Meet MoMo, FoMo’s Evil Twin Sister

This Insta Age we're living in has spawned a slew of social anxieties that really take a toll on our well-being. First, there was FoMo (the fear of missing out) that ravaged our self-esteem and made us question the strength of our friendships. Now, MoMo's here to really keep us tossing, turning, and thumbing through Instagram/Twitter/Facebook all night.

MoMo is the mystery of missing out. It's like the Wicked Witch of the West to FoMo's Glinda the Good. At least when FoMo kicks in, you know your friends are doing something. MoMo comes when you're sitting on your couch, simultaneously browsing social media and watching Netflix, wondering what you're doing with your life, and why no one has shared anything. Your friends could be out doing awesome things, but how would you know without some upload or check-in?

Dr. Terri Apter, a psychologist at Cambridge University explained the not-so-new phenomenon to The Telegraph: "MoMo's in a new context, but it's not new. It's recognized that one of our biggest necessities is not just having what we need in order to survive — or even be comfortable — we need things that allow us to feel that we're part of our peer culture. That includes information." That is, essentially, the grown-up way of saying MoMo is the feeling of being left out.

Superficial knowledge of our peer's every waking moment is satisfying, yes. But, so is a Chipotle burrito, and too many of those will weigh ya down. Dr. Apter advises those who are going through MoMo to treat it as "an opportunity to think about what knowledge you really need." How to properly fold a fitted sheet? Probably a good thing to know. Whether those are hot dogs or legs in your friend's beach Instagram? Probably not.

There once was a time where our lives weren't so transparent, and friends would get together from time to time to catch up on what's going on. Now the question is: If an Instagram of your cool vacation to the Alaskan wilderness was never posted, did you even go? The answer is, in most cases, yes. Maybe you just wanted to stock-up on stories to regale to your buddies with when you returned, because who wants to hear "Oh, I know! I saw your Insta" in the middle of a conversation? (The Telegraph)