“You guys are going out for dinner? Ugh, I can’t come—I’ll have FOMO!”
You must’ve heard this sentence.
Maybe you’ve even said it.

FOMO – the ‘Fear of Missing Out’

A term we Gen Z’s casually throw into everyday conversations, used when we can’t go for a trip, miss a party, or aren’t part of a group plan.
But have you ever paused and really thought –  what exactly is FOMO? And more importantly what is it doing to us?

The Dumb Scroll That Starts the Spiral

You wake up, Still half-asleep, you pick up your phone and start dumb-scrolling.
Instagram opens, and there it is – “Got the job!”
Oh, she’s working under an HR now? Oh, she already has a well-polished CV?
You keep scrolling.
Another friend just posted about a new internship. Someone else is launching a project. And suddenly, your morning tea feels a little bitter.

Am I doing Enough?

That’s when it hits a strange, heavy, unpleasant feeling. Not jealousy. Not sadness.
Just a sinking thought: “Am I doing enough?”
That… that right there is FOMO. Not just about missing a hangout. But about missing a milestone.
The fear that you are falling behind, while everyone else is moving ahead.

So, What Is It Really Doing to Us?

Answering this question is easier than you think. Ask anyone who has felt FOMO—not just the funny, casual kind, but the one that creeps in when the world seems to race ahead without you.
The one that makes you question “Am I good enough?” “Am I doing anything with my life?”

Take me, for example.
There have been so many times when I’ve scrolled through my feed, and seen people my age doing internships, earning, building resumes, launching side projects, moving with so much clarity.
And me? Just… trying to figure things out.
I still remember last summer everyone around me got internships. And I didn’t.
That unpleasant feeling—it wasn’t just disappointment. It was something deeper. A quiet voice saying, “You’re falling behind.”
We use the word “FOMO” so lightly, laughing it off in conversations. But what we don’t realise is it’s a real, negative emotion.
One that silently chips away at your peace. At your confidence. At your self-worth.

A Silent Struggle So Big, People Now Need Therapy for It

The term might sound modern and fun, but the impact? It’s deep.
So deep that people are walking into therapy rooms with just this—FOMO.
Yes, Fear of Missing Out is now a real mental health issue. Psychologists everywhere are seeing clients, especially young people, who feel constantly overwhelmed by the pressure to “catch up.”
To match timelines. To meet invisible deadlines the world seems to have created. We compare our lives with perfectly filtered stories, forgetting that behind those stories—there’s a struggle we never see. And in doing so, we forget our own journey. We question our pace.
We doubt our worth.

A Reminder – You’re Still Trying. And That’s Enough

Yes, it’s a common feeling. Yes, we all compare ourselves. We all get stuck in the “they’re ahead, I’m behind” loop.
But pause and Breathe.
And remind yourself—you’re trying.
Maybe you’re not where they are.
Maybe you haven’t achieved what they have.
But you’re showing up. You’re doing what you can. And maybe, just maybe—
one day, you’ll reach a place even if they haven’t.
Your journey is not behind.
It’s just yours.
And that’s more than enough.