Do You Have FOMO?

I was an active kid, running at the speed of sound and light, rarely stopping to catch my breath. I attribute part of that to a diagnosis of asthma that I would not allow to slow me down. I felt a need to prove that I could keep up with my peers, not wanting to be thought of as weak. School, swim team, Girl Scouts, Hebrew School, volunteering, youth group as well as time with friends, kept me busy. Seems it was preparation for my current lifestyle. Nearing 60, I work as a therapist, journalist, minister, editor, teacher, speaker and facilitator. Add to it various volunteer activity, and a full, rich social life with family and friends and I sometimes feel like that wild child who had what is now referred to as FOMO. In a study called Motivational, emotional, and behavioral correlates of fear of missing out, it is defined as: “a pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent, FOMO is characterized by the desire to stay continually connected with what others are doing.”   Not wanting to demonize social media, since it has benefits of keeping people connected to the world around them and people with whom they might not otherwise speak or even meet, it can be a source of additional anxiety if users perceive others as having a more fulfilling life. Hard to tell, though whether accurate life events and emotions are portrayed online, or as an attempt to present a fantasy version of themselves. It may tie into the concept of im...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Habits Happiness Health-related Motivation and Inspiration Personal Technology Source Type: blogs