It's More Than FOMO

Have you ever played that game where when you're out with your friends, and you put your phones (screen-side) down, and the first one who picks up their phone has to leave the tip? Me neither. I'd never commit to a game I know I'd lose. Like nearly all other millennials, I am addicted to my cell phone. It truly is a part of me. 

It is an extension of myself; it's my means of socialization, my bank, my work computer and my personal computer, my photographer, my driver, my trip planner, fitness trainer, and so much more. Not checking your phone is a scary thing these days! It makes you fixated on what you're missing, or FOMO. FOMO can quickly spiral into a lot of negative thinking.

So why do we continually check our phones? In part, it is because we are calming the anxiety-inducing impact of FOMO. But it goes beyond that. We keep doing it because we have become hooked, and in some cases addicted, to dopamine. 

According to Harvard, "Dopamine is a chemical produced by our brains that plays a starring role in motivating behavior. It gets released when we take a bite of delicious food, when we have sex, after we exercise, and, importantly, when we have successful social interactions. In an evolutionary context, it rewards us for beneficial behaviors and motivates us to repeat them."

The combination of FOMO and feeling the relentless need to release dopamine is what is causing consumers to pick that phone up. So, what do can we do? Being aware of these factors is a big help. While I am not an expert, after all, I already admitted I'm just as guilty; what I find to be helpful is to make sure I have access to meaningful outlets that transpire off my phone. For me, it's painting, reading, and photography. And as marketers, it is our ethical duty to consider the repercussions of the technologies we create or market.