F.O.M.O. - A social media addiction that leads to the fear of missing out on something or someone more interesting, exciting or better than what we're currently doing. (Dr. John Grohol, CEO and founder of Psych Central)

The fear of missing out (F.O.M.O.) is what creeps up on that Saturday night when you're trying to decide if you should study for Monday's exam or go out with your friends. It's an age-old dilemma, recently made more problematic by the obsession with social media. Facebook®, Twitter® and Foursquare® all broaden our scope for comparison and make us even more painfully aware of what we're missing out on.

It begins with a pang of envy, maybe accompanied by a shot of anxiety or self-doubt, and chased with a growing feeling of inadequacy. F.O.M.O. known as socially "keeping up with the Joneses" to the previous generation, can be an unwanted side effect of living a "wired" life. Imagine you're chilling in your room and cruising Facebook, when your friend posts about a party he's at and how fun it is. How do you feel? F.O.M.O. strikes as the dark side to feeling connected.

As we scroll through pictures and status updates, the worry that tugs at the corners of our minds is set off by the fear of regret, according to Dan Ariely, author of Predictably Irrational and a professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University. He says we become afraid that we've made the wrong decision about how to spend our time. According to the blog of FlickrTM co-founder Caterina Fake, F.O.M.O. also has a more scientific cause, since the "neurochemistry that keeps us checking Facebook every five minutes, (which) is similar to the neurochemistry fueling addiction."

Behavioral psychologists say social media users can easily become abusers. "If people are already insecure and they think there's always something better out there … now there are more tools and weapons to take advantage of that," states Dr. Rob Reiner of Behavioral Associates in Manhattan. He's seen F.O.M.O. become problematic when surfing social media sites with the onset of envy, depression or anxiety. A recent New York Times® article includes this same great insight from Sherry Turkle, author and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who claims we still have an immature relationship with technology. She notes that as it is evolving, we need to figure out how to limit its influence on our lives.

So what should you do if you're feeling the onset of regret? For starters, ignore the smart phone in your pocket that's ready to whisk you away into a glimpse of someone else's life. Technology is a wondrous thing, but don't let it distract you from your reality. On the flipside, how about forgoing a tweet about life's roses to take a moment and actually smell them?

The best ways to fight it:

1. Log off, put down your phone and start living in the "here and now."
2. Limit your solo time by spending more time with your friends.
3. Focus on the positive aspects of your life.
4. Hide the statuses of people who show off or brag.
5. Remember that everyone has ups and downs, no matter how awesome their life appears to be.

Dare your residents to a "Facebook-Free Week." Show The Social Network on your channel and advertise your social media challenge with messages after the movie and in your halls. Ask your residents to keep a journal of how they felt while unplugged and share feedback during your next meeting.

F.O.M.O. - A social media addiction that leads to the fear of missing out on something or someone more interesting, exciting or better than what we're currently doing. (Dr. John Grohol, CEO and founder of Psych Central)

The fear of missing out (F.O.M.O.) is what creeps up on that Saturday night when you're trying to decide if you should study for Monday's exam or go out with your friends. It's an age-old dilemma, recently made more problematic by the obsession with social media. Facebook®, Twitter® and Foursquare® all broaden our scope for comparison and make us even more painfully aware of what we're missing out on.

It begins with a pang of envy, maybe accompanied by a shot of anxiety or self-doubt, and chased with a growing feeling of inadequacy. F.O.M.O. known as socially "keeping up with the Joneses" to the previous generation, can be an unwanted side effect of living a "wired" life. Imagine you're chilling in your room and cruising Facebook, when your friend posts about a party he's at and how fun it is. How do you feel? F.O.M.O. strikes as the dark side to feeling connected.

As we scroll through pictures and status updates, the worry that tugs at the corners of our minds is set off by the fear of regret, according to Dan Ariely, author of Predictably Irrational and a professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University. He says we become afraid that we've made the wrong decision about how to spend our time. According to the blog of FlickrTM co-founder Caterina Fake, F.O.M.O. also has a more scientific cause, since the "neurochemistry that keeps us checking Facebook every five minutes, (which) is similar to the neurochemistry fueling addiction."

Behavioral psychologists say social media users can easily become abusers. "If people are already insecure and they think there's always something better out there … now there are more tools and weapons to take advantage of that," states Dr. Rob Reiner of Behavioral Associates in Manhattan. He's seen F.O.M.O. become problematic when surfing social media sites with the onset of envy, depression or anxiety. A recent New York Times® article includes this same great insight from Sherry Turkle, author and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who claims we still have an immature relationship with technology. She notes that as it is evolving, we need to figure out how to limit its influence on our lives.

So what should you do if you're feeling the onset of regret? For starters, ignore the smart phone in your pocket that's ready to whisk you away into a glimpse of someone else's life. Technology is a wondrous thing, but don't let it distract you from your reality. On the flipside, how about forgoing a tweet about life's roses to take a moment and actually smell them?

The best ways to fight it:

1. Log off, put down your phone and start living in the "here and now."
2. Limit your solo time by spending more time with your friends.
3. Focus on the positive aspects of your life.
4. Hide the statuses of people who show off or brag.
5. Remember that everyone has ups and downs, no matter how awesome their life appears to be.

Dare your residents to a "Facebook-Free Week." Show The Social Network on your channel and advertise your social media challenge with messages after the movie and in your halls. Ask your residents to keep a journal of how they felt while unplugged and share feedback during your next meeting.