Spend any amount of time on social media and you will soon realize that the snapshots being shared of "real life" are anything but "real." Filtered, unrealistic and misleading images showing perfect looking people and lives can lead to feelings of insecurity and a general sense of not measuring up. This impact has been given the name FOMO, or Fear of Missing Out, and can lead to feelings of low self-esteem, depression and anxiety in children and teens. It's important for children and teens to know that these online perceptions aren't real.
On top of children and teens possibly developing a FOMO, they could also develop a psychological conditional fear of being without their mobile devices called nomophobia.
- Learn more about what exactly the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is and what can you do if you spot the warning signs.