Why do people experience FOMO, and how does it affect them?

FOMO is that buzzing feeling in your tummy when you worry everyone else is having more fun than you are. It stands for Fear Of Missing Out, and it happens because our brains love to compare what we see to what we get.

Think of FOMO like the last cookie jar. You are sitting on the couch eating a plain cracker. Suddenly, your sibling walks by with the last chocolate chip cookie right in front of their face. Even though you have food, you feel a little pinch because they got the yummy one while you got the boring one.

This happens in real life too. When your friends go to an ice cream party without telling you until after it ends, you don't just miss ice cream. You worry that their laughter was louder and their games were cooler than yours. Your brain tricks you into thinking everyone else is part of a secret club while you are left outside looking at the window. Social media makes this worse because we see photos of fun, which look better than our real-life messy playtime.

When FOMO visits, it changes how you act in two main ways:

• Impulse: You might say "yes" to every invitation even if you are tired, just in case there is cake.
• Worry: You constantly check your phone or look around the room to see if anyone is leaving or doing something better.

This can make you feel happy and included when you join in, but it can also make you feel stressed because you are always watching for what comes next instead of enjoying what is right in front of you. It is like waiting for the best part of a movie while you are still watching the credits roll!