Editor's note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
Social media has given us access to view what everyone is doing 24/7, and while this can be a good way to stay in touch with friends, it can also negatively affect our mental health and daily lives.
It’s no secret that social media has been a prevalent factor within the past decade and has created a plethora of terminologies with its existence.
One terminology that is often emphasized on social media is FOMO or the “Fear of Missing Out.” The term first appeared in 2000, coined by Harvard University graduate Patrick J. McGinnis.
Originally used as a means to describe business endeavors, FOMO made its way to the Internet and popular culture, where the term was then altered to fit a different context.
FOMO, in the sense of social media, can be described as the feeling that others are partaking in more exciting endeavors and living better lives than you are.
For example, a lot of people will be said to experience “FOMO” if they are at home and see what their friends are out for the night, via a social media network. This could trigger feelings of regret for not going out or just feeling excluded, in general.
The phrase, however, can also be used in a sense that someone, perhaps wealthier than you, is experiencing life in a different, more exciting way that causes this feeling of missing out in the greater sense of living life.
Unfortunately, while the term is catchy, it’s a term that should be taken a bit more seriously when looking at its effects.
The fear of missing out is usually rooted in jealousy and can even cause issues that intertwine with social anxiety, in some cases.
Very Well Mind even states that FOMO can cause high levels of stress and can be directly linked to lower life satisfaction.
It’s especially important to learn how to handle feelings of FOMO because social media and social networking are going to be around for an extremely long time, if not forever.
The most important thing to remember when you find yourself experiencing FOMO is to change your perspective. Find time to take a step back and remember that everyone is just choosing to show their “highlight reel” on social media. This essentially means that although someone may appear to be having a fun night out on the town, it could be very possible that they had wished they stayed home that night.
Not everything on social media is as it seems and the fear of missing out relies heavily on that to make an individual feel as though they are lacking something.
While FOMO may be around for a long time, the feeling of FOMO is essentially temporary and can be experienced by all, which in itself is a comforting reminder that you are enough.
