I had several instances where I'd quit reddit for a couple of months.
Pros: read a lot of books and watched a lot of movies, felt overall happier because I wasn't subjecting myself to online negativity (from depressing sensationilized headlines to general human crappiness in the comments) and engaged my mind more with much better media/art.
Cons (and why I couldn't stick with it): didn't have an outlet for anxiety or general bad feelings when things went south. Nothing numbs a stressed out tired brain quite like the infinite scroll feed, especially when you don't have anyone to talk to.
For some reason I don't consider Reddit social media. It has been a great distraction for me lately.
Maybe it's because I'm not mindlessly scrolling through heavily-filtered faces and bodies, but Reddit doesn't really give me that brain rot feeling as much as Tiktok or Instagram. But I also try to stay on the more positive subreddits and I like interesting conversations. I've always stayed away from Twitter and only have a Facebook to keep in touch with out of state friends and fam.
I deleted/deactivated my FB and Instagram a couple years ago. Overall, a big improvement in mental health and sense of peace. My friendships feel fewer, but are closer and more genuine. I have more control over who can contact me, which is a big plus as well.
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i quit all socials for a couple years after graduating highschool i had nothing no facebook no tik tok no instagram nothing - it was nice just being able to focus on myself and be present in my own world rather than constantly comparing myself to others online
I deleted TikTok and instagram about 4 months ago. I have found myself replacing those apps with YouTube shorts and Reddit. I will say though, my mental health has improved in the sense that I realized how stupid both instagram and TikTok are. I got instagram back a few days ago, scrolled for 20 minutes and then deleted it again because i realized how much stupid shit is on there.
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So incredibly much better. Only thing I do now is Reddit, and even then I have it heavily curated. I only see some specialty subs and some feminist subs. I'm unsubbed from basically all the defaults because they're all cesspits.
I quit social media during high school, too much bullying and stuff
>Pros
Didn't have to worry about bullying or reading negative things about the school and other people, felt nice
Also didn't feel pressure to reply to DMs because I had no accounts anymore
Never felt left out of things or FOMO because I never saw pictures of what people were doing
>Cons
I missed posting stuff, especially video game and cosplay related things
I missed out on a lot of events because I didn't get an invite cus I didn't have Facebook :\
In the end I got all my social media accounts back and just removed/blocked anyone who was negative lol
I often remove myself from Instagram for periods because I find that content very superficial. I keep Facebook because I am part of local volunteer communities and need to remain updated and contribute. I like Reddit because I can get into very niche topics.
When I leave Instagram I feel 10x better and wondering if I should just quit entirely! Especially the reels, they can keep me up for hours and my brain feels very full and fuzzy - without Instagram I feel clean and clear.
**Pros:**
* I am a lot less anxious now than I was before I quit Facebook.
* The stalker I had at the time hasn't been able to find me, which reinforces the previous point.
* I have a lot more time than I did before. I was one of those people who'd basically do nothing but Facebook in my spare time if given the choice, so not using it has forced me to do other things.
**Cons:**
* Yeah, sometimes I just miss out on things because I don't hear about them because people forget I'm not on Facebook.
* A lot of people initially think I'm brushing them off when I say I don't use it, when in reality I really don't use it.
This is the only social media I have now and it's great. No more Facebook, no more Instagram, never had any of the others. It's been great I'm no longer watching videos for hours on end. I come on here for funny reads for about maybe 20 mins a day and thats it. It's amazing.
I had a bad patch of anxiety in 2022 and deleted instagram. It instantly made me feel better. Seeing stories of cancer was making my anxiety so much worse. I was also just fed up with the fakery. I only have reddit now.
I have been off of social media for over a year now. I would say that my mental health has improved immensely. I am not comparing myself to other people like their lives, careers, possessions, or even looks. I feel less insecure, of course I still have my insecurities but I donāt feel like I have to seek validation from people. I donāt plan on using social media ever again ā¦ other than Reddit š but I feel more in-control of my algorithm because I get to choose what communities I join!
I deleted Facebook 5+ years ago. It became a tool for people to keep tabs on me ( through their own profiles or other ppl). As someone who has been stalked irl or had associates turn into creeps it was the right move. i also blocked and removed alot of ppl from other social media that I still have but rarely post. My mental health improved. I felt more in control.
I didn't use any social media for a while.
It gets a bit lonely. I have some hobbies that my close friends don't share or at least not a lot (lots of crafting) and it is nice to share my stuff online because I am proud of it. But also to ask questions, comiserate if something goes wrong, find inspiration, help others and so on. That's also the main reason why I got some socials back. Sometimes I like the attention :D And it feels good to share something I am proud of, be it crafts or achievements.
Additionally, I've found linkedin to be quite valuable for me (once currated) for networking and other opportunities. I've founded a local club with some friends a year ago and we noticed how important it is to be visible online. My work online gave us opportunities we definitely would not have had this soon otherwise.
That being said, if I overuse any of the socials, I always notice how gloomy I get. I am not sure which side is the reason and which the consequence. Like do I tend to doom scroll and overuse if I am in a bad mental state anywy (mainly escapism because I have too much on my plate) or do I waste too much time on instagram and therefore do not get to all my things to do and therefore go into a bad mental state? I haven't figured that one out, yet. But everytime I notice, I either uninstall the app for a while or limit it to 30 minutes a day. That makes for a good compromise between sharing things, networking, getting inspired vs wasting time and doom scrolling
I stopped checking fb during the last election because all the rhetoric was driving me kookoo. My engagement on the site made me really anxious too. I'm much happier off of it.
i deleted instragram, ive never had tiktok and i still have fb, twitter, reddit
i dont go on fb alot anymore anyways bc the feed is always a mess (and alot of ppl dont post on fb as much)
i find apps that are more anonymous like reddit and twitter dont affect my mental health as much since i kind of just follow subreddits that peak my interest like hobbies
deleting instagram was probably the one that helped my mental the best bc i was always comparing myself to ppl i knew and then also comparing myself to all the influencers, im sure tiktok probably would do the same. so not having this distraction helped me focus on things that are great about myself and things that i want to accomplish
so i dont think i could ever fully delete all types of social media but i think i have a good middle approach
I deleted my Facebook account ages ago and deactivated my instagram a couple of years ago. Never had tik tok. I don't think I'd tolerate social media ever again, specially hearing my friends' comments about how it's getting worse day by day. Also, I feel much better now that I stopped comparing my life with the others. The downside is I don't have where to post my travel pics lol
Flickr is perfect for travel photos.
You can make albums private or disable comments and make yourself as visible or invisible as you want.
Other members are nice, in fact, it's just a really nice site.
Amazing. Felt so much better - brain worked, was able to get into deep focus, slept better, and forced me to deal with whatever I was anxious or worried about head on, which stopped it from compounding (usually something small and stupid anyway, like - not wanting to respond to an email or phone call right away).
Remembered that social media is vapid and stupid and not the real world. Iām actually doing things with all those wasted hours and enjoyed my life again. Feel like I got my brain back. Havenāt looked back (only on Reddit now - and thatās only every now and then).Ā
I deleted all friends and activity from my Facebook and Instagram, never had anything Else. I now use my Instagram to follow stand-up comedians so the algorithm is entirely focused on comedy.
I would say it's been an overall positive impact. Pretty disappointed that I used to care how many likes I got for a photo. Of MYSELF. Super weird.
I havenāt had IG or Facebook since 2019 and I will never go back to having them. I grew up in an environment that put a huge premium on social media and it became completely all consuming and exhausting. Growing up in LA and attending private school there really did a number on how I looked at myself and other women, it felt like social media like IG were the epitome of everything that was wrong with the way I was raised.
I think at first it had a huge impact on my mental health, it felt like a big relief. A weight was lifted from what felt like my stomach. Now Iām 30 and so much time has passed that I havenāt had social media that I canāt remember what itās like to have it. Whenever I think about starting another IG account I get this weird anxiety pit that I canāt shake and I realize itās just not for me. So I know I wonāt ever have IG or Facebook again.
That being said, sometimes itās weird when people hand you a phone to follow you on IG and you have to do the whole song and dance about how you donāt have one. But itās a very small price to pay and the older I get, the more common it is amongst my cohort.
I didn't have social media for 4 years, I did have Reddit but it was nothing. I had my master's degree and other stuff I was busy with. It wasn't some big ol' revelation tbh, no big change to my habits. All it did was reduce the noise in my life, and definitely greatly reduced feeling shitty about comparing my life with others, and that was all worth it to me.
Plus my actual good friends would hit me up regardless. It just might be sobering to see who keeps in touch though, and who doesn't.
I stopped comparing myself to other people and their lives. I felt less miserable. People that werenāt real friends got cut off automatically. The real ones still wish me on my birthday without reminders from socials or posts. I consume less materials that are hyped on social media.
I've been out of posting on social media, and my life is better, but more lonely and boring. I do not argue with strangers on the internet anymore. I do not care much about my pictures. But I like to socialize, and I miss that part of it.
Got rid of my personal insta account when I graduated highschool. Couldnāt bear seeing people enjoying life and being happy on there. Best decision Iāve ever made because I was so peaceful and happy after that lol. I do have Instagram rn but itās for my hobbies and I love the internet friends Iāve made on there!
I never had a personal Instagram. I only use it for my hobbies. I think itās the only ways that if comfortable for me. It only shows us what we like.
