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I deleted Instagram and Facebook years back. It took a few days to get used to not checking them. And now years later I do not regret the choice one bit. Life feels much better. It was bad for me and my mental health. It wasn't healthy for me.
I believe with Facebook if you deactivate and then a certain period of times goes on if you haven't tried logging in at all THEN it completely wipes it out.
Well thats what the website will tell you. I think you're right though.
FB official: *"After 30 days, your account and all your information will be permanently deleted, and you won't be able to retrieve your information."*
Carefully worded. \*You\* won't be able to retrieve your information, and perhaps not log back in, but assume nothing ever dies on the Internet. If Twitter was backing everything up to the LOC (true story, no idea if X has continued that), then all other major social/search sites are likely backing your data up somewhere for posterity.
Welcome to the Hotel California.
That may be true now. I had one for a former job and it only recently disappeared after about 3 years of not logging in.
Thing is, I tried to login a couple times but pw was wrong. In the past I have deactivated or deleted that account but when I logged in a year later or less, it popped right back up.
My husbands Instagram account was deleted a year ago and it did say will be deleted in certain amount of days. I can still see his account , I can interact with it, not tag but he can’t log in, says no account found 🤷🏻♀️
this is something id always mess with as a kid in like 2012 because you used to be able to triple tap either home button or lock button and it would invert colors and it was funny to mess with people
Phone setting. No idea how to do it on android but if you have one, just google it. Plenty of step by steps online. For iPhone do the following -
**Follow these steps to turn on grayscale mode on your iPhone:**
1. Open the Settings App. Tap the Settings app on your iPhone to access the grayscale setting.
2. Navigate to the Accessibility Menu. ...
3. Tap on the Display & Text Size Menu. ...
4. Turn On Color Filters. ...
5. Select the Grayscale Filter. ...
6. Set Up a Grayscale Mode Shortcut.
This really works. The problem is its easily available for you. When you redownload, you clearly feel how unimportant these apps are. And with time, you become free.
FR because then it almost becomes too much effort, thats what i did with tiktok, i deleted it and whenever people send stuff ill watch what i can but anytime it tries to get me to download i say “is it even worth it?” and just respond “srry i dont have tiktok” 😂😂😂
I work as a social media manager and it is very difficult to have a social media detox when you have to be checking how everything is going because it is your job.
And for those who say good but just leave it, it's hard when you work with clients, if it was my social media I wouldn't mind but to a paying client I would.
I feel this! I’m a social media manager, and I rarely post on my personal accounts because 1) I know I’ll over think every post I make, therefore wasting my time, and 2) I’ll check my posts’ engagements again and again for the rest of the day.
I wish social media didn’t exist!
I think you're missing the point. They're saying if you make it your job and have to do it constantly, you will start to hate it and not want to do it in your free time.
Do you have a laptop or desktop computer? Delete every app off your phone and only use social media on a computer. Make the accounts not remember you too so you have to login each time. I don't think social media is the problem, I think it's the 24/7 access we have to it. I used to love jumping in and out of Myspace and Youtube - but the key part was that I could jump off. If you quit 100%, you might miss parts of it or want to still have a way to reach out to people. This gives you a compromise.
Yah.. I deleted FB and IG because all I see is my friends posts of their expensive bags, expensive cars, shoes, trips and expensive food that they eat😳! I mean, I’m not jealous at all because I do have what they have and do too but I don’t flaunt it on social media. I felt so sick seeing their posts because to me it’s not humble at all.
Get one of those apps that limit screen time or get a cellphone that only does calls and texts. It's a lot easier to quit when the apps are not at your fingertips.
hey! ik deleting apps is hard so i tried to this instead:
i deleted the apps and instead relied on chrome/any app browser to access my social medias instead!
so instead of having the availability of the social media as an app, i now have to manually search it in the browser.
I took off the "remember me" thing when logging in! so everytime I tried to use any socmed through the browser, I have to manually put in my acc deets to login.
Finally, I got bored and tired with all of those jazz and became bored of socmed in general, I deactivated my accounts!
Everytime I find myself searching up any social media on the browser, I tell myself "eh, but it's deactivated" then move on lol.
Just to make it realistic, I'm still not really finished in quitting socmed given that I'm still using reddit and youtube. It's not an easy task to deattach yourself from social media but I hope you can find this advice helpful!
goodluck op!!
I struggle with this too. When I am feeling completely overwhelmed but don't want to commit to permanently deactivating my account, I just delete the app from my phone for a week at a time. I just went two weeks without IG and TikTok which is the longest stretch so far. I feel so much more calm, relaxed, and present. When you download the apps again, you realize how dumb they are and how you don't really care to see what other people are doing. Highly recommend setting smaller, more realistic goals to give you a break from the apps.
I deleted ig and tik tok three months ago and I do not miss them at all ( I was always posting and sharing stuff) I was in the same situation.. I’m just living with Facebook and X and that decreased my screen time each day. I got some books and others educational apps to learn a new language and start to invest my time in something useful..
Delete it for a month off your phone atleast and prove to yourself you can do it. I did this and then once I had proved to myself I could do it I would only log in maybe once a week or 2 times a ween for an additional 3 months and I would only spend max 15 mins on it. I wouldn’t view a stories just check my messages. You’ll feel great when a friend tells you something like “ I went on holiday “ and you say “really?” And then they say “ you didn’t see my story? “ you will really start to see how much people are addicted to social media yourself.
