FOMO affects an educated estimate of one in eight people in college. Its symptoms include restlessness, anxiety, irritability, shortness of breath, dizziness, and rashes. As of now, there is little scientific evidence to suggest a long-term cure for the widespread epidemic. There is little to be done once someone is diagnosed.
For those not in the know, FOMO is an acronym. It stands for "Fear Of Missing Out." This psychological disorder doesn't always receive the attention that it deserves. A lot of times, the word "FOMO" is thrown out toward your friends who want to go out all of the time or who don't find solace in taking a couple of days off to rest. Usually, it's treated as a lighthearted term, but someone diagnosed with FOMO is actually in for a very complicated life.
To the uneducated observer, someone with FOMO is just an excitable and overanxious person who wants to party. What's the big deal? The truth is, somebody diagnosed with FOMO is forced to live with an overwhelming sense of anxiety every single day. Do you want to curl up with a good book? You can't do that when there's a party going on next door. Do you want to sit down and watch a movie? That's impossible if the bars are still open and popping.
FOMO doesn't just apply to partying, either. A FOMO-inflicted individual could be having the time of their life out at even the most impressive strip of bars or clubs and still suffer bouts of FOMO-related symptoms. "What if there's another, better nightlife spot somewhere else?" "What if I'm experiencing too much of the same thing?" "What if I'm not savoring my favorite things enough?" These are all common questions that someone with FOMO may ask themselves, no matter how impressive their schedule is.
You would think that someone with FOMO would, at the very least, be highly involved with extracurriculars and have great resumes, right? Well, not really. Signing up for one activity, sport, or leadership society means that you have to miss out on the other ones and that possibility can be too much to bear for the FOMO-inflicted patient.
People throw this term around liberally without realizing that FOMO is a serious disorder that negatively impacts the lives of many people. It sucks the enjoyment right out of any activity (no matter how great it is) that the affected is doing, out of the concern that something else is happening somewhere else in the world. As you can see, this is an extremely serious issue.
Something needs to be done. I think that, clearly, we need to be more sensitive to FOMO.
