That little voice in the back of your head telling you that you're missing out, the nagging feeling in the pit of your stomach that says you want to go to an event even though you know you wouldn't enjoy yourself in the slightest. These feelings are all brought on by FoMO, or Fear of Missing Out. In 2013, FoMO was officially added to the Oxford dictionary with the definition:" Anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on social media."

FoMO isn't always correlated with social media, though. It can also be brought on in the work area. In 2014, Forbes published an article listing the different ways FOMO might be making it's way into your life; such as constant e-mail checking, wanting to participate in every work meeting and constantly questioning career choices. There is a fear of missing out professionally and when you see the success others are having in a completely different career choice., thus making you question the choices that have brought you where you are now.

Darlene McLaughlin, M.D., assistant professor at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine said, "FoMO is especially rampant in the millennial community because they see a peer achieving something they want, and somehow in their mind, that achievement means something is being 'taken away' from them."

So I took a look at my own social media use and was surprised with the number of hours I logged. At least once an hour I pulled out my phone and within seconds was scrolling through either Facebook or Instagram; almost without a thought. With every scroll, I would see pictures of friends on various road trips across the country to see their families, or getting closer to finishing their degree with the end of finals posts. Instantly my mind was filled with thoughts of envy and even some anxiety of my own life choices.

What those who suffer from FoMO seem to forget is the fact that people normally only post about the achievements that they think others will find popular. McLaughlin adds"It's also beneficial to realize you can't judge a book by its cover. The outward image people project on social media isn't necessarily truthful -- you're never getting the entire story." This gives the illusion that their lives are as flawless as their posts.

Addiction needs a place to survive, so it begs the question, how is FoMO gaining momentum with every post? Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook has stated, "More than 175 million people use Facebook. If Facebook were a country, it would be the 6th most populated country in the world."

Additionally, in 2011 a survey was conducted by Jaclyn Carbral from Elon University to examine the psychological addiction that Generation Y has with social media. It found that of the 313 students surveyed, 59% stated they agreed to being addicted to social media but when asked if they have withdrawal symptoms from lack of use of social media, 27% stated they rarely felt withdrawal. It was perceived that those surveyed didn't have enough time away from social media to experience withdrawal. With that being said, a majority of those who responded to the survey described their attempts to lower their social media use would result in failure. In this day and age of needing to feel connected to the world, it's no surprise that FoMO is as prevalent as it is.

There is a bright side to FoMO! Like most things in life, it's a choice. We can limit our interaction on social media and the idea of reframing has been brought up as a solution.Any time that you feel green with envy or the social anxiety of FoMO creeping up, replace those thoughts of negativity with thoughts of self-encouragement. Instead of envying your friend's road trip, reframe your thought process to saving for a road trip of your own. Set reasonable goals for you to reach that can push out the anxiety that stems from FoMO. Ultimately, FoMO will always live on, but we can limit the effect it has on us, one realistic goal at a time.