September 27, 2026
FOMO: Why We Fear Missing Out and How to Deal With It
Your friends are at a concert; you're at home. The group chat is buzzing about an investment that's taking off, and you haven't bought in. A new trend appears, and it feels like everyone has tried it except you. That restless fear of being left behind is known as FOMO, the fear of missing out.
What FOMO is, according to psychology
Andrew Przybylski and colleagues (2013) defined FOMO as the anxiety that others are having rewarding experiences we're missing, paired with an urge to stay continually connected to what they're doing. Their research found FOMO was higher in people whose basic needs — feeling competent, feeling autonomous, and feeling connected to others — were less satisfied.
In other words, FOMO often isn't about the event, but about the need to feel part of something.
Why social media makes FOMO stronger
We used to hear about events we missed only when someone told us. Now it all plays out live: concert stories, holiday photos, screenshots of investment gains. The same research found that people high in FOMO checked social media more often — including while driving or when they should have been focused on studying.
The loop is clear: FOMO pushes us to open social media, and social media hands us more reasons to feel left out.
Signs of FOMO
- Struggling to enjoy your own moment because your mind is busy with what others are doing.
- Buying or investing to keep up out of fear of missing out, not because you need to.
- Checking your phone again and again so you don't miss any news.
- Saying yes to every invitation even when you're actually tired.
How to deal with FOMO
1. Cut exposure gradually. A study by Hunt and colleagues (2018) — titled, fittingly, No More FOMO — found that limiting social media to about 30 minutes a day for three weeks reduced loneliness and symptoms of depression.
2. Ask: what am I actually afraid of missing? The event, or the feeling of being accepted by the group? If what you need is closeness, reach out to one friend directly.
3. Practice JOMO, the _joy of missing out_. Consciously choose not to go, then enjoy what you chose instead: rest, time alone, or something small you love.
4. Pause before jumping in. For money decisions, wait 24 hours. If the urge fades, it was FOMO, not a need.
Learn what triggers your FOMO
Daily check-ins in rumputhijau help you catch the moments FOMO shows up and what set it off. If you've just finished scrolling and feel left behind, Latihan Reflektif helps you look at that comparison from a fairer angle.
References
- Przybylski, A. K., Murayama, K., DeHaan, C. R., & Gladwell, V. (2013). Motivational, emotional, and behavioral correlates of fear of missing out. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(4), 1841–1848.
- Hunt, M. G., Marx, R., Lipson, C., & Young, J. (2018). No more FOMO: Limiting social media decreases loneliness and depression. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 37(10), 751–768.