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I deleted Social Media Apps off my phone and noticed a huge difference.
I’ve recently deleted all social media apps off my phone and have noticed a significant improvement to my mental health and overall well being. I’m not saying I dislike social media, my wife and I wouldn’t be together today if it wasn’t for Facebook giving us the ability to communicate with each other after the night we met, I’m forever grateful we had that opportunity to stay in touch. I don’t like the current state of these platforms as we are letting the companies freely takeover our attention spans and time. It took me until recently to realize how badly these apps hindered my mindset and led to spirals of depression.
I write this because I’ve worked a handful of social media jobs, I currently run all social media for the store I work at and recently coming to terms with how damaging to our mental health the current state of these platforms actually are. I’ve been having these discussions with more and more people and everyone agrees something has to change. It no longer feels like I’m creating ‘content’ but ‘distractions’. When I go on social media now, it feels like sitting down to watch TV, but instead of a show, Im mostly watching commercials.
I first started with deleting the Facebook app and realized I no longer had the impulse to check it anymore. Facebook used to be a fun website we’re I kept in touch with friends and family, but the site has nosedived in recent years and it’s causing people to use it less. These past couple of months have seen an influx of clickbait, Ai spam and pages I don’t follow in my feed. Even when I try to control what’s on my feed by adjusting feed settings and blocking pages, new pages continue pop up. I still occasionally use the website on my computer, but but the site is becoming increasingly cluttered and lost its original purpose.
Four days ago I deleted Instagram off my phone. This was the hardest to delete, but has been the biggest relief. It still have the app on my IPad, so I can still view pages I like and what people send me. I’ve grown so attached to the app this past decade, and I didn’t realize how bad this addiction was and how negatively it was impacting my mindset until now. Realizing all the times my mind was thinking “time to check Instagram” and how much time it would suck up for little reward. The past four days I’ve gone out to the bar with friends, a concert, went to a movie and a lake with friends where I noticed a significant improvement in my focus and awareness of the world around me without thinking about Instagram. As a result, I’m more present and happier.
These platforms used a fun way to communicate with friends, but they are now overflowing with content designed to grab your attention and steal your time. It’s companies curating content to catch our eye, keeping us glued to our phones and distracting us from our lives. Even if you don’t follow these types of pages, the algorithms are designed for them to appear in your feed no matter what. It’s not just seeing what our friends or other people we follow post, but algorithms sucking us in so we can be on the apps for an infinite amount of time.
I wish I could gain back all the time I lost due to social media. It’s not that social media is inherently bad, but it’s clear it’s current form on our smartphones is damaging to our mental health. Now that I’m free from these apps in my pocket being such a distraction, I feel I’m gaining control of my mind back and less depressed.
To all those struggling the same way I have been or might not realize how much these apps are impacting you, I hope this post helps.
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1 Reply
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I deleted Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok from my phone, but kept the accounts for work but I deleted all my content. I also deleted my Twitter account forever. I feel so much better! I still end up browsing Reddit a lot, but I started muting subs.
Yes, my mental health has improved because of that. I’m less constantly fixating on random topics, I am less triggered, and overall I feel calmer.
I recommend it
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Good
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[deleted]
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How did you deal with the lack of dopamine at the beginning? How were your first days? I want to do it but I know it will be difficult at the beginning, just like when you try to leave an addiction.
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Hard relate to this. I work in online community management, and it’s made using social media impossible in my personal time as I’m so burnt out by the toxic shit I deal with on the community. I’ve only got Reddit on my phone as I can more easily control what I see.
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I did this last night before school (teacher) started up again. It’s been hard and I’m glad I temporarily deactivated so I can’t give in so easily and redownload. This post gives me inspiration, thanks!!
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What about Reddit?
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I did this a month ago. My compulsive need to check an app is now satiated with reddit. I’ll delete this soon, too. What a waste of time it is reading people’s AITA and other distractions. Hoping soon I’ll be able to participate more in my day rather than distract myself with a screen.
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I concur and feel even more relieved when I can take a more distant view of the ever growing industry of manufacturing and promulgating collective outrage.
I was so immersed that it became tunnel..
Sleep and relationships are improved -
I agree with that you said. Instagram and Facebook for example have been showing less and less content of people you follow or your friends. The point is to bring your friends and family together.
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When I take my most used social media apps off my phone my concentration is so much better. I just don’t sit for hours at my desktop.
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Smart, social media was way more fun when AOL was around. In the last 10 years it has become a platform for a lot of garbage news and fear mongering.
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Do you still work in social? This is my dilemma! I’m a copywriter who got put into social and trying to keep up with it all is draining me mentally and emotionally! I’d love to delete them ALL (Reddit included tbh) but I’m worried it will affect my work.
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I deleted Facebook app 9 weeks ago and haven’t been on my personal instagram in months. For me, it was not so much the ads or crap they toss at you, it was Facebook and seeing the people you know, friends and family slowly becoming unhinged during and thereafter the pandemic. Not to mention, the local community groups making me think I’m on an episode of fear thy neighbor. I swear facebook is like the armpit of social media. I couldn’t handle it anymore. Along with the fact that when we’d see people and ask “what’s new?” It’s like pretending you don’t already know that they bought a new minivan, had a deck installed or their kid won the championship. We already know bc it’s all right there! Things became boring and stale. I did keep TikTok but follow 2 people I know and same that follow me and it’s been great. I post here and there and have fun among strangers. But yet always felt like a competition when posting among people I know.
I own a business and I swear I have instagram anxiety now. My goal is to completely outsource by early next year. And I’m going back to the old days of focusing on email marketing, ads and connecting in other ways. I always made a point to know my business could run if social media disappeared. Now I may disappear from it first 😂
Edit: adding for clarity.
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How do you delete your social media when you run accounts for a company? I have noticed a shift in social media this past year or so – much more negative engagement, ads, and AI. A lot of comments by bots. A lot of arguing, and terrible people saying terrible things. I want to take a break so badly, but my literal job is Digital and Social Media Coordinator for a company. The company’s accounts are connected to mine, I’m not sure how I could deactivate my personal accounts and still be able to access the company accounts, is there a way? Because that would be great! I’m so burnt out and suffering mentally from it all.
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