Ever heard of fomo? Fear Of Missing Out? Ever heard of it being referred to as a cause of death? Now you have. Fomo is a fatal phobia of missing out on any event, big or small. This phobia is commonly seen in young adults but, as of the past few years, has gained acclaim even among the older crowds (shout out to my middle-aged mom, she suffers from this real bad)! This phobia does not discriminate to any situation, either. Oh no, fomo attacks some of its worst victims during events like sleepovers, family trips, concerts and even nightly dinner outings. As the kids would say it, ‘fomo ain’t got no type.’

When fomo begins to take its toll, you’ll find yourself sporting an attitude like this:

Or this:

Eventually, though, as the final stage finds you, you’ll finally accept defeat and recognize you’re suffering from real, true fomo.

If you’re anything like me, you suffer from this real, real bad. There is nothing worse than seeing all the fun your friends are having at whatever party or event via Snapchat or insta while you’re riding solo. Being the kind of person that loves the presence of other people, I am basically predisposed to this terrible fear. The thought of the memories that other people may form together, without me, simply makes me skin crawl. On the same note, though, I think it’s safe to say that we all enjoy a little bit of alone time once in awhile. On a very rare occasion, we peep a snap story that kind of initiates that small part of our soul that contains that trace of fomo. But, this feeling only consumes us for a second, until we realize now is one of those times where we don’t mind being alone. It resonates that whatever we’re missing out on probably isn’t as spectacular as the Netflix original and Ben & Jerry’s pint we are delving into at that same moment.

Fomo exists in every stage of life unfortunately. Whether a high school party, a semester abroad, a work event or bingo at the nursing home, this fear is ever-present. So you may ask, what is the solution? Is there an easy way to rid your life of fomo? The answer is no, not really. Fomo will always be present in your life and your soul. But there is a way to temporarily escape its grasp. Living in the moment! Fomo is living in fear that there is always a better option for spending your time than the way you are already spending it. While that may be true, that doesn’t mean that you have to let it consume you! Life is about living in the moment and being content with who you’re with and what you’re doing. You should always be content with what’s going on around you- and if you’re not, change it. That’s the thing about life. Every aspect of your life is your decision. If you feel like you’re being consumed by fomo, change your surroundings! Move on to whatever or whoever it is that you feel like you’re missing out on. I am no expert in the fomo department; I suffer from this just as much as the next person, but it makes a world of difference in your life when you decide to leave your fears of missing out behind and spend every moment with the people you love, doing what you love.