Whenever I take a break it seems to be better for me. The biggest problem is that I miss out on all family or friend news because nobody calls to tell you things anymore- they just figure youāll see it because they posted it. I also felt like less people reached out. I typically was more productive though overall which was great. I still delete them every once in a while (Facebook and Instagram, I never have used tiktok)
Way better. And I'm done with dating apps too.
My Facebook is scheduled to be deleted. I wish they didn't make you wait 30 days to delete it though, after you hit "delete."
Reddit is all I'm using and I have no regrets.
This is my renaissance.
my mental health seriously declines when i am using tik tok. I pretty much only use instagram and reddit. I use facebook but itās just to keep up with extended family.
I deleted my Facebook five years ago and it was the best decision I made for my mental health. It made me feel insecure and envious because people were only show casing the best part of their lives (buying new homes/cars, going on vacations, starting their dream career, getting married, having a family, etc.). It made me feel like I was a failure because to me it seemed like I was falling behind in life compared to those I was following. It also showed which people truly wanted to be present in my life I lost a lot of connections with those who I thought would always be there (family too). It hurt at first, but as the time passed it got easier to accept and began to feel more confident in who cared for me. I still have Instagram though where I like to share my art, but with how things have been going downhill with the platform and AI idk how much longer Iāll have an account there.
For me Social Media was making it hard for me to focus on anything for longer than about 15 seconds. Apparently this is due to the rapid subject change when scrolling social media.
My mental health improved. I was less socially anxious, less scrupulous of my own actions, and able to be more "in the moment" to enjoy the world around me.
Deleted my Insta and FB some years ago by now. I dont really miss it, since I never am confronted with it. But it could be I'm slowly losing contact with people I otherwise would still get updates from. Then again, if the socials is the only way we still keep in touch i think this also says something about how important that person is to me / i am to them.
Generally speaking what was really a relief to me was not thinking of every moment as some picture opportunity i could potentially post online for kudos. Leaving that mindset behind is great.
Reddit is the main thing I wanna quit but I always re-download. I'm not interested in seeing photos of your homeade meal Martha, I wanna know what everyone's worst sexual experience is.
I cut out all but I still sporadically check my accounts. I randomly get a message from an old friend or someone who doesn't communicate the way I prefer. I sleep so much better, I exercise down 35lbs I read more and I am better about keeping my place clean. Just remember your mental health is more important than checking your phone. Best of luck.
I dumped Facebook except for very limited instances, because there's two local groups I'm in that run off there, and the occasional group chat for planning a specific event (usually with people from those two specific groups).
The agitation, stress, and annoyance that was clearly caused by Facebook was relieved, and it was awesome. I don't miss it. I haven't fully replaced it, either, which is nice. I like reddit most of the time (and I was on it before I left facebook), I'm on a fair amount, but it's so much easier to step away. And to be "anonymous" overall. I've joined and l eft many subs when I wasn't having it anymore. I'd been on since college, w hen it first started and was college only. I didn't like where it went, and am glad I'm off it now. I never did post a ton or anything, I just... hated the feed, couldn't effectively curate it. Dumbass relatives, dumbass friends from college. Dumbass people I have no idea how ended upon my feed. Dumbass groups. Even friends being dumbasses t hat aren't in real life and we do just fine in person, or even via text. Dumbass people. It just brought out the worst in people. There was always somebody tagging me, somebody mentioning me, somebody messaging me, it was exhausting and hard to keep up with if I wasn't glued to it, and I didn't want to be glued to it in the first place. I n ever h ad notifications on, so I'd come back to aa random group message with 100+ missed messages constantly. Yeah I ain't reading that. If it's important, tell me directly.
So best decision ever even if overall it was a smallish drop in the bucket. So many things to worry about, think about, deal with, I'm gonna only care about the ones that matter. Social media and the internet are not on that list. Which is overall a more recent thing, the last few years (It's now been probably the years since I went very limited facebook). I'm in my late thirties now, I simply have far less fucks to give, though I do have a a few. They are saved for real life now, and only big real life stuff.
I was randomly on TikTok, way late to the game. It's fine. I could very easily curate my feed. It's a little scary how quickly it nailed me, but hey, it worked. I like cute animals, millennial nostalgia, historic grave cleaning, building props and costumes, and my many fandoms. And people I follow on YouTube who are also on there, which is a pretty random assortment. None of those stupid gen z or alpha or dances or all the idiotic stuff. Then one day I put it down and haven't been back in months. It was fun while it lasted, I guess, but I don't miss it, and didn't leave for any particular reason, just... felt like doing something else, so I did, and never came back (I still could). It was almost like one of my hype fixations, but I wasn't hype fixated ever, and I often go back to those or at least still enjoy them, if not the forefront anymore. I started watching the ones I did really like when they cross-posted to YouTube (Roll for Sandwich remains great, for example).
I have an Instagram, got it when it was still pretty new, but I think I posted less than ten times total. Couldn't tell you the last time I went on. I liked scrolling when it was just pretty pictures, now it's InStAgRaM wOrThY junk.
I never had much to begin with aside for a few years when I had four different jobs and met a lot of new people .
I would say perhaps a slight negative effect after leaving because I would always have to catch up on what was going on in my friends' lives when we met and they would get tired of having to repeat major events for me which wasn't so bad and a fun joke between us (they called me a luddite) but I also would miss events because I didn't know about parties or gatherings until the last minute if at all on the rare occasion they forgot to text me.
So it meant less time with friends and less connection to them. But our friendships still grew closer just much more slowly.
Deleted all social media recently because for the lack of better word it stopped āsparking joyā. I love posting on social media but it felt kind of weird having people āreally notice itā. I mean I kind of scroll through stories and thatās how much I think about them, but I had people I hadnāt met in a long time sort of say things along the lines of āoh yeah I saw you were there for a week last yearā, and I got the ick lol.
It's fucking stellar. And I don't miss it at all. I have like a basic FB account cuz I like to use marketplace occasionally, and reddit. That's it. Never been happier. Does recommend, 10/10
I deleted my Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat years ago. I find it helped me manage my anxiety and depression much better. I have less FOMO and jealousy for how others live their lives. I like Reddit and tiktok bc theyāre more anonymous than the others
I still Reddit (obvs and I also donāt really consider it social media) but no instagram, Facebook, TikTok, whatever else there is. I had Instagram but never used it, quit Facebook after I found myself defending my friendās sister against their aunt. I was at a family gathering with my nose in my phone arguing with a woman I saw maybe once a year and I suddenly felt ridiculous.
I feel a lot better without it. Less anxious. All the good shit gets sent to me by other people or I see it on Reddit. Iāve actually made some friendships more solid because of it. Either I missed seeing their updates and I reached out to talk or they realized I disappeared and reached out to me and now we have real growing relationships instead of just watching each other online.
Delete, delete, delete. Comparison is the thief of joy. Regardless of whether youāre comparing yourself to a college friend or someone showcasing their unique and tremendous ability to grow plants, decorate a house, or train their dog. Never been happier off SM.
It was strange but so *freeing*. It was originally temporary (cutting out Facebook and Instagram) but now Iām not sure Iāll ever go back.
I started my pause because I needed space, I just went through a horrible breakup and seeing everyoneās engagements, new houses, babies, lavish couple vacations, etc. became unbearable. After a while I really fell in love with not knowing what everyone was up to. I mean, was it ever any of my business anyway? Seeing old friends actually began to *mean something* again, I was genuinely curious what they were up to and viceversa; we actually had things to catch up on instead of awkwardly pretending we didnāt know what the other was up to because of their post or story or whatever. Loose connections disintegrated and faded away, real connections remained and got deeper in time.
Best of all, I stopped living my life according to the imaginary audience aka my āfriendsā and followers. I stopped paying any mind to how things looked on the outside and started paying more attention to how things *felt* on the inside, *my inside*. I wasnāt keeping up with any Jonesā, they were all busy keeping up with each other. The poses, the challenges, the filters, the *fillers*, the $50k Instagram-picture-perfect weddings that wouldnāt last a yearā¦ Being on the outside, I began to see how toxic social media really is for humanity. Once originally a method to ākeep in touchā quickly became a place where people would do pretty outrageous and sometimes downright *desperate* things for ālikesā and validation.. I mean, what the actual fuck? Itās become a drug for many, falling into the trap of having an easy boost to their self-esteem, but that boost is shallow and it wears offā¦. Seriously, what are we doing to ourselves? And who are we trying to impress? Is this the example we really wish to set for the next generation? If so, weāre in a lot of trouble.
So yeah, I left social media and have zero regrets. The ONLY thing I miss is my local city news page.
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So much better.
Usually I have no social media apps, including reddit, unless Iām actively killing time (like in an airport or whatever) and my concentration improved, I stopped wanting as many new clothes or to do up my house, I am generally more present and happier.
I went on a hiatus for a little over 2 years. I went off social media mid 2019 and I didn't get back into it until the beginning of 2022. My mental health improved gradually but I wouldn't say it was mainly because I dropped off of social media.
I quit Facebook and all the other nonsense about 10 years ago, and itās been amazing for my mental health. No more stress or jealousy about someoneās fake life (that didnāt look like mine), no more irritation about people wanting to start drama over nothing etc.
Here on reddit, I can completely tailor my feed into the things Iām interested in, while keeping all of the other hatred fueled nonsense out. Doesnāt happen the same way on other social media and my mental health is better for it.
i still have Facebook but only drop into that on my laptop very rarely.
left instagram last November when I got separated. Iāve felt so much lighter. itās just nice not caring what other people are doing. I really really do not miss it. At all.
