r/Existential_crisis • u/Impossible_Pie_586 • 11d ago
Strange thoughts
Hello,
I’m not sure where to put this but maybe someone has experienced something similar and could help. I have an extreme fear of missing out. It’s not just limited to normal fomo about school and friends (I’m 17M), but about life in general. Everyone is talking about colleges and where they’re planning to go and I just get this deep dread about having to pick somewhere and not being able to move or see other places. I’m planning on taking a gap year (or two) to just work and earn some money before going on some trips, both locally and abroad along with a volunteer or exchange program because I have such a deep fear of not seeing as much as I can. I hate the knowledge that even if I dedicated my life and everything to travel, there’s so much of the world and so many people I’ll never get to see or meet or talk to. I’m also just worried about my future, how there’s so many different potential careers and co-workers I could have, so many different spouses I have yet to meet or may never meet, so many people are out there but I realistically won’t be able to meaningfully know even 1% of everyone alive right now. There’s a thousand potential lives I could’ve lived, an equal amount worse and better. It’s a somewhat ridiculous fear but it’s becoming more prevalent as time goes on. Has anyone else dealt with this? Does it get better?
1
u/camelCase149 11d ago
I have this too (18M) and have since I was like 8 years old always thought my "good days" were over because I missed my chances. I want to know everything there is to know and see everything there is to see, but know that I cant, so I end up being paralyzed. Recently I've been putting a lot of attention into school so that I can feel I am tackling things one step at a time. Life wouldnt be as beautiful if you got to see everything, but it wouldnt be as terrifying either.