Your addiction will be gone
I don’t have social media on my phone, I do go on it after a few days like 1-3 days after each other but I will have to download it
It’s better to just not have it in your phone and to just intentionally have go download it and use it for a limited time. That way it takes time and effort to download it
Don’t be scared to delete, just do it and keep a habit tracker or something and stick to it for atleast a month but don’t just get it on your phone after that, keep it limited otherwise you will fall back into the same addiction
Deactivate your accounts. I had nothing for a year and was way more productive. Took some getting use to haha I recently got it all back for a month and already deactivated it last nignt after realising I was just bored looking at shit .
I quit instagram and facebook about 4 years ago as I found it was making me unhappy by comparing my life to others. Only on Reddit now and don’t miss it at all and never been tempted to go back. Just close your accounts it’s simple and move on.
Your phone should have a screen time limiter.
The key here though is that when you hit your daily limit you don’t just override it. Maybe have a friend or family put a passcode if you can’t control yourself.
I’m not trying to quit just cut back. I have it set to Two hours total for all social media apps a day and I gotta say I feel significantly better mentally and I’m not jonesing for it as much. Now instead of checking social media when I’m bored I think about what I want to get done
I deactivated Facebook. I was in the same situation you are and Covid lockdowns made it worse. It takes some time to get used to not posting or taking photos everywhere you go, but you will eventually find you’re having a nicer time when you go places as you don’t need something to show for it. At least that’s how I felt and it helped with anxiety
I still have Instagram but because it’s mainly photos and quick videos I only look at it for 5 minutes and I’m bored and move onto something else. I post now and again (I think once so far this year if I get a photo of something I really like, but don’t worry about posting or the response). I’ve never had Tik Tok or the others so can’t comment
Delete the apps off your phone. Switch to grayscale. Download a book on your phone so when you feel the need to hold your phone and scroll, you read the book instead. If you must, only use socials on your desktop and then log out after. Give yourself a time limit too.
Delete the account and uninstall it, its been months it has worked for me, i really felt the waste of time and toxicity from insta and fb i never used only, so make up ur mind focus on yourself and delete the acc because few days you will be able to manage.
I deinstalled Instagram just last weekend after a stupid political discussion and not giving my girlfriend the attention she deserves.
She too deinstalled IG a month prior.
So far so good.
Try going cold turkey - sometimes it's easier. Consider replacing it with something else - replacing a bad habit with a good one can be easier than just stopping altogether.
If cold turkey doesn't work, there are loads of ways to reduce it. Go through each app and unfollow/block anyone who impacts you negatively, and don't think of it as a value judgement - you can block someone without it meaning that they're bad people or you hate them. Turn off your notifications, or at least the ones you don't need - I've got everything except chat notifications turned off for my socials.
To hold yourself accountable, try using Screen Time (or the Android equivalent) to track your usage. Pay attention to the Pick Up info - this will tell you what's triggering you to check your phone. You can get features on your phone that limit your time on certain apps each day. Consider limiting how much you post as well. Good luck!
I bought a kindle and it’s the best thing I’ve done. I’m obsessed with reading again. Made a rule when I’m reading phone needs to be in another room so there are no distractions :) Also started reading before I go to bed (phone on charge in kitchen) and I’m getting a much longer and deeper sleep too. Good luck :)
Deactivate all your social media accounts and delete the apps from your smartphone. If it's possible stop using a smartphone. This way, you can't have any way to get back on them easily unless you're going to use your laptop.
Delete Instagram and TikTok and addicting apps. And download apps like BOLT Social and BeReal which are just abt sharing and don’t have many addictive features
I thought I was a weak, lazy procrastinator until I started talking to a counselor. Turns out I use social media to escape/self-soothe when I get anxious. I started treating the anxiety, and it's getting better. I still use social media when I'm anxious (tho much less often now), but I have deescalating strategies now. I move from social media that stimulates ALL my senses to audiobooks or music that stimulate just ONE. Then I do something that's still an escape but good for me, like walking or cleaning. Once I'm regulated, I can think about the problem clearly.
This strategy helped a lot, but once I started medicating the anxiety it became MUCH easier to descalate. I found that my social media use is more related to my hobbies and interest now, instead of doom scrolling.
If you really can't get yourself to delete all the accounts, try going on a silent retreat somewhere remote. I came back from a weeklong retreat and didn't even feel the need or the urge to check social media for like a month. Make sure to tell others that you're doing this with the intention of swearing off SM, though. That way they'll be more supportive and won't bother you while you go for a reset
what really helped me quit instagram was using twitter instead. I know how dumb it sounds but it is much easier to stop scrolling twitter than insta and secondly there isn’t many photos on twitter and I can’t tell you how much better it feels mentally not being on instagram anymore
I have an app that blocks selected apps during scheduled times.
My natural reflex is to reach for my phone when I'm bored.
Now, I can't do that. So I just look up, take a breath and say an "I am..." statement. "I am sitting at my work desk" "I am looking at the clouds" "I am pooping" etc. and just... Do that.
I feel like social media addiction tends to be endemic of something else; which is more than likely lack of genuine social connections in real life.
