What is FOBO? Report reveals how to combat the anxiety-inducing trend affecting mental health

While the youth must be familiar with the term FOMO, its "evil brother" FOBO has also been conceptualized, referring to a situation in which people cannot land on a decision due to too many options. The term is the full form of "fear of a better option."

In an interview with HuffPost, author and venture capitalist Patrick McGinnis coined the term and described what it means. McGinnis said,

"FOBO, or fear of a better option, is the anxiety that something better will come along, which makes it undesirable to commit to existing choices when making a decision."

McGinnis further explained that the term "specifically refers to decisions where there are perfectly acceptable options in front of us, yet we struggle to choose just one." He also called it the evil brother of FOMO.

To discuss it further and understand the situation, life coach and entrepreneur Tomas Svitorka revealed to the outlet that people often experience a "nagging feeling" when making a decision. They fear that there are better choices out there.

Svitorka added,

"Whether it’s picking something from the menu at a restaurant, choosing a vacation spot or, in more serious cases, deciding on a life partner, FOBO thrives on the question: ‘What if there’s something even better out there?'"

While having too many options might seem like a good thing, McGinnis revealed that it can also be a serious issue for some. Those who find themselves in such a situation of dilemma often alienate their loved ones because they eventually believe they will not be able to make a decision.

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How to combat FOBO?

While talking to the news portal, psychologist Patricia Dixon stated a few ways that can help people with FOBO combat this anxiety-inducing trend that affects their mental health.

Patricia mentioned that it is essential for people with FOBO to shift their mindset about choices. She added,

"Embrace the idea that your decisions may be the best for the moment, even if alternatives arise later."

She has advised people not to view other options as better and rather consider them as different.

"To break this cycle, it’s crucial to cultivate self-trust and listen to your instincts,” she said. “Often, the allure of ‘the grass being greener’ is a facade that distracts us from appreciating the value of our current choices," Dixon added.

She further advised people to simplify "their options at the very beginning of the decision-making process by distilling options down to two to three options."

Later on, a person can change their mindset to avoid future regrets, she added.