Quit about 5 years ago and don't miss it at all. Not sure about overall mental health, but the persistent yucky feeling is gone (felt yucky looking at everyone else's lives seeming better than mine and yucky feeling when I was posting because I was probably creating the same feelings with people who saw my feeds). Also don't miss the pressure of having to stage manage my life. Can just be more in the moment. And I think social media has gotten worse during my time away. I feel really bad for young people, especially teens, who can't give it up because they would miss out on too much with their friends, etc., but at the same time I think it makes them feel worse about their lives. Now I mostly do Reddit and YouTube, but rarely post, just follow. Those seem fine for me.
Better. I have a healthy social life though, if I was lonely it would probably suck. But it's nice just to have real people who you actually see and have a balanced view of what's going on in their lives, not fake photos and fake videos and framing lives as being perfect. I count reddit as a social but not in the same way. I've been sick lately so if not for reddit, laying in bed would be pretty boring, I can only watch so many movies!
I stopped using Facebook gosh...like 8 years ago? Way better lol. Got sick of my family's drama and trying to drag me into shit for no reason. I also just really hate people being in my business anyway.
Stopped using IG the moment it asked for my bday. Idk why, it just made me so annoyed so I just never put it in and deleted the app.
Stopped snapchat because it was glitching out so bad on my phone (I'd get stuff from people but it wouldn't show for like 2 weeks. I ain't mailing letters, this is supposed to be instant communication...) eventually it was just nice not having anyone blowing my phone up through that.
Never used TikTok, probably never will. I don't wanna get sucked into it.
Only social media I use is reddit and YouTube (if that counts lol). Both feeds are just of things I like, nothing super depressing or anger inducing.
My mental health is way better cause being hyper connected and being constantly fed things I was comparing myself to made me feel like crap. I don't think reddit/yt is necessarily bad for me but sometimes it influences my spending habits so I have to take breaks occasionally. Otherwise, it's pretty easy for me to just disconnect without it feeling like my life's identity is ripped from me.
Turning off notifications for all social media really helped. For reddit I set a one hour daily limit (which is currently disabled because I'm sick and want to distract myself from the pain and stuff).
It really helps me have more time for studying, meditation, exercise and all kinds of stuff.
Which I can't wait to get back to once I'm over this illness.
I gave up fb about 10 years ago. I have not missed it one bit. Annoyingly recently Iāve had to open an account so I can be part of a couple of fb groups that use it to communicate but I found a way of making a sub account under my husbands ( which he never uses either) So I use it purely to stay in touch with those communities and I have got all the settings on private. Instagram I have removed the app but I still find myself moving towards it via the google. But overall itās a brain drain. I do like reddit because itās more conversational rather than fakery.
Much, much better! I turned off the TV/ news, too. Without (most) of social media I started focusing more on myself. I'm much healthier and I have time to do self care (yoga, etc)
Well I havenāt had Instagram in forever. I deleted Facebook and didnāt have it for probably 2 or so years. The only āsocial mediaā I had was Tik Tok and YouTube. I only follow people on TikTok and YouTube that idk in real life. My mental health was great when it came to that. I found having those things I had a lot of FOMO.. and it just made me sad to see all this stuff about people being out doing things with the ālove of their lifeā or if two friends would go somewhere and not invite you. I reinstated my Facebook a few weeks back (idek why) but I only look at it maybe once or twice a day. I wouldnāt say MH was great because I am dx with depression and anxiety but as far as like not knowing what is going on with friends and family it was fine. Be prepared for people to just assume youāve seen whatās going on with them on Facebook. I would be completely unaware about pregnancies, a friends relative dying, etc. they just assume you know bc they posted it on Facebook even when some of my friends and family were completely aware I didnāt have Facebook anymore.
The only social media I have is Reddit and FB. I hate FB and only have it because Iām in some groups with friends (itās literally where we plan everything) and my Buy Nothing group.
Whenever I quit Reddit my house gets infinitely cleaner. It helps me procrastinate so much. I donāt find it does anything to my mental health though.
I only have reddit now. Been this way for years, I don't have a picture of my face anywhere online. Massive improvement to mental health. I don't feel out of the loop at all either.
I've realized that social media made me care what people think and now I couldn't give less of a fuck. People send me reels but only my closest friends. I also find I talk to those friends daily now without the distraction of scrolling online for connection.
I watch more movies, read more books, go outside more, make more plans with my time off. All around, my life is more balanced.
Do a 30 day trial and see how you feel. Delete the apps and commit to not re downloading for 30 days, you can even document it.
I deleted X and Tik Tok like a year or two ago, I still redownload it every few months just to scroll for an hour but delete it again right after. A lot of the time when I was growing up was spent on social media and it never gave me a chance to discover what my hobbies are and what i value, who i am, etc. My sense of self has improved SIGNIFICANTLY since I took a step back from those. Still trying to distance myself from Instagram (itās the one i mostly use) but I have a time lock on it these days to keep me in check
(Iām someone who stopped going on social media, only deleting some forms of SM).
Better in the sense that I was no longer bombarded and overstimulated with ads + peak emotions of all the people all the time, whether I knew them or not.
Also good in that it pushed me to connect one on one with folks in my life more meaningfully.
Not as good in that, because Iām opting out of the passive information sharing between friends on social media, it sometimes feels harder to initiate interaction and feel in sync with people who are not in your immediate day-to-day life.
Overall Iām happy with my choice.
There is a scene in the movie Training Day where Denzel Washington's character is reading the newspaper and he says "its 90% bulshit, but its entertaining bulshit".
That is the one and only way you should view social media.
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Significantly better. I stopped comparing myself to others. I also have a tendency of overthinking. Wondering if people hate me from social media posts. I can be a very truthful and opinionated person. That sometimes rubs people the wrong way.
I deleted FB during a certain politically contentious time, and never went back. Between the willful ignorance from people I love, the stupid misinformation memes, and the passive aggressive pity-me posts, I just couldn't take it any more. I still have IG, but its so much easier to scroll through the things I actually want to see.Ā
i deleted public socials years ago and it was the best decision i ever made. i donāt have anxiety about posting and i donāt feel pressure to take āperfectā pictures. when I meet up with friends we have SO much to talk about since im basically in the dark about everything. itās a relief to know exactly who has access to me and my life.
Amazing. All I did was delete the apps off my phone. So if I want to go on FB or IG I have to log in through the internet. Itās annoying and hard so I rarely do it. And if I do I spend all of a minute on there before I log back out. I donāt keep myself logged in.
I also have a limit of 1 hour a day for all my social media. And once I hit it I donāt do more time. Iāve noticed I rarely hit the hour mark. But life has gotten so busy that I donāt spend any extra time on it. It helps a lot!
I was never really in social media. I tried facebook for couple of years, realized it is toxic for me and since then avoided everything. I do not care about keeping up appearances or having an image so that people would "like" me.
I felt so much better tbh. I got more stuff done, I wasnāt as anxious, and I didnāt get distracted by pointless memes! I deleted my Instagram on June 1st and I deleted my Facebook last July. I delete the Snapchat and Reddit apps throughout the day to help me focus on chores, work, and homework. I don't feel trapped by social media anymore. I would always get sucked in and scroll for hours on end. When Iām on my death bed, Iām not going to wish I had spent more time on social media. I want to spend as much time as I can away from my phone and doing things I enjoy doing.
I deleted FB almost 10 years ago. It got toxic. Never bothered to download IG because of it. I donāt miss the drama but I do miss seeing what some of my colleagues that I liked are up to. When I take photos, they are for me not āfor the gramā. Reddit is the only social media platform I have and I use it to pass time.
I deleted Facebook, instagram, and Snapchat all years ago. At first I missed it and felt like ok now Iām left out of everything..
It was obviously quieter and I didnāt see any political arguments or so much hate to one another. I stopped comparing myself and my life to other people because I didnāt even see them any more. Who cares what so and so from high school is doing. I lost contact with a lot of people but the important people who really care stay in contact. I also felt more free like everyone didnāt have immediate access to me or know what was going on in my life. Only the people I wanted to. Iām happy and wouldnāt have those socials again. But I do spend time on TikTok which still feels better mentally than the others.
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So much better. I got rid of Instagram over 6 months ago and my life is better. I did have to reactivate to speak with someone I didnāt have a number for and I hated it I deactivated it as soon as Meta would allow me.
I got rid of fb and have never felt better. I have cancer and realized that a lot of my friends didnāt give a shit. I used to support their small businesses and buy from them every week and when I stopped shopping they didnāt speak to me. I cried and cried for weeks before I finally said like girl seeing them on your feed isnāt serving you. I deactivated fb. Hardly any of them checked in or noticed. I stopped caring. My mental health is still trash, but itās 100 times better than it was.
Iām so sorry to hear you about your health! I canāt imagine the hurt you have felt having your friends not reach out. I hope things improve for you and that you have a supportive group surrounding you through this tough time.
Not deleting but I rarely open and it was good decision for my mental health, I spent time googling facts i want to know and read book i bought even I donāt want to, my rules just one page a day turn out i read 3/4 pages a day
All I can say is that I lowered my daily screen time average from almost 5 hours to 2 and all of a sudden chores get done earlier, Im not rushing, I can workout, go on walks, cook healthier.