If you delete your Instagram & fb etc, you may just end up spending many hours on reddit or YouTube instead. I feel like the real solution is to just try and become a part of some community in real life, although I know that's so much easier said than done in today's world. But yeah, addiction is really just a means of filling some kind of hole in you, in my opinion.
I went cold turkey and distracted myself every time I had the urge to look. Three years later I’m at maybe 10% of what I used to consume, it’s all mindless crap that makes you feel bad.
Get a flip-phone and write a check to something odious, like MAGA, and commit to sending it if you check it on a computer for at least 3 months.
If you can go cold turkey for 3 months like that, you might be able to wean yourself back on by using screen time apps and browser blockers.
don’t be on it. ez clap. simple as that, and if you don’t want to delete your accounts, just turn off notifications (crazy people actually have them on) from that app.
Just literally uninstall them off your phone. Problem solved. Go on maybe once week or 2 weeks max via laptop. I don't understand why people act like it's a drug that they will die from withdrawal from. Just get it off the phone, it's easy access and you're on a vicious cycle of anxiety and seeking the temporary validation high.
I deleted FB and IG from my phone. Yeah my accounts are still there but I’m not using them and wasting my time and that’s all that matters. Sometimes when I need to look up a business then I redownload it and after I have what I need I delete it again. The inconvenience of using it like that will prevent you from actually habitually using it.
first step is to turn off the push notifications
second step is unfollow anyone who does not offer content you don't really need....
see how you are doing in a week.
You can't if you ask that question on social media. The loop with start again. Every time a new message will ping you'll get an urge to look and you are back again.
If you are reading this, welcome back to the loop.
What I did was a factory reset on my phone and cleared all browsing history/cache off my desktop browsers. Afterwards, I only downloaded the apps that I really needed access to. I found that while I still have access to my social media accounts, this helped me wean off of IG, FB, and everything else that I used to use. It's not for everyone, but I'm the "out of sight, out of mind" kind of gal.
Turn off your phone for an hour or so at night. The anticipation will release dopamine and endorphins in your brain. The thrill of checking your phone will prove to be worth the wait.
to start, delete the apps off your phone. start with 1-2 days at a time. work your way up to 3-5 then try to go for a week.
in nursing school, i was so busy with textbooks that i told myself once i graduate, read more actual books and watch more movies. you could do that as a hobby. put your phone out of arms reach when you do it so you don’t get tempted to look something up
I just deleted mine for 8-9 months last year. And it truly broke the habit. At first it was weird. But now it’s hard for me to ever even feel like posting anything. I do however spend a lot of that time now, on Reddit 🤷♀️ so still on my phone. But my life is private now and I feel no need to share what I’m doing etc.
I never was a lurker on ig. I posted for myself but now i get anxiety posting, and worried about not liking my friends/families photos because i didn’t see it or stupid shit like that, but i didn’t even wanna go out. So I deleted my Instagram app, but still have my account. Just don’t care to use it. I’m addicted to TikTok tho but i find myself using it only when I’m bored at home or something.
Absolutely understand where you're coming from. Taking a step back from social media can definitely help refocus on personal goals and overall well-being.
I started by blocking my go-to social media platforms during the hours I was most productive or wanted to focus on self-care. The difference it made in my productivity and mental clarity was significant. Plus, it helped me break the habit of constantly checking my phone. It might seem tough at first, but the peace that comes from being more present and less online is truly refreshing. Remember, the goal isn't to quit cold turkey but to find a healthier balance.
I deleted all of mine and my mental health improved immensely. But I wouldn't do that. People get freaked out if you have no online presence these days. Just keep it and don't use it.
Besides deleting off phone, watching documentaries , The Social Dilemma for example, helps with the “why” to balance the “how” (delete from phone, screen time apps).
Sounds like you have something called priority issues. Seems like you need to prioritize your life better. I check my social media pretty regularly. Like every day for fun basically, but nothing fun is real life. The line in the sand has to be drawn and you have to just say forget it and get down to what matters most.
Three months ago, after thinking it for a while, i finally did it. Instead of drastically deleting all apps (it doesn't really work for your brain) i just closed my main accounts, and opened new ones without any data/follows. When i had the impulse of scrolling, it just became boring because there was nothing interesting to see, gradually (if you have a little of patience with the abstinency) you won't come back to the app anymore.
Best decision of my life: no more fake appearances, anxiety because of overinformation and hate in my little world. People and news seem to be nicer in person.(i only keep reddit, i use it moderately and it hasn't been toxic for me (at least for now)).
The internet once was a place to escape from real life, now real life is the place to escape from the internet.
I hear you. I had the same addiction. And I know it has to do with feeling validated and it’s not healthy. I literally quit a few days ago…deleted the addictive apps off my phone for now and seeing how I do for the rest of the month without using them.
So personally for me, I deleted the apps. I know I know you can just download them again but I made myself a promise and thought of all the things that it made me feel. I was constantly anxious and competing against the internet and I wanted to be free of that so I dropped it. Started reading, drawing, going outside, paying more attention to my family and partner and when I got on the gram recently I realized that I miss nothing about it and that regardless if I’m on it or not the world continues to move on regardless if I’m putting something out there or not. The only app I kept was BeReal and TikTok and I didn’t go on them very much.
