Summertime FOMO: The Social Comparison Trap
It’s that time of year again. As warm weather approaches, our social media feeds are filled with images of day trips, beach vacations, and seemingly carefree moments. Despite the advantages of the season, social comparison can begin to sneak in and dim our own sense of satisfaction and joy.
What is social comparison?
Social comparison happens anytime we use other people’s lives as a standard by which we judge our own. We evaluate our homes, experiences, possessions, appearance, and even our level of satisfaction based on our perception of other people.
Why does it matter?
Social comparison isn’t always negative; it can serve as a source of inspiration and push us towards setting new goals and expanding our knowledge and experiences. However, the downside of social comparison is that it can negatively affect our self-esteem by shifting our focus away from what we have going for us and making us feel inferior.
The accessibility of social media provides lots of opportunities for this to happen. The fear of missing out (FOMO) can happen when observing someone else who is seemingly having more fun leaves us feeling a sense of exclusion, which then makes us feel like we need to constantly be connected (“doom scrolling”, anyone?) in order to avoid missing out on updates. This might lead to us feeling anxious about our future, stressed about our current situation, and even regretful about our past. The good news? There is a way out of this social media pit!
What can we do about it?
1. Unplug. Remember that social media doesn’t always paint an accurate picture, and take intentional breaks from the curated feeds of others to focus on being present in your own experiences. You’ll have more mental energy to be present in the little (and meaningful) things that come your way!
2. Practice gratitude. Think about the simple pleasures that summertime brings and practice being grateful and mindful. Feel the sunshine on your face, stand on the grass with your bare feet, go treat yourself to an ice - cream cone! Click here for more on gratitude!
3. Refocus on YOU. We can counter the unhelpful effects of social comparison by embracing our own unique summertime experiences. Practice self-love and engage in activities that make you feel strong and alive. Think about what brings YOU joy and fulfillment, and make the most of it
- Cassia Tayler, Registered Provisional Psychologist
Cassia enjoys the great outdoors, creativity, the fine arts, music, and working with teens, individuals and couples in identifying barriers to wellness and creating lasting positive change. Learn more by clicking the “team” link below:
For more information on this topic, see the following resources:Gugushvili, Kross, Massar, Taht, & Verduyn (2020). Social comparison on social networking sites. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.04.002. Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X20300464Johnson, B. K. (2021). Look up, look down: Articulating inputs and outputs of social media social comparison. Journal of Communication Technology, 4(1), 28-53. https://doi.org/10.51548/joctec-2021-003Jacqueline V. Hogue & Jennifer S. Mills. "The effects of active social media engagement with peers on body image in young women". Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S174014451730517X