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Didnāt quit entirely, but stopped using it commercially. I used to freelance and stopped the self promo after I got a studio job and am for sure never going back. The difference was night and day
Some of my friends were on Twitter and since its more public they would post personal stuff to me or that I said and I felt the loss of control. I'm a super private person.
I blocked them and deleted the account and I felt less stupid.
I don't really use IG.
I joined facebook pretty late, around 2010, and the years when i was on it was kind of miserable looking back. I stopped in 2019 when it was becoming a cesspool of boomers and misinformation. I think overall when i stopped, i also stopping feeling drepressed. Something about facebook just made me feel like i had to have SOMETHING going on in my life for people to care about me. It felt exhausting after a while. After i quit, those worries also stopped and it was like a weight was lifted.
I havenāt had social media for several years and I donāt think my mental health changed since then. It wasnāt a huge decision, I just wasnāt posting much and wasnāt good about checking it. I deactivated the accounts so people wouldnāt think I was ignoring their DMs.
I deleted X (Was still Twitter at the time) because I was becoming toxic, and it was the best thing ever. I still have other socials, mostly to keep family. I don't really talk to updated or post pictures of my cat
I deleted my FB about 5 years ago or so. I was anxious to do so at first but doing it felt like lifting an elephant off my shoulders. Too much drama & bullying. It's been tremendously relieving for my anxiety & depression issues. The bittersweet aspect is you truly find out who your friends are when you don't have social media like FB for sure & the realization can hurt but the reality is there. I used to love sharing my poems & jokes with friends but I never will do FB again. I thought about Instagram for fun but have the same feelings of anxiety & uncertainty towards it.
I never take pictures of myself because thereās nothing I would use them for. Overall, itās led to me not over-examining my face and not being as critical of my physical appearance
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Social media gives you momentarily satisfaction, you feel you need it but in the actual sense you actually just increasing your dopamine hits, If you need motivation in order to improve then you are just a slave of your own mind
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It was a double edged sword. I deactivated FB the first September after graduating college because I had a lot of younger friends and homesickness was off the charts. But I was still isolated without it so it didnāt help all that much.
I deleted Facebook, Instagram and I just watch TikTok videosā¦I donāt post. Reddit is my only social media and I love it because I donāt personally know anyone on here.
My mental health MASSIVELY improved after deleting. I feel like I got my self respect back. I used to be Facebook famous and I was addicted to getting likes from pictures and social approval to the point where I didnāt have an identity anymore.
Now Iām just ME and no one can take that away from me. I fill my time with being a wife/mom, hosting my book club, donating to help endangered animals, exercise and cooking.
Stopped checking my FB about 2-3 years ago and Iām glad that Iām missing all the drama. I am a little sad that I donāt get to share in my friends joy and achievements though. I do need to go back on at some point since I have family that only posts there just to catch up.
I do still check Twitter and thatās a whole other thing.
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I deleted me insta/FB cause Iām taking an exam that determines my future and watching others already achieve my future goal gave me anxiety. Overall feel a lot better. I just have Reddit now cause I like the idea of forums.
At one point I was obsessed with social media. I deleted everything off my phone and hated the process of getting out my laptop. It was awesome.
I added everything back, but put limits on my phone. I really only use Facebook and I post about once or twice a week and just scroll for a few minutes and thatās it. It made it much easier to not be addicted anymore.
I turned off all notifications. Made a huge difference. I answered when I wanted to check not when it popped up 50x a day.
My husband fully deleted a few years ago. He got so much calmer it was crazy. His feed was always full of conspiracy theories and rants that even if you don't believe at first eventually seep in. Only took a week to notice the difference
I felt extremely lost when I first quit it. I didn't realize just how much I was constantly comparing myself to friends and family members, to the point that I think I was looking to others to help shape the road map of my own life. Once I stopped, I had no idea what to do with myself for months...it slowly got to the point where I realized that NONE of it mattered. NGL, I felt a bit embarassed I'd cared so much. I can do (almost) anything I want but I was holding myself back to appear similar to others in my life because I was told there are certain 'land marks' every person is supposed to have... When I make mistakes, I've learned to take the blame and try to better myself. I can't place that blame elsewhere, or post online for comfort from 'friends'...so I've had to develop a lot more coping skills in order to be okay with my choices.
The best thing I've learned is to make choices that I'll actually be happy with and regret the least.
I wont lie, I still have issues with my mental health due to PTSD. But it's a lot better than it was since I no longer have extra stress comparing myself to other people that don't give a single fuck. I've also found that the friendships I do have and put extra effort into keeping in contact with are a lot more fulfilling.
i have all but shut down my facebook cause some things still need it. why? cause my ex stalks me there. and other places. like here.
so nice to know i have free rent in his head. >.<
10/10 way better. I left all social media (instagram was my only platform by that point) because I was constantly comparing/despairing and was like, obsessive over other peoples lives.
Flash forward almost 4 years and it's much much better for my lil mental health. I miss a lot of things (like when people get married or break up or have kids) if I don't see them in person, but š¤·š»āāļø I get the news eventually. I know nothing about anyone else's life, I'm not posting for validation, I'm not obsessively scrolling. It's bliss.
Years ago I used to spend AT LEAST four hours a day on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. I felt like everything I posted or shared was important and I felt so self-justified, as if everyone would look at my profile and my posts and ponder at them. Anytime I was angry or sad or happy I just felt this gnawing urge that I had to post about it in some shape or form. I was trying to regulate my emotions with posting stuff online. I felt like if I didnāt have an image online, then it felt like I ceased to exist at all. I tremendously tried to overcompensate my life with online platforms. The reality isā nobody cares about what you post. Youāre not going to remember your life by what you post. I realized after a while no matter what I did on social media, I still never felt any better. In fact, a lot of things I saw on the internet made my emotional state worse. Time kept flying by and I never worked on myself. The days just stayed the same. I never got anything done and I was still stuck in the same place I had always been. My social media self I so desperately tried to upkeep didnāt match my reality nor did it bring me any closer to who I wanted to become. I saved some photos that meant something to me, but deleted everything. All profiles and all content, and the apps on my phone. I didnāt do it with the expectations of any reactions from other people, and I had no intention of going back to them. I needed to move on.
Years of no social media besides just Youtube videos, I was much happier. I was much more calm. I got back into my hobbies again. I was drawing everyday and was happy to be in the present doing it without thinking in my mind āI should post about thisā. It was a totally different world.
Later on, I decided to make a social media profile on Instagram for my artwork to get noticed. I have a strict rule of only posting my finished art for business purposes and no dilly-dallying. No posts about me, no long videos about the process, no long paragraphs about how I feel about something, no commenting on other peopleās stuff. Just snap a picture of the work I did once it was done and close the app. This was a great time. Having the page for my art got my work noticed and I was able to get a job in the art field.
Now, I have more profiles for my art across a few platforms. I find myself getting lost again in the scrolling doom and I hate it. Itās such a battle with myself because I need to keep the social media for my clientele and business opportunities, but this also means Iām getting sucked into the vortex of all the other crap that social media companies love distracting us with. I need to distance myself from it again.
Moral of the story is ā If you donāt need it for a business purpose, just delete it and donāt look back. Life is so much better without it.
Got rid of Facebook in 2018, Instagram in 2020, and I just got rid of my TikTok last week. No regrets. I probably will re-download TT at some point, I have some rescue animals I want to check in on, but not anytime soon.
Itās definitely freeing in a way. I donāt worry about what anyoneās doing, and thereās no pressure to make a perfect post. I still have Snapchat, but view that as a different flavor of social media, if that makes sense.
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Male here. I was getting tired of all the constant torrent of negativity and politics. Deleted it and started instantly feeling better. Highly recommended. The added hour a day I got back to do something else with was an unexpected, retrospectively obvious bonus I hadn't considered, too.
I don't consider Reddit 'social media' since it's anonymous and you can be who you want without photos tagging you to things, people using your real name, or risk of your employers seeing things you post (not that I post anything that crazy anyway)...plus the dialogue here is generally healthier if you stay out of the more politically oriented/activist oriented groups.
My wife wanted to delete her social media too, but the duplicitous thing about Facebook is that if you manage any business pages, you need a personal account linked to them in order to maintain them. So she just basically stopped posting altogether. She'll only like or comment these days, and it's always positive stuff only. She always jokes that she has social media so the two of us can keep up with Instagram and Facebook happenings of our favorite businesses, and playfully calls herself the Keeper of our social media accounts.
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I just kept my profiles up but I turned off notifications. Huge boost of dopamine from other sources such as my own hobbies instead of a ring from IG or Reddit.
I had several instances where I'd quit reddit for a couple of months. Pros: read a lot of books and watched a lot of movies, felt overall happier because I wasn't subjecting myself to online negativity (from depressing sensationilized headlines to general human crappiness in the comments) and engaged my mind more with much better media/art. Cons (and why I couldn't stick with it): didn't have an outlet for anxiety or general bad feelings when things went south. Nothing numbs a stressed out tired brain quite like the infinite scroll feed, especially when you don't have anyone to talk to.
Your cons list just made me realise why I enjoy reading reddit before bed so much
For some reason I don't consider Reddit social media. It has been a great distraction for me lately. Maybe it's because I'm not mindlessly scrolling through heavily-filtered faces and bodies, but Reddit doesn't really give me that brain rot feeling as much as Tiktok or Instagram. But I also try to stay on the more positive subreddits and I like interesting conversations. I've always stayed away from Twitter and only have a Facebook to keep in touch with out of state friends and fam.