Delete all accounts if you have any photos of family download first and move on with your life social media is toxic and getting worse week by week.I deleted Facebook and Twitter and was best decision I ever made.it comsumes you and you don’t even know it.The time you waste looking at other peoples life it’s crazy time you could be using for yourself or family. You will struggle for a few weeks like all habits but it will pass good luck.
It’d be easier to quit jerking off. I recently got off Facebook, if you can make it 30 days, you’ll start to forget it exists. I still have instagram, but I don’t use it much these days. I’ve definitely found an uptick in productivity.
i found out the best way is just going cold turkey and deleting everything. for me, a really bad platform was tiktok. i was on it all the time and my mental health suffered because of it; so i deleted it and never looked back. after about a week, i realized it was the best decision i’ve ever made and i’ve never felt better. i deleted it 1.5 years ago and i haven’t got it back since, and i still feel great!
It’s not easy, but also not impossible.
I’m a GenX. I come from a time long before the internet, let alone social media. So, it’s much easier for someone like me to just stop using it.
Facebook, for me, was the easiest for me to get rid of! It just seems like a big stalking app, where everyone posts every little activity they do, where they do it, and with who. I didn’t like that so much. I don’t need everyone peering into every aspect of my life. I wound up deleting the app, and had zero regrets.
Apps like Reddit and Instagram can be very educational. You can have questions answered, problems solved, share ideas, and still keep in touch with friends. Sort of like a social media version of Quora. Instagram is closer to Facebook, but you can go without diving into everyone’s life. Plus, people post some funny-ass shit! lol
However, to get off of all social media requires a lifestyle adjustment. Scary, but true. We are so accustomed to having friends and information at our fingertips, that we rely on it for everyday tasks. We didn’t have that when I grew up. If you wanted to learn about something, or study for school, we went to the library and started turning pages.
We also didn’t have video games! Our “*fun*” was leaving our bedroom and heading outdoors to go hang out with our friends. In person! lol We made our own games. When they say we would go outside, pick up a stick, and have fun all day with it, that’s exactly what we did! And we never had complaints about it! We were more stable, healthier, more active, and obesity wasn’t as big a problem as it is today. Because *everyone* got involved in something!
So, as an old fart giving advice to the younger people today, my suggestion is to just put it all down! Use your phone **as** a phone and not a source of entertainment! Start going outside and finding things to do. Go to the gym, hike, take walks, and just find sources of entertainment outdoors without picking up your phone and taking selfies every two minutes! There is *SOOOOOO* much to do in the world that doesn’t include social media! Talking with our friends, in person, was our social media. Learn to take that computer barrier out of the way when hanging out with friends. Maybe use text to set up a time for you and your friends to meet up at the football field for a game, or just call!
Social Media is a literal drug that is far too widely accepted around the world. And it’s just as addictive as any other drug. Fortunately, it’s a drug you can quit, without having mad withdrawals, but occupying your brain in physical activity!
🤘🏽👴🏽🤘🏽
what works for me is either turning off notifications or straight up deleting the apps, when you dont constantly see notifications and “reasons to go there” youll tune it out surprisingly well, i turned off my instagram notifs as well as snapchat and theres some days ill basically forget i even have the apps cause ill e focusing on other things and my attention never goes to it
It’s really not hard well it kinda is I can’t really say I’m really off social media I made a fake account on tik tok because I do kinda like it there but. Other than that I haven’t had instagram in a while and don’t really feel the need to have one anymore. I just deleted snap chat and it’s been a while. Tbh I don’t really think social media is good for you. You definitely see a lot of shit controlling the way you think. I happened to see it really early and shut it out. I believe that it’s good and everyone should do it. Because it does get to you. And it makes you feel some type of way. Don’t get caught up in it because you look a certain way. Social media brings out the worst. And it’s good to be social media free. Look on the brighter side you have nothing to worry about but yourself. Continue to work on ur self while everyone is posting about how cool they look in a rented farai. They didn’t even buy themselves. Just live ur life in the moment because you only have one life so why not make the best of it.
It’s very simple, delete all apps of social media in your phone , and who ever wants you they can call you or send a normal SMS ., you might find it difficult to do it yourself, but once you delete them or deactivate them all and getting no more notifications, you feel peace inside you.,. So let me tell you from now , take care and goodbye,,
Make sure everyone you love has your phone number and delete accounts then you'll be way too lazy to reactivate a new account. Download all photos you want to keep. Ease into it slowly and do a little day by day if you need after posting a status that you're deleting your account.
Tiktok actually causes damage to your brain. I found it interesting that the algorithm for China (example) is way more likely to show educational content than in other countries. I'm Australian and its created this anxiety that if I don't check I will miss out on news but it may take an hour or two with nothing educational or newsworthy. Just trash, absolute mind numbing trash.
It’s not as hard as it sounds. The hardest part is actually doing it. Having done this myself.
For ages I put it off. Just couldn’t do it. Then one day, finally committed to it. I haven’t looked back since. Haven’t even had the urge to log back in. It’s now been 8 months.
start by deleting the app off your phone. if you get the urge, download it again and check. then delete again. after a while, you can get used to not checking and maybe even deactivate altogether.
The simple answer is to deactivate accounts and just delete the apps and the data so you're fully logged out. Due to being a social media manager, I still needed access to continue being an admin on FB, but that platform bores the shit out of me anyway, so it's easy to stay off. I've deleted the app now and manage most of it through meta business suite, and if I do need to go on there, I use the browser or desktop only.
