FOMO — Fear of Missing Out. How Does It Affect Your Life?

What is FOMO?

FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is the pervasive feeling that other people are doing something wonderful right now — and you're missing it. It's not simple envy. It's an anxiety that drives compulsive phone checking, scrolling social media at 2 a.m., and a sense that something is lacking even when your life is objectively fine.

Andrew Przybylski and colleagues (2013) at Oxford created the first scientific FOMO scale and defined it as "a pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent".

Why is FOMO so common?

Social media as a catalyst

FOMO existed before Instagram — but social platforms have amplified it many times over. You see carefully selected best moments from hundreds of people's lives at once. Your brain compares their "highlight reel" with your "behind the scenes".

Basic psychological needs

Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan) suggests that FOMO intensifies when three basic needs are not met:

• Competence — the sense that you're coping
• Autonomy — the sense of control over your own life
• Relatedness — the sense of being part of a group

The less these needs are met, the stronger the FOMO.

FOMO's impact on mental health

Research consistently links high FOMO with:

• Lower life satisfaction
• Worse mood and higher anxiety
• Problematic smartphone use
• Sleep disruption (scrolling before bed)
• Lower academic performance (in students)

How to cope with FOMO

1. Identify your triggers — which apps or situations amplify your FOMO?
2. Limit your exposure — set time limits for social media
3. Practice JOMO (Joy of Missing Out) — consciously enjoy what you're doing NOW
4. Invest in real relationships — one deep conversation with one person > 100 Instagram stories
5. Work on your core needs — competence, autonomy, relatedness

Take the free FOMO Test at PsychoProfil.pl — 10 questions, instant results, check your level of fear of missing out.