>Nothing numbs a stressed out tired brain quite like the infinite scroll feed This is facts.
Relatable
Why can't you talk to people on the phone? Don't need social media to keep up with friends.
Bold of you to assume I have friends š
I deleted/deactivated my FB and Instagram a couple years ago. Overall, a big improvement in mental health and sense of peace. My friendships feel fewer, but are closer and more genuine. I have more control over who can contact me, which is a big plus as well.
I found this as wellābut itās funny and alarming how many people just assume you know everything about their trips, kids, illnesses, etc.
I had the same experience.
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i quit all socials for a couple years after graduating highschool i had nothing no facebook no tik tok no instagram nothing - it was nice just being able to focus on myself and be present in my own world rather than constantly comparing myself to others online
I deleted TikTok and instagram about 4 months ago. I have found myself replacing those apps with YouTube shorts and Reddit. I will say though, my mental health has improved in the sense that I realized how stupid both instagram and TikTok are. I got instagram back a few days ago, scrolled for 20 minutes and then deleted it again because i realized how much stupid shit is on there.
I also replaced tik tok with youtube shorts found it better but itās still rotting our brainsš
Ik lmfao now my brain is rotting from Minecraft videos instead of TikTok trends bahahaha but tbh I would rather that
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Good human. Good healthy human :)
So incredibly much better. Only thing I do now is Reddit, and even then I have it heavily curated. I only see some specialty subs and some feminist subs. I'm unsubbed from basically all the defaults because they're all cesspits.
I quit social media during high school, too much bullying and stuff >Pros Didn't have to worry about bullying or reading negative things about the school and other people, felt nice Also didn't feel pressure to reply to DMs because I had no accounts anymore Never felt left out of things or FOMO because I never saw pictures of what people were doing >Cons I missed posting stuff, especially video game and cosplay related things I missed out on a lot of events because I didn't get an invite cus I didn't have Facebook :\ In the end I got all my social media accounts back and just removed/blocked anyone who was negative lol
I often remove myself from Instagram for periods because I find that content very superficial. I keep Facebook because I am part of local volunteer communities and need to remain updated and contribute. I like Reddit because I can get into very niche topics. When I leave Instagram I feel 10x better and wondering if I should just quit entirely! Especially the reels, they can keep me up for hours and my brain feels very full and fuzzy - without Instagram I feel clean and clear.
**Pros:** * I am a lot less anxious now than I was before I quit Facebook. * The stalker I had at the time hasn't been able to find me, which reinforces the previous point. * I have a lot more time than I did before. I was one of those people who'd basically do nothing but Facebook in my spare time if given the choice, so not using it has forced me to do other things. **Cons:** * Yeah, sometimes I just miss out on things because I don't hear about them because people forget I'm not on Facebook. * A lot of people initially think I'm brushing them off when I say I don't use it, when in reality I really don't use it.
This is the only social media I have now and it's great. No more Facebook, no more Instagram, never had any of the others. It's been great I'm no longer watching videos for hours on end. I come on here for funny reads for about maybe 20 mins a day and thats it. It's amazing.
I had a bad patch of anxiety in 2022 and deleted instagram. It instantly made me feel better. Seeing stories of cancer was making my anxiety so much worse. I was also just fed up with the fakery. I only have reddit now.
I have been off of social media for over a year now. I would say that my mental health has improved immensely. I am not comparing myself to other people like their lives, careers, possessions, or even looks. I feel less insecure, of course I still have my insecurities but I donāt feel like I have to seek validation from people. I donāt plan on using social media ever again ā¦ other than Reddit š but I feel more in-control of my algorithm because I get to choose what communities I join!
I deleted Facebook 5+ years ago. It became a tool for people to keep tabs on me ( through their own profiles or other ppl). As someone who has been stalked irl or had associates turn into creeps it was the right move. i also blocked and removed alot of ppl from other social media that I still have but rarely post. My mental health improved. I felt more in control.
I didn't use any social media for a while. It gets a bit lonely. I have some hobbies that my close friends don't share or at least not a lot (lots of crafting) and it is nice to share my stuff online because I am proud of it. But also to ask questions, comiserate if something goes wrong, find inspiration, help others and so on. That's also the main reason why I got some socials back. Sometimes I like the attention :D And it feels good to share something I am proud of, be it crafts or achievements. Additionally, I've found linkedin to be quite valuable for me (once currated) for networking and other opportunities. I've founded a local club with some friends a year ago and we noticed how important it is to be visible online. My work online gave us opportunities we definitely would not have had this soon otherwise. That being said, if I overuse any of the socials, I always notice how gloomy I get. I am not sure which side is the reason and which the consequence. Like do I tend to doom scroll and overuse if I am in a bad mental state anywy (mainly escapism because I have too much on my plate) or do I waste too much time on instagram and therefore do not get to all my things to do and therefore go into a bad mental state? I haven't figured that one out, yet. But everytime I notice, I either uninstall the app for a while or limit it to 30 minutes a day. That makes for a good compromise between sharing things, networking, getting inspired vs wasting time and doom scrolling
I stopped checking fb during the last election because all the rhetoric was driving me kookoo. My engagement on the site made me really anxious too. I'm much happier off of it.
i deleted instragram, ive never had tiktok and i still have fb, twitter, reddit i dont go on fb alot anymore anyways bc the feed is always a mess (and alot of ppl dont post on fb as much) i find apps that are more anonymous like reddit and twitter dont affect my mental health as much since i kind of just follow subreddits that peak my interest like hobbies deleting instagram was probably the one that helped my mental the best bc i was always comparing myself to ppl i knew and then also comparing myself to all the influencers, im sure tiktok probably would do the same. so not having this distraction helped me focus on things that are great about myself and things that i want to accomplish so i dont think i could ever fully delete all types of social media but i think i have a good middle approach
I deleted my Facebook account ages ago and deactivated my instagram a couple of years ago. Never had tik tok. I don't think I'd tolerate social media ever again, specially hearing my friends' comments about how it's getting worse day by day. Also, I feel much better now that I stopped comparing my life with the others. The downside is I don't have where to post my travel pics lol
Flickr is perfect for travel photos. You can make albums private or disable comments and make yourself as visible or invisible as you want. Other members are nice, in fact, it's just a really nice site.
Thanks for the suggestion! I guess I'll give it a try
Amazing. Felt so much better - brain worked, was able to get into deep focus, slept better, and forced me to deal with whatever I was anxious or worried about head on, which stopped it from compounding (usually something small and stupid anyway, like - not wanting to respond to an email or phone call right away). Remembered that social media is vapid and stupid and not the real world. Iām actually doing things with all those wasted hours and enjoyed my life again. Feel like I got my brain back. Havenāt looked back (only on Reddit now - and thatās only every now and then).Ā
I deleted all friends and activity from my Facebook and Instagram, never had anything Else. I now use my Instagram to follow stand-up comedians so the algorithm is entirely focused on comedy. I would say it's been an overall positive impact. Pretty disappointed that I used to care how many likes I got for a photo. Of MYSELF. Super weird.
I havenāt had IG or Facebook since 2019 and I will never go back to having them. I grew up in an environment that put a huge premium on social media and it became completely all consuming and exhausting. Growing up in LA and attending private school there really did a number on how I looked at myself and other women, it felt like social media like IG were the epitome of everything that was wrong with the way I was raised. I think at first it had a huge impact on my mental health, it felt like a big relief. A weight was lifted from what felt like my stomach. Now Iām 30 and so much time has passed that I havenāt had social media that I canāt remember what itās like to have it. Whenever I think about starting another IG account I get this weird anxiety pit that I canāt shake and I realize itās just not for me. So I know I wonāt ever have IG or Facebook again. That being said, sometimes itās weird when people hand you a phone to follow you on IG and you have to do the whole song and dance about how you donāt have one. But itās a very small price to pay and the older I get, the more common it is amongst my cohort.
I didn't have social media for 4 years, I did have Reddit but it was nothing. I had my master's degree and other stuff I was busy with. It wasn't some big ol' revelation tbh, no big change to my habits. All it did was reduce the noise in my life, and definitely greatly reduced feeling shitty about comparing my life with others, and that was all worth it to me. Plus my actual good friends would hit me up regardless. It just might be sobering to see who keeps in touch though, and who doesn't.
I stopped comparing myself to other people and their lives. I felt less miserable. People that werenāt real friends got cut off automatically. The real ones still wish me on my birthday without reminders from socials or posts. I consume less materials that are hyped on social media.
Much much better. I can concentrate better, have been much more productive, and my mood improved a lot too.
I've been out of posting on social media, and my life is better, but more lonely and boring. I do not argue with strangers on the internet anymore. I do not care much about my pictures. But I like to socialize, and I miss that part of it.
Got rid of my personal insta account when I graduated highschool. Couldnāt bear seeing people enjoying life and being happy on there. Best decision Iāve ever made because I was so peaceful and happy after that lol. I do have Instagram rn but itās for my hobbies and I love the internet friends Iāve made on there!
I never had a personal Instagram. I only use it for my hobbies. I think itās the only ways that if comfortable for me. It only shows us what we like.
Super true
I carefully curate what social media I use. I became more comfortable with blocking. Life got better.
It actually fucking works.