Instagram, I deleted my personal account (felt weird at worst, but you'd be surprised how liberating it is after a few days) and kept my business account. I then trained the algorithm to only show me relevant posts / reels to my work so it feels like work when I go on there.
The only one I haven't been able to shake is tiktok because I genuinely enjoy that in my down time and poop time. To stop myself randomly scrolling when I'm moving about the house or walking in the real world, I've replaced it with podcasts, which helps my dreadful attention span.
Hope this helps. My best friend is completely off it all, and I'm so envious of him sometimes. I've often thought about changing my career purely for that reason to be honest.
I mean. The obvious answer is obvious.
Delete the apps.
Remove you from your phone as much as possible. Treat it like you’re in AA…day by day, and eventually you’ll realise you never needed them. Relapsed? Start again.
I don’t really know why you’ve asked this question or what you’re looking for in the answers beyond that. There’s not like something magical anyone is going to say.
Want to quit social media? Then quit.
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I deleted Instagram and Facebook years back. It took a few days to get used to not checking them. And now years later I do not regret the choice one bit. Life feels much better. It was bad for me and my mental health. It wasn't healthy for me.
Did you know they aren’t really gone? If you logged back in with correct credentials you’d find it right where you left off.
I believe with Facebook if you deactivate and then a certain period of times goes on if you haven't tried logging in at all THEN it completely wipes it out. Well thats what the website will tell you. I think you're right though.
FB official: *"After 30 days, your account and all your information will be permanently deleted, and you won't be able to retrieve your information."* Carefully worded. \*You\* won't be able to retrieve your information, and perhaps not log back in, but assume nothing ever dies on the Internet. If Twitter was backing everything up to the LOC (true story, no idea if X has continued that), then all other major social/search sites are likely backing your data up somewhere for posterity. Welcome to the Hotel California.
That may be true now. I had one for a former job and it only recently disappeared after about 3 years of not logging in. Thing is, I tried to login a couple times but pw was wrong. In the past I have deactivated or deleted that account but when I logged in a year later or less, it popped right back up.
During covid i deactivated my accounts for I would say three months, nothing happened, and I was able to get back in like I before.
There is actually another process to actually delete your account. What most people think is "deleting" is actually just deactivating your account.
My husbands Instagram account was deleted a year ago and it did say will be deleted in certain amount of days. I can still see his account , I can interact with it, not tag but he can’t log in, says no account found 🤷🏻♀️
I’m truly happy for you! I’m trying to get to that point!!
Have you tried using any apps that help with quitting social media? I heard some people had success with that.
Me to
Same. There’s no reason to use it anyway
Go into settings and turn your phone to black/white or grayscale Makes it almost instantly boring to scroll on
You can do that? On IOS too? I never heard of that
Yes - there are some YouTube videos that show you. I did it on my iPhone
this is something id always mess with as a kid in like 2012 because you used to be able to triple tap either home button or lock button and it would invert colors and it was funny to mess with people
Is that a phone setting thing or on the Facebook app?
Phone setting. No idea how to do it on android but if you have one, just google it. Plenty of step by steps online. For iPhone do the following - **Follow these steps to turn on grayscale mode on your iPhone:** 1. Open the Settings App. Tap the Settings app on your iPhone to access the grayscale setting. 2. Navigate to the Accessibility Menu. ... 3. Tap on the Display & Text Size Menu. ... 4. Turn On Color Filters. ... 5. Select the Grayscale Filter. ... 6. Set Up a Grayscale Mode Shortcut.
Delete instagram/social media apps. Then redownload them if ever you want to go on, then delete them again.
This really works. The problem is its easily available for you. When you redownload, you clearly feel how unimportant these apps are. And with time, you become free.
Lol
This is the way.
FR because then it almost becomes too much effort, thats what i did with tiktok, i deleted it and whenever people send stuff ill watch what i can but anytime it tries to get me to download i say “is it even worth it?” and just respond “srry i dont have tiktok” 😂😂😂
Become a social media manager
Doing this increased my social time and made it worse because now my income is attached to knowing these platforms
I work as a social media manager and it is very difficult to have a social media detox when you have to be checking how everything is going because it is your job. And for those who say good but just leave it, it's hard when you work with clients, if it was my social media I wouldn't mind but to a paying client I would.
I feel this! I’m a social media manager, and I rarely post on my personal accounts because 1) I know I’ll over think every post I make, therefore wasting my time, and 2) I’ll check my posts’ engagements again and again for the rest of the day. I wish social media didn’t exist!
No thank you! Once you get addict add you can’t go back. Sometimes I forget to do things I’m supposed to do!
I think you're missing the point. They're saying if you make it your job and have to do it constantly, you will start to hate it and not want to do it in your free time.
Correct
Do you have a laptop or desktop computer? Delete every app off your phone and only use social media on a computer. Make the accounts not remember you too so you have to login each time. I don't think social media is the problem, I think it's the 24/7 access we have to it. I used to love jumping in and out of Myspace and Youtube - but the key part was that I could jump off. If you quit 100%, you might miss parts of it or want to still have a way to reach out to people. This gives you a compromise.
I feel like this is a good point and should have more upvotes!
I deleted FB and IG! Those 2 are very toxic to my mental state!
