I don't know about you, but I've experienced a lot of situations where I've been away from social media for more than three hours, and I always have this twinge of dread and desperation to get back and check on what I've missed. Yeah, maybe it's a tad strange and a little bit pathetic (hey, at least I can admit it), but this is our society nowadays. But why is that? Why the anxiety? Why the fear of missing out? Why the jealousy? And why the need to post practically every little thing? All of our generations -- especially the millennial generation, which I am a part of -- rely so much on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. So much so, it truly consumes us in ways that we wouldn't think possible. I love technology and social media in general just as much as the next person. But I have to say, as addicting and fascinating as it may be, it's also quite dangerous in it's own little ways.
One this is for sure, when it comes to social media: sensory overload. And man, can it be overwhelming or what?
For starters, you've must have heard of the acronym, FOMO. According to Urban Dictionary, FOMO stands for "the fear of missing out," and how you're afraid of missing out on something exciting. This is where social media comes into play, and trust me, it is a giant part of good old FOMO. Say you're going through everyone Snapchat stories, and about 80 percent of them are filled with parties, traveling, best friends and just plain good times. And meanwhile, you're sitting at home feeling like a loser because you are not taking part in any of these things. It especially hurts when it involves people that you're friends with, and you naturally think to yourself, "Well, alright. I must be a loser then if they didn't invite me." And you're pretty sure you're going to hear all about their exciting adventures. So you pity yourself a little bit. We've all felt this from time to time, and I truly believe that it's exceeding, especially with the constant use of technology and it's progression.
Another thing about social media, especially Facebook, are the things that people are posting. Pictures, statuses, relationship changes, the whole nine yards. I know how dreadful I get when I see someone traveling and they post a gazillion photos onto their wall. Or what about that "in a relationship" change that seems to spam your News Feed? Of course, I'm not saying we all have to be downers, but it's natural to feel jealous. But here's the thing, not everything is happy go lucky on the other side of the screen. Would people be posting about that fight they had with their significant other or a family member? No. What about the personal issues one has with another person? No way. Say something traumatizing happened to you? Are you going to plaster it all over the media? I don't think so. We want to show the world what we want them to see -- and that's a picture perfect lifestyle. If we can't have that in reality, then it's so easy to create one online where it's safer, and where we are more or less in control. I'm not going to lie, though. It's so easy to get caught up in what's online. You start to compare yourself to that gorgeous girl who post selfies on the daily. She's flawless and you feel guilty for being envious. You stalk his Facebook page excessively, find that he's a perfect college student and has studied abroad in so many countries at just 22. You are so jealous. Social media can be dangerous in that it fuels our anxiety and lowers our self-esteem. It gives us this idea that another person's life is better than ours by a million. You're jealous of their relationship and get down on yourself. Chances are, it's not a perfect relationship, and you can only see so much through Snapchat or pictures online.
If you ever find yourself feeling envious of those on social media, whether that be through statuses about achievements, relationships or in pictures, then know that not everyone is as happy as they seem on places such as a Facebook or Instagram. It's so easy to have FOMO or become jealous of what we see on the Internet. It's not that difficult to become bummed after going through people's Snapchat stories. Sometimes, it's nice to step back and realize that not everyone is going to share the personal, bad, weird parts of their lives. Behind the screen, we're all still human.
Sincerely,
The Anxious Social Media Addict Who Frequently Endures FOMO