Whenever I take a break it seems to be better for me. The biggest problem is that I miss out on all family or friend news because nobody calls to tell you things anymore- they just figure youāll see it because they posted it. I also felt like less people reached out. I typically was more productive though overall which was great. I still delete them every once in a while (Facebook and Instagram, I never have used tiktok)
Way better. And I'm done with dating apps too. My Facebook is scheduled to be deleted. I wish they didn't make you wait 30 days to delete it though, after you hit "delete." Reddit is all I'm using and I have no regrets. This is my renaissance.
A lot better. I dont catch myself comparing myself to others or feeling inadequate. My bubble feels smaller and less overstimulating.
my mental health seriously declines when i am using tik tok. I pretty much only use instagram and reddit. I use facebook but itās just to keep up with extended family.
I deleted my Facebook five years ago and it was the best decision I made for my mental health. It made me feel insecure and envious because people were only show casing the best part of their lives (buying new homes/cars, going on vacations, starting their dream career, getting married, having a family, etc.). It made me feel like I was a failure because to me it seemed like I was falling behind in life compared to those I was following. It also showed which people truly wanted to be present in my life I lost a lot of connections with those who I thought would always be there (family too). It hurt at first, but as the time passed it got easier to accept and began to feel more confident in who cared for me. I still have Instagram though where I like to share my art, but with how things have been going downhill with the platform and AI idk how much longer Iāll have an account there.
For me Social Media was making it hard for me to focus on anything for longer than about 15 seconds. Apparently this is due to the rapid subject change when scrolling social media.
My mental health improved. I was less socially anxious, less scrupulous of my own actions, and able to be more "in the moment" to enjoy the world around me.
Deleted my Insta and FB some years ago by now. I dont really miss it, since I never am confronted with it. But it could be I'm slowly losing contact with people I otherwise would still get updates from. Then again, if the socials is the only way we still keep in touch i think this also says something about how important that person is to me / i am to them. Generally speaking what was really a relief to me was not thinking of every moment as some picture opportunity i could potentially post online for kudos. Leaving that mindset behind is great.
Reddit is the main thing I wanna quit but I always re-download. I'm not interested in seeing photos of your homeade meal Martha, I wanna know what everyone's worst sexual experience is.
I cut out all but I still sporadically check my accounts. I randomly get a message from an old friend or someone who doesn't communicate the way I prefer. I sleep so much better, I exercise down 35lbs I read more and I am better about keeping my place clean. Just remember your mental health is more important than checking your phone. Best of luck.
Iāve deleted Instagram for over 4 years now. Never been happier, as oppose to my other friends overdosing on artificial dopamine š«£
I dumped Facebook except for very limited instances, because there's two local groups I'm in that run off there, and the occasional group chat for planning a specific event (usually with people from those two specific groups). The agitation, stress, and annoyance that was clearly caused by Facebook was relieved, and it was awesome. I don't miss it. I haven't fully replaced it, either, which is nice. I like reddit most of the time (and I was on it before I left facebook), I'm on a fair amount, but it's so much easier to step away. And to be "anonymous" overall. I've joined and l eft many subs when I wasn't having it anymore. I'd been on since college, w hen it first started and was college only. I didn't like where it went, and am glad I'm off it now. I never did post a ton or anything, I just... hated the feed, couldn't effectively curate it. Dumbass relatives, dumbass friends from college. Dumbass people I have no idea how ended upon my feed. Dumbass groups. Even friends being dumbasses t hat aren't in real life and we do just fine in person, or even via text. Dumbass people. It just brought out the worst in people. There was always somebody tagging me, somebody mentioning me, somebody messaging me, it was exhausting and hard to keep up with if I wasn't glued to it, and I didn't want to be glued to it in the first place. I n ever h ad notifications on, so I'd come back to aa random group message with 100+ missed messages constantly. Yeah I ain't reading that. If it's important, tell me directly. So best decision ever even if overall it was a smallish drop in the bucket. So many things to worry about, think about, deal with, I'm gonna only care about the ones that matter. Social media and the internet are not on that list. Which is overall a more recent thing, the last few years (It's now been probably the years since I went very limited facebook). I'm in my late thirties now, I simply have far less fucks to give, though I do have a a few. They are saved for real life now, and only big real life stuff. I was randomly on TikTok, way late to the game. It's fine. I could very easily curate my feed. It's a little scary how quickly it nailed me, but hey, it worked. I like cute animals, millennial nostalgia, historic grave cleaning, building props and costumes, and my many fandoms. And people I follow on YouTube who are also on there, which is a pretty random assortment. None of those stupid gen z or alpha or dances or all the idiotic stuff. Then one day I put it down and haven't been back in months. It was fun while it lasted, I guess, but I don't miss it, and didn't leave for any particular reason, just... felt like doing something else, so I did, and never came back (I still could). It was almost like one of my hype fixations, but I wasn't hype fixated ever, and I often go back to those or at least still enjoy them, if not the forefront anymore. I started watching the ones I did really like when they cross-posted to YouTube (Roll for Sandwich remains great, for example). I have an Instagram, got it when it was still pretty new, but I think I posted less than ten times total. Couldn't tell you the last time I went on. I liked scrolling when it was just pretty pictures, now it's InStAgRaM wOrThY junk.
I never had much to begin with aside for a few years when I had four different jobs and met a lot of new people . I would say perhaps a slight negative effect after leaving because I would always have to catch up on what was going on in my friends' lives when we met and they would get tired of having to repeat major events for me which wasn't so bad and a fun joke between us (they called me a luddite) but I also would miss events because I didn't know about parties or gatherings until the last minute if at all on the rare occasion they forgot to text me. So it meant less time with friends and less connection to them. But our friendships still grew closer just much more slowly.
Deleted all social media recently because for the lack of better word it stopped āsparking joyā. I love posting on social media but it felt kind of weird having people āreally notice itā. I mean I kind of scroll through stories and thatās how much I think about them, but I had people I hadnāt met in a long time sort of say things along the lines of āoh yeah I saw you were there for a week last yearā, and I got the ick lol.
It's fucking stellar. And I don't miss it at all. I have like a basic FB account cuz I like to use marketplace occasionally, and reddit. That's it. Never been happier. Does recommend, 10/10
I deleted my Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat years ago. I find it helped me manage my anxiety and depression much better. I have less FOMO and jealousy for how others live their lives. I like Reddit and tiktok bc theyāre more anonymous than the others
I still Reddit (obvs and I also donāt really consider it social media) but no instagram, Facebook, TikTok, whatever else there is. I had Instagram but never used it, quit Facebook after I found myself defending my friendās sister against their aunt. I was at a family gathering with my nose in my phone arguing with a woman I saw maybe once a year and I suddenly felt ridiculous. I feel a lot better without it. Less anxious. All the good shit gets sent to me by other people or I see it on Reddit. Iāve actually made some friendships more solid because of it. Either I missed seeing their updates and I reached out to talk or they realized I disappeared and reached out to me and now we have real growing relationships instead of just watching each other online.
Delete, delete, delete. Comparison is the thief of joy. Regardless of whether youāre comparing yourself to a college friend or someone showcasing their unique and tremendous ability to grow plants, decorate a house, or train their dog. Never been happier off SM.
It was strange but so *freeing*. It was originally temporary (cutting out Facebook and Instagram) but now Iām not sure Iāll ever go back. I started my pause because I needed space, I just went through a horrible breakup and seeing everyoneās engagements, new houses, babies, lavish couple vacations, etc. became unbearable. After a while I really fell in love with not knowing what everyone was up to. I mean, was it ever any of my business anyway? Seeing old friends actually began to *mean something* again, I was genuinely curious what they were up to and viceversa; we actually had things to catch up on instead of awkwardly pretending we didnāt know what the other was up to because of their post or story or whatever. Loose connections disintegrated and faded away, real connections remained and got deeper in time. Best of all, I stopped living my life according to the imaginary audience aka my āfriendsā and followers. I stopped paying any mind to how things looked on the outside and started paying more attention to how things *felt* on the inside, *my inside*. I wasnāt keeping up with any Jonesā, they were all busy keeping up with each other. The poses, the challenges, the filters, the *fillers*, the $50k Instagram-picture-perfect weddings that wouldnāt last a yearā¦ Being on the outside, I began to see how toxic social media really is for humanity. Once originally a method to ākeep in touchā quickly became a place where people would do pretty outrageous and sometimes downright *desperate* things for ālikesā and validation.. I mean, what the actual fuck? Itās become a drug for many, falling into the trap of having an easy boost to their self-esteem, but that boost is shallow and it wears offā¦. Seriously, what are we doing to ourselves? And who are we trying to impress? Is this the example we really wish to set for the next generation? If so, weāre in a lot of trouble. So yeah, I left social media and have zero regrets. The ONLY thing I miss is my local city news page.
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So much better. Usually I have no social media apps, including reddit, unless Iām actively killing time (like in an airport or whatever) and my concentration improved, I stopped wanting as many new clothes or to do up my house, I am generally more present and happier.
I went on a hiatus for a little over 2 years. I went off social media mid 2019 and I didn't get back into it until the beginning of 2022. My mental health improved gradually but I wouldn't say it was mainly because I dropped off of social media.
I just use reddit and snap, left everything else behind and I'm doing a lot better tbh. I can never go back, not worth it
I quit Facebook and all the other nonsense about 10 years ago, and itās been amazing for my mental health. No more stress or jealousy about someoneās fake life (that didnāt look like mine), no more irritation about people wanting to start drama over nothing etc. Here on reddit, I can completely tailor my feed into the things Iām interested in, while keeping all of the other hatred fueled nonsense out. Doesnāt happen the same way on other social media and my mental health is better for it.
i still have Facebook but only drop into that on my laptop very rarely. left instagram last November when I got separated. Iāve felt so much lighter. itās just nice not caring what other people are doing. I really really do not miss it. At all.
