The fear of Isolation can be understood as an attitude of avoidance accompanied by worrying thoughts and feelings of abandonment that the individual experiences when he/she is alone. This fear has developed with increased intensity since there has been advancement in connecting with the outside world virtually.
The evolution and advancement of technology is so rapid that we all can see it in all fields. All the positives and new ventures that come over, come up with both their pros and cons. We all have come up a long way from basic like television, and telephone to smart phones and to the internet which led to the development of another small world that we all are well aware of and it’s “social media”.
Social Media is a medium to stay connected with friends, and families by developing a virtual bond, having conversations, voicing opinions, and much more. Ironically, it took a turn for the worse when one is left isolated and unappreciated. There is a virtual race or a competition going on in terms of social mobility where everyone wants to look the best and give their best shot.
People are very much caught up with the urge to find out what other people are up to and what they are doing or pursuing at the moment and they want to engage in similar activities to gain the same amount of limelight. People are so infused with the idea of isolation of oneself behind the black screen that a lot of people are developing extreme cases of trust issues and identity issues. This isolation can lead to further difficulties and misconceptions about the human psyche.
Social Media has led to increased loneliness and isolation by offering superficial relationships and reducing the physical aspects of personal relationships. The FOMO is real, that is The Fear of Missing Out is a mental health effect strongly linked to social media. Everyone wants to be there and if they are not, they develop feelings of jealousy, possessiveness, and anxiety, and all of these can trigger the mental health or the human psyche of an individual.
Related concepts & terms
There are several other related concepts like:
- FOBO (Fear of Better Options): It is a fear that you are missing out on potentially better options.
- MOMO (Mystery of Missing Out): It is a fear that you are missing out, however, have no clues about what you’re missing out on.
- ROMO: (Reality of Missing Out): It pertains to understanding that you aren’t missing out on anything.
- FOJI (Fear of Joining In): It is the fear of sharing things on social media but not fostering any response.
- JOMO (Joy of Missing Out): It is the opposite of FOMO and pertains to positive feelings about missing out or disconnecting from social media.
Social Media has been associated with anxiety and depression symptoms, the increased levels of these symptoms can be related to multiple social media platforms, and the possibility can be that individuals participate in multiple social media platforms which may lead to multitasking which is related to poor cognitive and mental health outcomes. Each social media platform has its own set of unwritten rules and cultural assumptions that an individual learns over time in order to utilize the platform to the fullest.
It is true that people on social media have plenty of friends to talk to, to express their emotions but in reality, the person doesn’t have any true friends or connections that can help them to deal with their hustles and obstacles. The person is suffering all alone by himself, in today’s growing world all are so busy in their lives that giving some time for a relation or connection to develop no one is ready to dedicate some time. Social Media use is becoming more problematic with time because individuals view social media as an important coping mechanism to relieve stress, social media provides people with continuous rewards that one is not receiving in his/her real life so they end up engaging more and more on social media. This continuous use eventually leads to multiple interpersonal issues such as ignoring real-life relationships and work responsibilities. These virtual social networks substitute real-life connections and cause isolation.
It is well known that isolation is as physically dangerous as obesity or smoking ten cigarettes a day. The impact of isolation on our brain reduces the neuron count of the brain and alters some of the brain functions. It affects people across all walks of life regardless of age, gender, religion, etc. Isolation can also lead people to some troublesome paths.
Isolation can be a state in which an individual lacks a sense of true belonging, true engagement with others, and fulfilling relationships, one tries to give his/her best on the screen but they have a sense of fear that would be liked by all or judged by all this constant thought of being the best makes them detached from their real self as they always think that they are being judged by the social media world.
The usage of social media can bring advantages to one’s life such as socializing via online platforms can help ease one’s feelings and emotions but in the end, it also comes with a cost everything that shines is not glitter, so one should always create boundaries between the real self and the social self so that the person doesn’t develop the feelings of being left out and being isolated. It is important to keep in mind that social media can negatively impact individuals depending on their experiences and how it influences them.
Strategies to overcome FOMO
- Change your Focus: Start focusing on what you can do and what you have rather on your weakness
- Digital Detoxification: Stop usage of Electronic Gadgets for a day or more
- Journaling your thoughts: A thought diary is a powerful tool to build resilience and positive thoughts to overcome isolation
- Building Real Connection: Join clubs, associations, temples, or churches and build real connections
- Focusing on Gratitude: Gratitude expression is a wonderful therapy for healing from the feeling of isolation, abandonment, etc.
Online Counselling: Its recommended to seek the best Online Counselling from the Best “Clinical Psychologists Near me” in Delhi.