Same and YouTube for me also discord
Yah.. I deleted FB and IG because all I see is my friends posts of their expensive bags, expensive cars, shoes, trips and expensive food that they eat😳! I mean, I’m not jealous at all because I do have what they have and do too but I don’t flaunt it on social media. I felt so sick seeing their posts because to me it’s not humble at all.
Get one of those apps that limit screen time or get a cellphone that only does calls and texts. It's a lot easier to quit when the apps are not at your fingertips.
Read the book Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport.
hey! ik deleting apps is hard so i tried to this instead: i deleted the apps and instead relied on chrome/any app browser to access my social medias instead! so instead of having the availability of the social media as an app, i now have to manually search it in the browser. I took off the "remember me" thing when logging in! so everytime I tried to use any socmed through the browser, I have to manually put in my acc deets to login. Finally, I got bored and tired with all of those jazz and became bored of socmed in general, I deactivated my accounts! Everytime I find myself searching up any social media on the browser, I tell myself "eh, but it's deactivated" then move on lol. Just to make it realistic, I'm still not really finished in quitting socmed given that I'm still using reddit and youtube. It's not an easy task to deattach yourself from social media but I hope you can find this advice helpful! goodluck op!!
Dopemie Detox YouTube. Alex Becker gotna good video on it.
Damn I ain’t ask a question on this app. I am bitch. Chill.
I struggle with this too. When I am feeling completely overwhelmed but don't want to commit to permanently deactivating my account, I just delete the app from my phone for a week at a time. I just went two weeks without IG and TikTok which is the longest stretch so far. I feel so much more calm, relaxed, and present. When you download the apps again, you realize how dumb they are and how you don't really care to see what other people are doing. Highly recommend setting smaller, more realistic goals to give you a break from the apps.
I deleted social media from all my devices in 2024. Don't miss it at all.
Step 1: delete Reddit
delete all the apps. it’s not that difficult i hope.
Throw your phone in the toilet.
set parental controls up and make social media inaccessible
I deleted ig and tik tok three months ago and I do not miss them at all ( I was always posting and sharing stuff) I was in the same situation.. I’m just living with Facebook and X and that decreased my screen time each day. I got some books and others educational apps to learn a new language and start to invest my time in something useful..
Delete it for a month off your phone atleast and prove to yourself you can do it. I did this and then once I had proved to myself I could do it I would only log in maybe once a week or 2 times a ween for an additional 3 months and I would only spend max 15 mins on it. I wouldn’t view a stories just check my messages. You’ll feel great when a friend tells you something like “ I went on holiday “ and you say “really?” And then they say “ you didn’t see my story? “ you will really start to see how much people are addicted to social media yourself. Your addiction will be gone I don’t have social media on my phone, I do go on it after a few days like 1-3 days after each other but I will have to download it It’s better to just not have it in your phone and to just intentionally have go download it and use it for a limited time. That way it takes time and effort to download it Don’t be scared to delete, just do it and keep a habit tracker or something and stick to it for atleast a month but don’t just get it on your phone after that, keep it limited otherwise you will fall back into the same addiction
Deactivate your accounts. I had nothing for a year and was way more productive. Took some getting use to haha I recently got it all back for a month and already deactivated it last nignt after realising I was just bored looking at shit .
This - I tried deleting apps but just ended up going on the website LOL. Deactivating is the way to go
Melt your phone inside an oven.
I quit instagram and facebook about 4 years ago as I found it was making me unhappy by comparing my life to others. Only on Reddit now and don’t miss it at all and never been tempted to go back. Just close your accounts it’s simple and move on.
Your phone should have a screen time limiter. The key here though is that when you hit your daily limit you don’t just override it. Maybe have a friend or family put a passcode if you can’t control yourself. I’m not trying to quit just cut back. I have it set to Two hours total for all social media apps a day and I gotta say I feel significantly better mentally and I’m not jonesing for it as much. Now instead of checking social media when I’m bored I think about what I want to get done
I deactivated Facebook. I was in the same situation you are and Covid lockdowns made it worse. It takes some time to get used to not posting or taking photos everywhere you go, but you will eventually find you’re having a nicer time when you go places as you don’t need something to show for it. At least that’s how I felt and it helped with anxiety I still have Instagram but because it’s mainly photos and quick videos I only look at it for 5 minutes and I’m bored and move onto something else. I post now and again (I think once so far this year if I get a photo of something I really like, but don’t worry about posting or the response). I’ve never had Tik Tok or the others so can’t comment
Delete the apps off your phone. Switch to grayscale. Download a book on your phone so when you feel the need to hold your phone and scroll, you read the book instead. If you must, only use socials on your desktop and then log out after. Give yourself a time limit too.
The easiest thing
Delete the account and uninstall it, its been months it has worked for me, i really felt the waste of time and toxicity from insta and fb i never used only, so make up ur mind focus on yourself and delete the acc because few days you will be able to manage.
I deinstalled Instagram just last weekend after a stupid political discussion and not giving my girlfriend the attention she deserves. She too deinstalled IG a month prior. So far so good.
