FOMO Syndrome: feeling that other people’s lives are more interesting

The feeling of "missing out" when browsing social networks has a name.

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

What is FOMO Syndrome?

In previous articles of Psychology and Mindwe echoed the growing phenomenon of selfies and referred to the importance of education to prevent the possible harmful use we face by being always connected.

The number of individuals who feel feel that their lives are much less interesting than those of their acquaintances is growing.. The desire to be accepted by others has always existed, and it is something logical since it refers to social identity. No one likes to feel excluded. We tend to 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 networks and FOMO

Social networks expose the variety of activities that one could be doing at any given moment and provide a multitude of opportunities for social interaction. The problem is that many times more options are presented than we are able to cover and this can lead to the perception that others are having better experiences than us.. In these cases, we lose touch with reality and it is our imagination that plays a determining role in interpreting what we see through these media.

As we stay connected 24 hours a day through our smartphones, we can smartphonesThis feeling can be experienced not only at various times of the day, but with the different groups to which we belong. This can lead us to be always aware of this showcase in order 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 U.S. adults on their ability to disconnect from their smartphones.

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

In social networks we try to show how we want to be and not how we are in reality.In social networks we try to show how we want to be and not how we really are, and we may perceive that the lives of others are free of problems and are much more interesting and exciting than our own. Social identity, especially in young people who live immersed in new technologies, is being created in large part through Facebook, Twitter, Instragram, etc. It is clear that this new way of life is "shaping" in an alarming way, either for better or for worse, the lives of adolescents.

In Context: FOMO Syndrome and the Technologized Society

Experts warn us that this syndrome is a consequence of a type of cognitive distortion that is cognitive distortion that leads to irrational thoughts. For people prone to this type of thinking, social networks can be harmful. Even so, they recommend that unplugging completely from social networks does not solve the problem as it is only a form of avoidance. Cognitive behavioral therapies or other forms of psychotherapy can help correct negative thoughts.

As we have discussed in other articles education is basic to prevent this type of pathologies associated with the use of new technologies and should be done from an early age to prevent this type of pathologies. and should be done from an early age to provide children 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 are a space where teenagers are protagonists and an ideal place to interact with other groups of people who use their own language and share their tastes and interests. But as the 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.