Smartphones, internet and… FOMO

Our time is precious. And we're spending more and more of it online—working, connecting with others, seeking entertainment and relaxation. We're moving various activities of our lives online. We're multiplying the minutes and hours we spend online. Is this FOMO?

What is FOMO? – “Poles and the Fear of Disconnection”

FOMO – Fear of Missing Out is currently defined as problematic internet use, a type of addiction to social media, smartphones and online messaging.

It's the fear of disconnection, of falling out of the loop, of missing out on something if we put down our phone and aren't online. It's the fear that others are currently experiencing highly satisfying experiences, having fun without us. It's the fear of being deprived of information. This fear is linked to the need and desire to be constantly connected to others, to the need to belong. The problem affects a significant number of internet users and can affect anyone, regardless of age. Therefore, it's important to understand what FOMO is and how to prevent it.

The topic of FOMO cannot be underestimated, not only because of its prevalence but also due to the daily overuse of smartphones, the internet, and especially social media, and nomophobia. The sheer volume of information arriving from digital media creates a deluge of information that can be overwhelming and make it difficult to focus on truly important information, leading to increased stress and reduced efficiency in information absorption.

According to the latest report , "FOMO 2022. Poles and the Fear of Disconnection ," prepared in 2022 by experts from the University of Warsaw and NASK on FOMO, teenagers are the group most vulnerable to its adverse effects. One in three young people is strongly affected by the fear of disconnecting from the internet, information, and social media, while only 6% of them experience no such fear.

What behaviors and symptoms should cause concern? 

It is worth reacting to certain behaviors to avoid the problem:

• Having to carry your phone all the time,
• continuous monitoring and response to messages and notifications,
• using the phone during everyday activities – right after waking up, during meals, while meeting friends,
• feeling of emptiness and anxiety when the phone is silent,
• long hours spent on social media,
• trouble concentrating, trouble sleeping,
• mood swings depending on different reactions to materials posted online,
• frequently comparing yourself with people you follow online,
• having accounts on various social media.

When deprived of access to the online world, people with high FOMO experience:

• anxiety, discomfort,
• stress,
• fear,
• loneliness,
• somatic symptoms: abdominal pain, nausea, dizziness.

Apart from that:

• they neglect household chores, have problems at work, 
• they weaken the quality of relationships by neglecting their interlocutors in favor of devoting their attention to their smartphones (phubbing),
• by constantly comparing themselves with others, they lower their self-esteem and experience frustration.

How to prevent FOMO?

The foundation of healthy functioning is awareness of the positive and negative aspects of the internet and social media. Noticing disturbing behaviors should prompt us to take steps to prevent the problem. What can we do, and how can we prevent it?

• limit the time spent using the Internet in favor of physical activity,
• develop passions and hobbies (unrelated to the media),
• build and maintain interpersonal relationships,
• take care of yourself, your health and physical appearance,
• set a positive example for children and teenagers,
• try JOMO.

What is JOMO?

JOMO – Joy of Missing Out, or the satisfaction of escaping the information overload, eliminating stimuli by limiting online activity and focusing on the present. It's a lifestyle far from the chaos and fast pace of everyday life.

Children, Teens and FOMO

Research dictates action

FOMO can affect anyone. Children and teenagers are particularly vulnerable. The 2020 NASK Teenagers 3.0 study showed that:

• Teenagers spend an average of 5 hours and 50 minutes a day online in their free time, and on days off this time increases to 6 hours and 10 minutes a day
• Every tenth teenager (11.5%) is active online for more than 8 hours a day in their free time, and every fifth (21.3%) spends this amount of time in front of a monitor on days off from school.
• every sixth teenager (16.9%) uses the Internet intensively at night
• every third teenager (33.6%) shows a high intensity of problematic internet use indicators (PUI), and three in a hundred – very high (3.2%).

 Basic rules of conduct

If we suspect that a child is using the internet in a problematic way:

1. Let's examine the situation and observe the child (his daily rhythm, ways of spending time, relationships with peers, hobbies)
2. Let's talk to your child, focusing on self-reflection and showing the differences between the reality on social media and offline experiences
3. Let's establish internet usage rules for all household members (e.g., phone-free zones, no smartphone use during meals and two hours before bed, phone-free weekend challenge!)
4. Look for an alternative together (sport, hobby, interesting offline activities)

Sources:

Lange R. (ed.), (2021), Teenagers 3.0. Report from a nationwide student survey, Warsaw: NASK – National Research Institute. University of Warsaw, (2022), FOMO 2022, Poles and the fear of disconnection.