Controlling FOMO and Social Media-Induced Depression

Earlier this year, Oxford added the words “twerk”, “selfie”, and “FOMO” to its online dictionaries.  Even to a millennial, this influx of tween-age lingo creates an uncomfortable glimpse into the future of American linguistics.  However, the inclusion and acceptance of the word FOMO, or, Fear of Missing Out, is indicative of a very real and growing phenomenon of a relatively new study: the effects of social media (namely Facebook) induced depression.

Then VS Now

Growing up in the 21st century, the importance of self-presentation in a virtual reality was never taught as a subject in school, however, it was a facet of life that was developed and honed as such.  As a high schooler navigating the choppy waters of adolescent life and human socialization during the height of Facebook’s growth (and Myspace’s subsequent death), I experienced the development and evolution of what would become a “second skin” to much of the world’s population.  To myself and my peers, however, Facebook was nothing more than a way to reach out to friends after their parents had picked them up from school.  Today, an individual’s Facebook Timeline™  is a look into their accomplishments from both their professional and personal lives.

Is This Who I Am?

I first realized the impact Facebook had on my life when I became aware of the image I was projecting of myself online and the kind of effect that image could have on my life.  As a high schooler, I rarely thought of the way my Facebook Timeline would look 5-6 years down the line–and even less of the way my peers’ Timelines would look.  Six years ago my status updates would have read like the diary of a self-conscious teenager who worried about what she would look like standing next to her half-an-inch-shorter prom date (who ended up looking, like, totally shorter in the glamour photos).  Today, a typical status update is comprised of a tactfully thought-out and boastful, but not blatantly so, accomplishment or announcement deserving of congratulations, “likes”, or, most likely, contempt.  Why?  Well, that’s what Facebook is.  It banks on the idea that everyone is curious about each other’s life, and the idea that your life is deserving of others’ interests.  When you start the never-ending scroll, do you ever wonder what it is you’re looking for?  Well, Facebook thinks it knows the answer to that question.

Though the details of Facebook’s news feed algorithm are kept largely secret, the overall concept is easy to understand: each story is based on concepts which determine whether or not a story is seen by your friends.  As you can imagine, posts that receive many comments and likes will rise to the top of a news feed and be seen by a larger audience.  Posts that do not generate discussion will fall by the wayside.  This is where FOMO comes in.

Fear Of Missing Out

FOMO is a term that was coined in the early 21st century as a way to describe the social anxiety one may feel over a compulsive concern that they are missing an opportunity for social interaction, experience, or other leisure activity.  It is associated with the growth of modern technology and social media, which facilitate both the continued interaction of individuals and the availability of information and content updates.

BBC reports that in a recent study (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23709009), “Using Facebook can reduce young adults’ sense of well-being and satisfaction with life”.  The team that conducted the research found that the more participants used the site, the more their life satisfaction levels declined.  Much of this is attributable to the fact that people who use Facebook tend to post only about the positive aspects of their life.  Because of this, users will feel a sense of discomfort in comparing their own experiences, both positive and negative, with the perception that everyone is having a better time than they are.

In reality, their friends have simply cut out the negative aspects that they would rather not project.  This leads to unequal comparisons of overall life quality and enjoyment, leading some users to believe that they are missing out on the experiences their friends appear to be having.

Proactive Future

There are ways to prevent FOMO, the first being to give up Facebook altogether.  From the perspective of a perpetually plugged-in college student this concept seems absurd, akin to cutting off one’s own right arm.  Knowing the pervasiveness of Facebook in today’s era, a more feasible way to mediate the anxiety of FOMO is by limiting Facebook to small doses: Facebooking in moderation.  Features and tools like RescueTime (https://www.rescuetime.com/features) and StayFocused (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/stayfocusd/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji?hl=en) can help you with this process by restricting the time you spend on social media sites (hello, productivity!).

Once you learn to phase out the noise of others’ lives and begin to start living your own, you’ll realize that FOMO is something that you don’t need to be afraid of.  Rather than mope in front of the computer screen at the thought of others having a good time without your company, it’s easier (and better for you) to get out there and create adventures of your own.  Who knows, maybe you’ll have such a good time you’ll forget about Facebook altogether!

Felicia Ho
Project Manager