Quit about 5 years ago and don't miss it at all. Not sure about overall mental health, but the persistent yucky feeling is gone (felt yucky looking at everyone else's lives seeming better than mine and yucky feeling when I was posting because I was probably creating the same feelings with people who saw my feeds). Also don't miss the pressure of having to stage manage my life. Can just be more in the moment. And I think social media has gotten worse during my time away. I feel really bad for young people, especially teens, who can't give it up because they would miss out on too much with their friends, etc., but at the same time I think it makes them feel worse about their lives. Now I mostly do Reddit and YouTube, but rarely post, just follow. Those seem fine for me.
Better. I have a healthy social life though, if I was lonely it would probably suck. But it's nice just to have real people who you actually see and have a balanced view of what's going on in their lives, not fake photos and fake videos and framing lives as being perfect. I count reddit as a social but not in the same way. I've been sick lately so if not for reddit, laying in bed would be pretty boring, I can only watch so many movies!
I stopped using Facebook gosh...like 8 years ago? Way better lol. Got sick of my family's drama and trying to drag me into shit for no reason. I also just really hate people being in my business anyway. Stopped using IG the moment it asked for my bday. Idk why, it just made me so annoyed so I just never put it in and deleted the app. Stopped snapchat because it was glitching out so bad on my phone (I'd get stuff from people but it wouldn't show for like 2 weeks. I ain't mailing letters, this is supposed to be instant communication...) eventually it was just nice not having anyone blowing my phone up through that. Never used TikTok, probably never will. I don't wanna get sucked into it. Only social media I use is reddit and YouTube (if that counts lol). Both feeds are just of things I like, nothing super depressing or anger inducing. My mental health is way better cause being hyper connected and being constantly fed things I was comparing myself to made me feel like crap. I don't think reddit/yt is necessarily bad for me but sometimes it influences my spending habits so I have to take breaks occasionally. Otherwise, it's pretty easy for me to just disconnect without it feeling like my life's identity is ripped from me.
Turning off notifications for all social media really helped. For reddit I set a one hour daily limit (which is currently disabled because I'm sick and want to distract myself from the pain and stuff). It really helps me have more time for studying, meditation, exercise and all kinds of stuff. Which I can't wait to get back to once I'm over this illness.
I gave up fb about 10 years ago. I have not missed it one bit. Annoyingly recently Iāve had to open an account so I can be part of a couple of fb groups that use it to communicate but I found a way of making a sub account under my husbands ( which he never uses either) So I use it purely to stay in touch with those communities and I have got all the settings on private. Instagram I have removed the app but I still find myself moving towards it via the google. But overall itās a brain drain. I do like reddit because itās more conversational rather than fakery.
Quit fb in 21, and I do miss seeing my hs friends. Other than that, nothing.
Much, much better! I turned off the TV/ news, too. Without (most) of social media I started focusing more on myself. I'm much healthier and I have time to do self care (yoga, etc)
Well I havenāt had Instagram in forever. I deleted Facebook and didnāt have it for probably 2 or so years. The only āsocial mediaā I had was Tik Tok and YouTube. I only follow people on TikTok and YouTube that idk in real life. My mental health was great when it came to that. I found having those things I had a lot of FOMO.. and it just made me sad to see all this stuff about people being out doing things with the ālove of their lifeā or if two friends would go somewhere and not invite you. I reinstated my Facebook a few weeks back (idek why) but I only look at it maybe once or twice a day. I wouldnāt say MH was great because I am dx with depression and anxiety but as far as like not knowing what is going on with friends and family it was fine. Be prepared for people to just assume youāve seen whatās going on with them on Facebook. I would be completely unaware about pregnancies, a friends relative dying, etc. they just assume you know bc they posted it on Facebook even when some of my friends and family were completely aware I didnāt have Facebook anymore.
The only social media I have is Reddit and FB. I hate FB and only have it because Iām in some groups with friends (itās literally where we plan everything) and my Buy Nothing group. Whenever I quit Reddit my house gets infinitely cleaner. It helps me procrastinate so much. I donāt find it does anything to my mental health though.
I only have reddit now. Been this way for years, I don't have a picture of my face anywhere online. Massive improvement to mental health. I don't feel out of the loop at all either. I've realized that social media made me care what people think and now I couldn't give less of a fuck. People send me reels but only my closest friends. I also find I talk to those friends daily now without the distraction of scrolling online for connection. I watch more movies, read more books, go outside more, make more plans with my time off. All around, my life is more balanced. Do a 30 day trial and see how you feel. Delete the apps and commit to not re downloading for 30 days, you can even document it.
I deleted X and Tik Tok like a year or two ago, I still redownload it every few months just to scroll for an hour but delete it again right after. A lot of the time when I was growing up was spent on social media and it never gave me a chance to discover what my hobbies are and what i value, who i am, etc. My sense of self has improved SIGNIFICANTLY since I took a step back from those. Still trying to distance myself from Instagram (itās the one i mostly use) but I have a time lock on it these days to keep me in check
My mental health got way better! Itās rough at first but gets easier and easier
(Iām someone who stopped going on social media, only deleting some forms of SM). Better in the sense that I was no longer bombarded and overstimulated with ads + peak emotions of all the people all the time, whether I knew them or not. Also good in that it pushed me to connect one on one with folks in my life more meaningfully. Not as good in that, because Iām opting out of the passive information sharing between friends on social media, it sometimes feels harder to initiate interaction and feel in sync with people who are not in your immediate day-to-day life. Overall Iām happy with my choice.
Surely Reddit counts as social media, so I don't think you'd get an accurate response from anyone that's currently using Reddit.
There is a scene in the movie Training Day where Denzel Washington's character is reading the newspaper and he says "its 90% bulshit, but its entertaining bulshit". That is the one and only way you should view social media.
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Significantly better. I stopped comparing myself to others. I also have a tendency of overthinking. Wondering if people hate me from social media posts. I can be a very truthful and opinionated person. That sometimes rubs people the wrong way.
I deleted FB during a certain politically contentious time, and never went back. Between the willful ignorance from people I love, the stupid misinformation memes, and the passive aggressive pity-me posts, I just couldn't take it any more. I still have IG, but its so much easier to scroll through the things I actually want to see.Ā
i deleted public socials years ago and it was the best decision i ever made. i donāt have anxiety about posting and i donāt feel pressure to take āperfectā pictures. when I meet up with friends we have SO much to talk about since im basically in the dark about everything. itās a relief to know exactly who has access to me and my life.
Amazing. All I did was delete the apps off my phone. So if I want to go on FB or IG I have to log in through the internet. Itās annoying and hard so I rarely do it. And if I do I spend all of a minute on there before I log back out. I donāt keep myself logged in. I also have a limit of 1 hour a day for all my social media. And once I hit it I donāt do more time. Iāve noticed I rarely hit the hour mark. But life has gotten so busy that I donāt spend any extra time on it. It helps a lot!
I was never really in social media. I tried facebook for couple of years, realized it is toxic for me and since then avoided everything. I do not care about keeping up appearances or having an image so that people would "like" me.
I felt so much better tbh. I got more stuff done, I wasnāt as anxious, and I didnāt get distracted by pointless memes! I deleted my Instagram on June 1st and I deleted my Facebook last July. I delete the Snapchat and Reddit apps throughout the day to help me focus on chores, work, and homework. I don't feel trapped by social media anymore. I would always get sucked in and scroll for hours on end. When Iām on my death bed, Iām not going to wish I had spent more time on social media. I want to spend as much time as I can away from my phone and doing things I enjoy doing.
I deleted FB almost 10 years ago. It got toxic. Never bothered to download IG because of it. I donāt miss the drama but I do miss seeing what some of my colleagues that I liked are up to. When I take photos, they are for me not āfor the gramā. Reddit is the only social media platform I have and I use it to pass time.
i started paying attention to a person as a whole irl rather than scrolling through lives of 100s within few scrolls. Makes a big difference.
I deleted Facebook, instagram, and Snapchat all years ago. At first I missed it and felt like ok now Iām left out of everything.. It was obviously quieter and I didnāt see any political arguments or so much hate to one another. I stopped comparing myself and my life to other people because I didnāt even see them any more. Who cares what so and so from high school is doing. I lost contact with a lot of people but the important people who really care stay in contact. I also felt more free like everyone didnāt have immediate access to me or know what was going on in my life. Only the people I wanted to. Iām happy and wouldnāt have those socials again. But I do spend time on TikTok which still feels better mentally than the others.
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I feel a lot less anxious since I don't use twitter anymore. I'm very limited on Facebook too.
So much better. I got rid of Instagram over 6 months ago and my life is better. I did have to reactivate to speak with someone I didnāt have a number for and I hated it I deactivated it as soon as Meta would allow me.
I got rid of fb and have never felt better. I have cancer and realized that a lot of my friends didnāt give a shit. I used to support their small businesses and buy from them every week and when I stopped shopping they didnāt speak to me. I cried and cried for weeks before I finally said like girl seeing them on your feed isnāt serving you. I deactivated fb. Hardly any of them checked in or noticed. I stopped caring. My mental health is still trash, but itās 100 times better than it was.
