"How do I reduce the fear of missing out?" analyzing Reddit discussion of how people deal with the fear of missing out when reducing their alcohol use.

Abstract

Alcohol use remains a public health concern due to the harm it can have on both the drinker and those around the drinker. One emerging factor that could be targeted by interventions is the fear of missing out (FoMO). FoMO is the sense that others are having rewarding experiences that you are missing out on, and research has found a link between FoMO and both alcohol use and harm. The aim of this study was to identify and describe how people who are aiming to reduce their drinking overcome or deal with FoMO to inform future intervention content. To address this aim, we collected and analyzed the content of 2,476 posts on Reddit about FoMO and alcohol use. Suggestions identified to reduce FoMO included reframing FoMO to focus on the positives of disconnecting from alcohol, focusing on other nonalcohol-related activities, finding friends who do not drink, and attending events sober. Results provide a foundation for future research into interventions that target FoMO, with the possibility for future research to expand upon these data to develop an evidence-based harm-reduction method. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).