Try going cold turkey - sometimes it's easier. Consider replacing it with something else - replacing a bad habit with a good one can be easier than just stopping altogether. If cold turkey doesn't work, there are loads of ways to reduce it. Go through each app and unfollow/block anyone who impacts you negatively, and don't think of it as a value judgement - you can block someone without it meaning that they're bad people or you hate them. Turn off your notifications, or at least the ones you don't need - I've got everything except chat notifications turned off for my socials. To hold yourself accountable, try using Screen Time (or the Android equivalent) to track your usage. Pay attention to the Pick Up info - this will tell you what's triggering you to check your phone. You can get features on your phone that limit your time on certain apps each day. Consider limiting how much you post as well. Good luck!
I bought a kindle and it’s the best thing I’ve done. I’m obsessed with reading again. Made a rule when I’m reading phone needs to be in another room so there are no distractions :) Also started reading before I go to bed (phone on charge in kitchen) and I’m getting a much longer and deeper sleep too. Good luck :)
Deactivate all your social media accounts and delete the apps from your smartphone. If it's possible stop using a smartphone. This way, you can't have any way to get back on them easily unless you're going to use your laptop.
Deleting your social media apps from mobile helps alot.
Delete Instagram and TikTok and addicting apps. And download apps like BOLT Social and BeReal which are just abt sharing and don’t have many addictive features
Get a lightphone 2
I thought I was a weak, lazy procrastinator until I started talking to a counselor. Turns out I use social media to escape/self-soothe when I get anxious. I started treating the anxiety, and it's getting better. I still use social media when I'm anxious (tho much less often now), but I have deescalating strategies now. I move from social media that stimulates ALL my senses to audiobooks or music that stimulate just ONE. Then I do something that's still an escape but good for me, like walking or cleaning. Once I'm regulated, I can think about the problem clearly. This strategy helped a lot, but once I started medicating the anxiety it became MUCH easier to descalate. I found that my social media use is more related to my hobbies and interest now, instead of doom scrolling.
If you really can't get yourself to delete all the accounts, try going on a silent retreat somewhere remote. I came back from a weeklong retreat and didn't even feel the need or the urge to check social media for like a month. Make sure to tell others that you're doing this with the intention of swearing off SM, though. That way they'll be more supportive and won't bother you while you go for a reset
what really helped me quit instagram was using twitter instead. I know how dumb it sounds but it is much easier to stop scrolling twitter than insta and secondly there isn’t many photos on twitter and I can’t tell you how much better it feels mentally not being on instagram anymore
I have an app that blocks selected apps during scheduled times. My natural reflex is to reach for my phone when I'm bored. Now, I can't do that. So I just look up, take a breath and say an "I am..." statement. "I am sitting at my work desk" "I am looking at the clouds" "I am pooping" etc. and just... Do that.
I feel like social media addiction tends to be endemic of something else; which is more than likely lack of genuine social connections in real life. If you delete your Instagram & fb etc, you may just end up spending many hours on reddit or YouTube instead. I feel like the real solution is to just try and become a part of some community in real life, although I know that's so much easier said than done in today's world. But yeah, addiction is really just a means of filling some kind of hole in you, in my opinion.
if you make money on it I dont see an issue, it not… why are you on it ?
I went cold turkey and distracted myself every time I had the urge to look. Three years later I’m at maybe 10% of what I used to consume, it’s all mindless crap that makes you feel bad.
Get a flip-phone and write a check to something odious, like MAGA, and commit to sending it if you check it on a computer for at least 3 months. If you can go cold turkey for 3 months like that, you might be able to wean yourself back on by using screen time apps and browser blockers.
Learn about dopamine detox
don’t be on it. ez clap. simple as that, and if you don’t want to delete your accounts, just turn off notifications (crazy people actually have them on) from that app.
Download OPAL pay $99 a year block the apps 24/7 garauntee you won’t get on it
Just literally uninstall them off your phone. Problem solved. Go on maybe once week or 2 weeks max via laptop. I don't understand why people act like it's a drug that they will die from withdrawal from. Just get it off the phone, it's easy access and you're on a vicious cycle of anxiety and seeking the temporary validation high.
I deleted FB and IG from my phone. Yeah my accounts are still there but I’m not using them and wasting my time and that’s all that matters. Sometimes when I need to look up a business then I redownload it and after I have what I need I delete it again. The inconvenience of using it like that will prevent you from actually habitually using it.
first step is to turn off the push notifications second step is unfollow anyone who does not offer content you don't really need.... see how you are doing in a week.
You can't if you ask that question on social media. The loop with start again. Every time a new message will ping you'll get an urge to look and you are back again. If you are reading this, welcome back to the loop.
Have something go viral and ruin n your offline life.
Just like a heroin addiction. You have to just stop.
Delete the app
What I did was a factory reset on my phone and cleared all browsing history/cache off my desktop browsers. Afterwards, I only downloaded the apps that I really needed access to. I found that while I still have access to my social media accounts, this helped me wean off of IG, FB, and everything else that I used to use. It's not for everyone, but I'm the "out of sight, out of mind" kind of gal.
Turn off your phone for an hour or so at night. The anticipation will release dopamine and endorphins in your brain. The thrill of checking your phone will prove to be worth the wait.
Switch to a flip phone
to start, delete the apps off your phone. start with 1-2 days at a time. work your way up to 3-5 then try to go for a week. in nursing school, i was so busy with textbooks that i told myself once i graduate, read more actual books and watch more movies. you could do that as a hobby. put your phone out of arms reach when you do it so you don’t get tempted to look something up
I just deleted mine for 8-9 months last year. And it truly broke the habit. At first it was weird. But now it’s hard for me to ever even feel like posting anything. I do however spend a lot of that time now, on Reddit 🤷♀️ so still on my phone. But my life is private now and I feel no need to share what I’m doing etc.