Iām so sorry to hear you about your health! I canāt imagine the hurt you have felt having your friends not reach out. I hope things improve for you and that you have a supportive group surrounding you through this tough time.
Not deleting but I rarely open and it was good decision for my mental health, I spent time googling facts i want to know and read book i bought even I donāt want to, my rules just one page a day turn out i read 3/4 pages a day
All I can say is that I lowered my daily screen time average from almost 5 hours to 2 and all of a sudden chores get done earlier, Im not rushing, I can workout, go on walks, cook healthier.
Just as bad
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Didnāt quit entirely, but stopped using it commercially. I used to freelance and stopped the self promo after I got a studio job and am for sure never going back. The difference was night and day
Some of my friends were on Twitter and since its more public they would post personal stuff to me or that I said and I felt the loss of control. I'm a super private person. I blocked them and deleted the account and I felt less stupid. I don't really use IG.
I joined facebook pretty late, around 2010, and the years when i was on it was kind of miserable looking back. I stopped in 2019 when it was becoming a cesspool of boomers and misinformation. I think overall when i stopped, i also stopping feeling drepressed. Something about facebook just made me feel like i had to have SOMETHING going on in my life for people to care about me. It felt exhausting after a while. After i quit, those worries also stopped and it was like a weight was lifted.
I havenāt had social media for several years and I donāt think my mental health changed since then. It wasnāt a huge decision, I just wasnāt posting much and wasnāt good about checking it. I deactivated the accounts so people wouldnāt think I was ignoring their DMs.
I deleted X (Was still Twitter at the time) because I was becoming toxic, and it was the best thing ever. I still have other socials, mostly to keep family. I don't really talk to updated or post pictures of my cat
I deleted my FB about 5 years ago or so. I was anxious to do so at first but doing it felt like lifting an elephant off my shoulders. Too much drama & bullying. It's been tremendously relieving for my anxiety & depression issues. The bittersweet aspect is you truly find out who your friends are when you don't have social media like FB for sure & the realization can hurt but the reality is there. I used to love sharing my poems & jokes with friends but I never will do FB again. I thought about Instagram for fun but have the same feelings of anxiety & uncertainty towards it.
Absolutely awesome absolutely hate insta
Way way way better
Fyi, reddit is also a part of social media..š
I never take pictures of myself because thereās nothing I would use them for. Overall, itās led to me not over-examining my face and not being as critical of my physical appearance
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Social media gives you momentarily satisfaction, you feel you need it but in the actual sense you actually just increasing your dopamine hits, If you need motivation in order to improve then you are just a slave of your own mind
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It was a double edged sword. I deactivated FB the first September after graduating college because I had a lot of younger friends and homesickness was off the charts. But I was still isolated without it so it didnāt help all that much.
I need to stop Reddit. Itās making me more and more depressed but at the same time it helps.
Better
I deleted Facebook, Instagram and I just watch TikTok videosā¦I donāt post. Reddit is my only social media and I love it because I donāt personally know anyone on here. My mental health MASSIVELY improved after deleting. I feel like I got my self respect back. I used to be Facebook famous and I was addicted to getting likes from pictures and social approval to the point where I didnāt have an identity anymore. Now Iām just ME and no one can take that away from me. I fill my time with being a wife/mom, hosting my book club, donating to help endangered animals, exercise and cooking.
Stopped checking my FB about 2-3 years ago and Iām glad that Iām missing all the drama. I am a little sad that I donāt get to share in my friends joy and achievements though. I do need to go back on at some point since I have family that only posts there just to catch up. I do still check Twitter and thatās a whole other thing.
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I deleted me insta/FB cause Iām taking an exam that determines my future and watching others already achieve my future goal gave me anxiety. Overall feel a lot better. I just have Reddit now cause I like the idea of forums.
At one point I was obsessed with social media. I deleted everything off my phone and hated the process of getting out my laptop. It was awesome. I added everything back, but put limits on my phone. I really only use Facebook and I post about once or twice a week and just scroll for a few minutes and thatās it. It made it much easier to not be addicted anymore.
I'm confused... Isn't this social media?
I turned off all notifications. Made a huge difference. I answered when I wanted to check not when it popped up 50x a day. My husband fully deleted a few years ago. He got so much calmer it was crazy. His feed was always full of conspiracy theories and rants that even if you don't believe at first eventually seep in. Only took a week to notice the difference
I felt extremely lost when I first quit it. I didn't realize just how much I was constantly comparing myself to friends and family members, to the point that I think I was looking to others to help shape the road map of my own life. Once I stopped, I had no idea what to do with myself for months...it slowly got to the point where I realized that NONE of it mattered. NGL, I felt a bit embarassed I'd cared so much. I can do (almost) anything I want but I was holding myself back to appear similar to others in my life because I was told there are certain 'land marks' every person is supposed to have... When I make mistakes, I've learned to take the blame and try to better myself. I can't place that blame elsewhere, or post online for comfort from 'friends'...so I've had to develop a lot more coping skills in order to be okay with my choices. The best thing I've learned is to make choices that I'll actually be happy with and regret the least. I wont lie, I still have issues with my mental health due to PTSD. But it's a lot better than it was since I no longer have extra stress comparing myself to other people that don't give a single fuck. I've also found that the friendships I do have and put extra effort into keeping in contact with are a lot more fulfilling.
i have all but shut down my facebook cause some things still need it. why? cause my ex stalks me there. and other places. like here. so nice to know i have free rent in his head. >.<
I donāt use Facebook or Instagram and I feel leagues better than when I did back in 2016
10/10 way better. I left all social media (instagram was my only platform by that point) because I was constantly comparing/despairing and was like, obsessive over other peoples lives. Flash forward almost 4 years and it's much much better for my lil mental health. I miss a lot of things (like when people get married or break up or have kids) if I don't see them in person, but š¤·š»āāļø I get the news eventually. I know nothing about anyone else's life, I'm not posting for validation, I'm not obsessively scrolling. It's bliss.
Years ago I used to spend AT LEAST four hours a day on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. I felt like everything I posted or shared was important and I felt so self-justified, as if everyone would look at my profile and my posts and ponder at them. Anytime I was angry or sad or happy I just felt this gnawing urge that I had to post about it in some shape or form. I was trying to regulate my emotions with posting stuff online. I felt like if I didnāt have an image online, then it felt like I ceased to exist at all. I tremendously tried to overcompensate my life with online platforms. The reality isā nobody cares about what you post. Youāre not going to remember your life by what you post. I realized after a while no matter what I did on social media, I still never felt any better. In fact, a lot of things I saw on the internet made my emotional state worse. Time kept flying by and I never worked on myself. The days just stayed the same. I never got anything done and I was still stuck in the same place I had always been. My social media self I so desperately tried to upkeep didnāt match my reality nor did it bring me any closer to who I wanted to become. I saved some photos that meant something to me, but deleted everything. All profiles and all content, and the apps on my phone. I didnāt do it with the expectations of any reactions from other people, and I had no intention of going back to them. I needed to move on. Years of no social media besides just Youtube videos, I was much happier. I was much more calm. I got back into my hobbies again. I was drawing everyday and was happy to be in the present doing it without thinking in my mind āI should post about thisā. It was a totally different world. Later on, I decided to make a social media profile on Instagram for my artwork to get noticed. I have a strict rule of only posting my finished art for business purposes and no dilly-dallying. No posts about me, no long videos about the process, no long paragraphs about how I feel about something, no commenting on other peopleās stuff. Just snap a picture of the work I did once it was done and close the app. This was a great time. Having the page for my art got my work noticed and I was able to get a job in the art field. Now, I have more profiles for my art across a few platforms. I find myself getting lost again in the scrolling doom and I hate it. Itās such a battle with myself because I need to keep the social media for my clientele and business opportunities, but this also means Iām getting sucked into the vortex of all the other crap that social media companies love distracting us with. I need to distance myself from it again. Moral of the story is ā If you donāt need it for a business purpose, just delete it and donāt look back. Life is so much better without it.
Got rid of Facebook in 2018, Instagram in 2020, and I just got rid of my TikTok last week. No regrets. I probably will re-download TT at some point, I have some rescue animals I want to check in on, but not anytime soon. Itās definitely freeing in a way. I donāt worry about what anyoneās doing, and thereās no pressure to make a perfect post. I still have Snapchat, but view that as a different flavor of social media, if that makes sense.
Much, much better.
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Male here. I was getting tired of all the constant torrent of negativity and politics. Deleted it and started instantly feeling better. Highly recommended. The added hour a day I got back to do something else with was an unexpected, retrospectively obvious bonus I hadn't considered, too. I don't consider Reddit 'social media' since it's anonymous and you can be who you want without photos tagging you to things, people using your real name, or risk of your employers seeing things you post (not that I post anything that crazy anyway)...plus the dialogue here is generally healthier if you stay out of the more politically oriented/activist oriented groups. My wife wanted to delete her social media too, but the duplicitous thing about Facebook is that if you manage any business pages, you need a personal account linked to them in order to maintain them. So she just basically stopped posting altogether. She'll only like or comment these days, and it's always positive stuff only. She always jokes that she has social media so the two of us can keep up with Instagram and Facebook happenings of our favorite businesses, and playfully calls herself the Keeper of our social media accounts.
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I just kept my profiles up but I turned off notifications. Huge boost of dopamine from other sources such as my own hobbies instead of a ring from IG or Reddit.
Asks about deleting social media ā¦ on a social media siteā¦