The 18 Stages of Feeling Left Out

Updated on June 11, 2016 at 5:00 PM

Social media has made loneliness and FOMO so prevalent that it should probably be covered by health insurance. Researchers have found evidence that being excluded or ostracized has similar implications to suffering physical injury — and sadly, feeling left out is something we can all relate to, whether you weren't invited on a group vacation or just didn't get the memo about Sunday brunch. Here are 18 stages, from confusion to straight-up anger, that you likely go through when you're being shut out by friends.

NBC

You Scroll Through Instagram and See 1 of Your Friends Doing Something Fun

Bravo

Then You See a Second Friend Doing That Same Fun Thing

CBS

Suddenly a Third Friend Comes Forward Via Snapchat, Adding More Damning Evidence to Your Case

PBS

Then Guess Who Posts a Photo of Them All Together? Yep, That Fourth Friend

NBC

You Close All Your Social Media Apps and Take a Deep Breath, Figuring It's Just Some Crazy Coincidence

Fox

But Then You Remember Asking That First Friend What They Were up to This Weekend and They Said "Nothing"

NBC

You Start Mentally Putting the Pieces Together and Realize You've Been Left Out

Fox

You Feel the Heat Rising in Your Face and the Stomp Being Released From Your Foot

Comedy Central

You Start Wondering What You Ever Did to Deserve This Lack of Companionship

The Weinstein Company

Then Your Hurt Feelings Turn to Straight-Up Anger

MTV

It Doesn't Even Matter Because You, Like, Barely Liked Them Anyway, So

PBS

Just When You Start Brainstorming What Kind of Petty Sh*t You Can Do to Make Yourself Feel Better . . .

. . . You Realize How Crazy You're Acting and Can't Believe How Emotional You Let Yourself Get

PBS

You Remind Yourself That You're a Really Good Friend

Fox

And That You're Pretty Fun to Be Around

Logo

So If Other People Can't See That, It's Their Problem, Not Yours

NBC

You Settle Back Onto the Couch, Put On Some Music, and Pick Up Your Book

PBS

Then You Realize You Wanted a Quiet Day at Home and Would Have Said "No" to Their Invite Anyway

Oops. False alarm.

Celebrity

Fashion

Fitness

Beauty

Love

Family

Shop

The 18 Stages of Feeling Left Out

You Scroll Through Instagram and See 1 of Your Friends Doing Something Fun

Then You See a Second Friend Doing That Same Fun Thing

Suddenly a Third Friend Comes Forward Via Snapchat, Adding More Damning Evidence to Your Case

Then Guess Who Posts a Photo of Them All Together? Yep, That Fourth Friend

You Close All Your Social Media Apps and Take a Deep Breath, Figuring It's Just Some Crazy Coincidence

But Then You Remember Asking That First Friend What They Were up to This Weekend and They Said "Nothing"

You Start Mentally Putting the Pieces Together and Realize You've Been Left Out

You Feel the Heat Rising in Your Face and the Stomp Being Released From Your Foot

You Start Wondering What You Ever Did to Deserve This Lack of Companionship

Then Your Hurt Feelings Turn to Straight-Up Anger

It Doesn't Even Matter Because You, Like, Barely Liked Them Anyway, So

Just When You Start Brainstorming What Kind of Petty Sh*t You Can Do to Make Yourself Feel Better . . .

. . . You Realize How Crazy You're Acting and Can't Believe How Emotional You Let Yourself Get

You Remind Yourself That You're a Really Good Friend

And That You're Pretty Fun to Be Around

So If Other People Can't See That, It's Their Problem, Not Yours

You Settle Back Onto the Couch, Put On Some Music, and Pick Up Your Book

Then You Realize You Wanted a Quiet Day at Home and Would Have Said "No" to Their Invite Anyway

Related

The Spiciest Instagram Captions to Use After a Breakup

Breakups are never easy to navigate, and it's always when you're feeling most vulnerable that people come out of the woodwork to share their tips on how to get over a breakup.

How "The Tortured Poets Department" Encapsulates the 30-Something Breakup

We all expected Taylor Swift's cathartic new album to be about the demise of her long relationship with actor Joe Alwyn.

How an Invisible String Is Pulling Couples Together All Over the World

When Leah Menzies, a 20-year-old college student in Australia, nervously entered her boyfriend's family home, she anticipated the typical rituals of meeting parents for the first time.

Sorry, Taylor Swift: You Can't Fix Him (No, You Really Can't)

If there's anything Taylor Swift's new album "The Tortured Poets Department" has taught me, it's that no one is immune to the fuckery that comes from being in a situationship.

I Used Spotify's Blend Feature to Test My Relationship Compatibility

My boyfriend and I have lots of things in common, but music is not one of them.

70+ First-Date Questions to Keep the Conversation Moving

In the hours leading up to a first date, there's a good chance you might feel a sort of buzzy, nervous energy.

I Rewatched "How to Be Single" After My Breakup, and I Have Notes

I met my ex-boyfriend at the end of my 20s after almost giving up on the idea of finding real love.

Since When Did People Treat Dating More Like a Business Pitch?

Miriam Makalia Vance recently got fed up with dating apps.

The Horniest "Bridgerton" Sex Scenes From Season 1 and 2

The "Bridgerton" series may be best known for its enticing plot, a cast that looks like they were sculpted by Michelangelo himself, and an amazing soundtrack with instrumental covers of modern songs like Taylor Swift's "Wildest Dreams."

"Future Faking" Is a Relationship Red Flag Worth Knowing

It's normal to envision a future with someone you're interested in, especially after a great first date or when you're in the honeymoon phase of a relationship.

The Best Sex Games for Couples

If board games are a regular part of your at-home date night routine, allow me to upgrade you to something better, hotter, and hornier: sex games for couples.

The Guide to Making Intimacy Easier When You Have Endometriosis

If you have endometriosis, you've likely faced challenges when it comes to intimacy.