We all are addicted to social media to some extent. We constantly check our feed to know the new updates. There is no doubt that we enjoy scrolling social media, but you know being constantly active on social media increases the risk of anxiety and depression.
Have you ever felt sudden bouts of anxiety? Like when you’re enjoying scrolling and out of nowhere you start feeling bad for yourself.If you ever sat at home wondering what was missing, staring at the phone screen and waiting for the text or feeling frustrated just because you couldn’t make it to that trip your friends planned for.
These feelings of constant worry, apprehension and second guessing decisions could be described as fear of missing out aka FOMO.
Come and understand that what FOMO really is, its cause and effects on us.
FOMO: Understanding the concept
FOMO, or the fear of missing out, is the uneasiness or nervousness associated with missing out on things such as:
- Social events,
- Gatherings,
- The latest gossip or news.
If you’re suffering from FOMO, you might feel as though you’re not as up to date on social media and current events you feel, you should know.
FOMO can happen when you are not included in the recent social media trends, when you are not invited to a party, or when your coworkers go out after work without you. It can also be as simple as routinely checking your text messages. It could also appear as picking up your device immediately when you get the message or engaging in an activity while having a hectic day is likely to cause emotional exhaustion.
FOMO Causes:
FOMO may be caused by an inbuilt need for social interaction and a sense of belonging. Humans naturally need interpersonal relationships and a sense of belonging to something bigger than themselves.
An inability to feel these kinds of connections can be distressing on an emotional and physical level. This may have an impact on a person’s general functioning and well-being.
FOMO affects your well-being:
Your general well-being and health may be impacted by FOMO.Overcommitting to social events and activities in an attempt to prevent FOMO can have negative effects on your eating and sleeping patterns, which can result in:
- Fatigue and headaches,
- Feeling demotivated,
- Problems with work or school performance,
- And Boredom.
Feelings of loneliness or anxiety may be caused due to FOMO. You might experience self-critical thoughts like these when you have FOMO:
- “What happens if I don’t show up or if I miss something?”
- “Will missing the event result in negative talk about me?”
- “Will the fact that I’m not following a certain trend make people think less of me?”
This vicious cycle of anxious thoughts and the pressure to keep up may eventually lead to depressive symptoms.In an effort to fit in with the “cool” crowd or seem “in the know,” FOMO can also cause some people to do or say things they otherwise wouldn’t.
After discussing causes and affects of FOMO on us, it’s really important to talk about how one can over come from that fear. Don’t worry, Biz Iconic is here with some tips and trick to over come from the fear of missing out.
Tips to overcome FOMO:
1- Take it slowly. A lot of us tend to move more quickly than what is required or advantageous for us. Eat, drive, converse, make love, and perform other daily tasks with a sense of leisure. For self-support, it can be useful to put reminders of this intention in visible locations. “Slow down” was the only sign we ever had in our kitchen. It succeeded. Seeking assistance from other people can also be highly beneficial, especially from those you live with or have close relationships with.
2- Accept that you can’t have it all: There aren’t many needs. There are countless desires. It is far wiser to accept the fundamental futility of trying to satisfy every desire we have than to give in to all of our cravings for instant gratification. Setting some tasks as priorities helps us to let go of others. Establish your top priorities and give them your whole attention. The Latin word decidere, which means “to cut off,” is where the word decide originates. Setting priorities forces us to say no to other options, but it also allows us to focus more intently on the things that are important to us.
3- Develop the ability to figure out between what is genuinely necessary and important and what is merely desirable. Make the decision to let go of some things that don’t improve the quality of your life experience. Be prepared to turn down more requests. You’ll have more time as a result to dedicate to the deeply fulfilling experiences. Recall that more does not always equal better. Pay attention to the things that improve the calibre of your experiences rather than the number of them.
4- Prioritise the experience over the symbol. People that we look up to and maybe even envy will always exist. The phenomenon known as “the grass is greener on the other side” If we don’t take advantage of the chances we have in our own lives to have life-improving experiences, envy can quickly turn into frustration. We can distinguish between things that can bring us momentary pleasure and those that are genuinely fulfilling by focusing on the experience (a sense of accomplishment, adventure, connection, fun, self-respect, freedom) that lies beneath the object or symbol (wealth, marriage, a sports car, a luxurious home, etc.). Enjoyment is great, but when we become fixated on it, we lose sight of the deeper satisfaction that comes from taking care of our soul.
5- Everything at once. We don’t need to multitask just because people around us do. The results of psychologists’ experiments on the boundaries of multitasking since the 1990s are definitive: When asked to complete even very basic tasks simultaneously, subjects showed severe interference. Only one action request at a time can be processed by the human brain. “A mythical activity in which people believe they can perform two or more tasks simultaneously as effectively as one,” is how psychiatrist Edward M. Hallowell characterises multitasking.In addition to increasing the likelihood that they will produce a high-quality output, people who are fully committed to a single task are also far more satisfied with the work they are doing.
Know about us:
We in Biz Iconic, always try to share insightful articles which add values in your life and make your lifestyle better.