide a multitude of opportunities for social interaction. The problem is that many times more options are presented than we can encompass and this can lead us to the perception that others are having better experiences than we are. In these cases, contact with reality is lost and it is the imagination that plays a determining role when interpreting what we see through these means.

Being connected 24 hours a day through our smartphones, this feeling can be experienced not only at various times a day, but with the different groups to which we belong. This can lead us to always be aware of this showcase to be able to stand out among our contacts and show the great social life we ​​have.

Research on FOMO Syndrome

Recently, Mylife.com published an interesting study by Dr. Andy Przybylski in which he investigated more than 2,000 adults in the United States on their ability to disconnect from their smartphones.

The study concluded that FOMO Syndrome has a higher intensity among young people and among young men in particular, and the high levels of this syndrome, positively correlate with social circumstances such as the low level of social satisfaction, which causes feelings of inferiority. Research suggests that FOMO can lead to mental health problems in people, as it can lead to depression or anxiety. Other previous studies conclude that individuals who give more value to social networks as part of their social development tend to experience more FOMO.

On social media we try to show how we want to be and not how we really are, being able to come to perceive that the life of others is free of problems and is much more interesting and exciting than ours. Social identity, especially in young people who live immersed in new technologies, is largely being created through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. It is clear that this new way of life is "shaping" in an alarming way, for better or for worse, the lives of adolescents.

In Context: FOMO Syndrome and the Technologized Society

Experts warn us that this syndrome is the consequence of a type of cognitive distortion leading to irrational thoughts. For people with a propensity for these types of thoughts, social networks can be harmful. Even so, they recommend that completely unplugging from social networks does not solve the problem since it is only a way to avoidance. The cognitive therapies Behavioral or other forms of psychotherapy can help correct negative thoughts.

As we have already commented in other articles, education is essential to prevent this type of pathologies associated with the use of new technologies and it must be done from an early age to equip minors with useful tools that allow them to maintain a strong self-esteem, despite external influences.

• More on this point: "Depersonalization and (in) communication in social networks"

Social networks are attractive because they represent a space where adolescents are protagonists and are a place ideal to interact with other groups of people who use their own language and share their tastes and interests. But as socializing agents that they are, they also transmit values. It is the task of adults to ensure that these young people understand the positive and negative consequences of their use.