How to Overcome FOMO in Recovery

Deciding to start your journey of recovery is something you should be incredibly proud of. It’s a life-changing decision, and it’s a very difficult thing to do. Yet, amidst the newfound clarity and restored sense of purpose, many individuals find themselves struggling with a lingering sense of the fear of missing out (FOMO).

Social media can make this phase feel even harder, especially when it seems like everyone else has it all together. But recovery is more about everything you’re beginning to gain back. The joy, the clarity, and the real moments are what matter now.

In this blog article, we’ll explore the nuances of FOMO in recovery and offer practical strategies to navigate this emotional terrain.

Feeling Left Out? You’re Not the Only One

The fear of missing out can hit us hard and by surprise, especially during the early stages of recovery, where mental health is delicate.

It’s perfectly normal to feel like you’re missing out, and these feelings don’t make you weak or ungrateful; they just make you human. What matters is how you respond to them, and that starts with a bit of self awareness.

Understanding FOMO in Recovery

FOMO is more than just a passing feeling. It’s an emotional response rooted in the perception that others are enjoying experiences or lifestyles that you are not part of anymore, or find it hard to be (or just not have the space for) at this very moment in time.

So, for example, in the context of recovery, this can manifest as:

• Social isolation: Feeling disconnected from friends or social circles that still partake in substances or behaviours you’ve moved away from.
• Perceived exclusion: Believing that others are having fun without you, leading to feelings of loneliness or inadequacy.
• Comparison traps: Constantly measuring your progress against others can undermine your self-esteem and recovery efforts.

How to Overcome the Fear of Missing Out in Recovery

Grounding & Mindfulness

When we talk about mindfulness, it often gets reduced to a technique or something you do to calm yourself down. And that’s not wrong, but it also misses something deeper. Mindfulness isn’t just about slowing your breath or scanning your body, and it can mean different things for different people.

FOMO thrives on imagination. It feeds on what might be happening, what could be better. Mindfulness gently interrupts that spiral. So, if you can find even a few moments each day to anchor yourself in what’s real, not imagined, you start loosening the grip that fantasy and comparison have over you. You don’t make them disappear, but you can shrink them down to size by taking your mind away from it in that moment.

Limit Social Media Usage

It’s easy to say “just spend less time online,” but most of us aren’t scrolling out of laziness, we’re scrolling because it offers something. Distraction. Validation. The illusion of connection. But the cost is often subtle, and it can be difficult in recovery.

You don’t always notice it in the moment, but after an hour on Instagram, you somehow feel like you’re behind in life. Like your recovery isn’t fast enough, your friendships aren’t vibrant enough, your life isn’t exciting enough. This is just the algorithm doing exactly what it’s meant to do.

Instead of quitting social media entirely, mute or unfollow people who spark envy or self-comparison. Follow accounts that make you feel lighter or challenged in good ways, or simply just seen.

Loneliness Isn’t Just About Being Alone

One of the more painful parts of recovery from addiction is how isolating it can be. It often feels like the rest of the world is sprinting ahead while you’re still trying to stand up again. The group chats go quiet. Invites out slow down. Or maybe you stop showing up because the effort of pretending everything’s fine feels too heavy.

Loneliness, in this context, isn’t solved by just seeing people more. So what helps? Honest conversations. People who can hold complexity. Environments where you’re not expected to be cheerful all of the time. That might mean a support group, yes. But it might also mean one solid friendship where you can show up exactly as you are. Those relationships are going to be the ones that help rebuild you.

Focus on Meaningful Goals

One of the cruel ironies of recovery is how empty it can feel at times. You’re not doing the destructive thing anymore but you’re not fully living yet either. You’re in the in-between, and it can feel strange at first. That’s where personal goals come in. And not the performative kind, but the kind that quietly orients your life toward what matters again.

These don’t need to be big, impressive, or even productive. What they need is to feel yours. Learning how to cook because you’re tired of takeaways. Applying for a job that aligns with your values and what you want to do, even if it pays a bit less. That kind of goal gives your days shape.

Gratitude as a Discipline, Not a Distraction

The word gratitude gets thrown around. Just be thankful! Think positive! But genuine gratitude, when practised with depth, doesn’t mean you have to ignore what’s hard. It’s about remembering that even when everything feels hard, there’s always something you can find gratitude for.

The key isn’t to force yourself to feel grateful. It’s to remember to notice what’s already there. Maybe it’s something as small as the fact that you felt slightly more rested than yesterday. Maybe it’s reaching your first month in active recovery despite your triggers. It could sound really small, but in recovery, the small things are often the most important.

Find Things You Can Look Forward to

FOMO often comes from a belief that the most exciting things are happening out there, to other people. So what if you turned that energy inward and asked yourself, what would you genuinely look forward to?

It could be planning a solo weekend away, even if it’s just to somewhere nearby. Or something as simple as scheduling a “no plans” night once a week, where your only goal is rest.

Reach Out for Support When It’s Needed

We often wait until things are falling apart to reach out. But what if getting support wasn’t a last resort, but a normal part of taking your mental health seriously?

If comparison, anxiety, or a persistent sense of being “off” is making it harder to recover, that’s not something to just push through. Therapists and peer support groups, for example, don’t exist to fix you, they’re there to help and support you through times when you’re finding it difficult to cope.

Need Help Getting Back On Track? Get In Touch Today

If you or someone you know is seeking support in overcoming addiction, the team here at Addiction Advocates can help. We offer comprehensive resources and assistance to guide you toward the support you need confidentially and entirely free of charge. Reach out today on 0800 012 6088.