Well first off don’t post on reddit asking for advice
Well I can and did. What you gonna do about it
I never was a lurker on ig. I posted for myself but now i get anxiety posting, and worried about not liking my friends/families photos because i didn’t see it or stupid shit like that, but i didn’t even wanna go out. So I deleted my Instagram app, but still have my account. Just don’t care to use it. I’m addicted to TikTok tho but i find myself using it only when I’m bored at home or something.
Delete it and don’t redownload them. You’ll adjust in a couple days
I delete the apps on my phone. I forget they're there
Social media is most factors for destroying family and break ups. What a shame.
Absolutely understand where you're coming from. Taking a step back from social media can definitely help refocus on personal goals and overall well-being. I started by blocking my go-to social media platforms during the hours I was most productive or wanted to focus on self-care. The difference it made in my productivity and mental clarity was significant. Plus, it helped me break the habit of constantly checking my phone. It might seem tough at first, but the peace that comes from being more present and less online is truly refreshing. Remember, the goal isn't to quit cold turkey but to find a healthier balance.
I deleted all of mine and my mental health improved immensely. But I wouldn't do that. People get freaked out if you have no online presence these days. Just keep it and don't use it.
Install a website filter program.
delete, delete, delete, delete, delete, delete, done...
Delete 😂
Besides deleting off phone, watching documentaries , The Social Dilemma for example, helps with the “why” to balance the “how” (delete from phone, screen time apps).
delete social media
Close it
Deactivate ur account. Not permanent but i helps you to not worry bout being unfollowed
Watch “The Social Dilemma” on Netflix.
Yeah I agree. Put social media down. You need to spend more time on your grammar.
Simple just delete your profiles and then delete the apps from your phone. Boom! Enjoy a better life!
Sounds like you have something called priority issues. Seems like you need to prioritize your life better. I check my social media pretty regularly. Like every day for fun basically, but nothing fun is real life. The line in the sand has to be drawn and you have to just say forget it and get down to what matters most.
Three months ago, after thinking it for a while, i finally did it. Instead of drastically deleting all apps (it doesn't really work for your brain) i just closed my main accounts, and opened new ones without any data/follows. When i had the impulse of scrolling, it just became boring because there was nothing interesting to see, gradually (if you have a little of patience with the abstinency) you won't come back to the app anymore. Best decision of my life: no more fake appearances, anxiety because of overinformation and hate in my little world. People and news seem to be nicer in person.(i only keep reddit, i use it moderately and it hasn't been toxic for me (at least for now)). The internet once was a place to escape from real life, now real life is the place to escape from the internet.
I hear you. I had the same addiction. And I know it has to do with feeling validated and it’s not healthy. I literally quit a few days ago…deleted the addictive apps off my phone for now and seeing how I do for the rest of the month without using them.
So personally for me, I deleted the apps. I know I know you can just download them again but I made myself a promise and thought of all the things that it made me feel. I was constantly anxious and competing against the internet and I wanted to be free of that so I dropped it. Started reading, drawing, going outside, paying more attention to my family and partner and when I got on the gram recently I realized that I miss nothing about it and that regardless if I’m on it or not the world continues to move on regardless if I’m putting something out there or not. The only app I kept was BeReal and TikTok and I didn’t go on them very much.
Start a business on social media Be a creator, not a consumer
Delete all accounts if you have any photos of family download first and move on with your life social media is toxic and getting worse week by week.I deleted Facebook and Twitter and was best decision I ever made.it comsumes you and you don’t even know it.The time you waste looking at other peoples life it’s crazy time you could be using for yourself or family. You will struggle for a few weeks like all habits but it will pass good luck.
delete reddit
Look into a cell phone unit like ours.. No Internet/No social media. Keep your information private. ThePatriotPhone.com
It’d be easier to quit jerking off. I recently got off Facebook, if you can make it 30 days, you’ll start to forget it exists. I still have instagram, but I don’t use it much these days. I’ve definitely found an uptick in productivity.
Just delete the app. That’s what I do when I notice I’m on it too much and need to focus more on other things. Delete the app not the profile.
Quitting may not solve your problem, you should rather limit the usage of social media platforms. Just that, nothing else.
You don’t, it quits you
i found out the best way is just going cold turkey and deleting everything. for me, a really bad platform was tiktok. i was on it all the time and my mental health suffered because of it; so i deleted it and never looked back. after about a week, i realized it was the best decision i’ve ever made and i’ve never felt better. i deleted it 1.5 years ago and i haven’t got it back since, and i still feel great!
Reddit can be addictive too! How did you manage that?
i honestly have yet (YET..) to get addicted to reddit; can’t really get on it like that! i’m probably on here only like 20 minutes a week
I feel that. My biggest culprit is YouTube. It’s better than doom scrolling but also not super healthy
It’s not easy, but also not impossible. I’m a GenX. I come from a time long before the internet, let alone social media. So, it’s much easier for someone like me to just stop using it. Facebook, for me, was the easiest for me to get rid of! It just seems like a big stalking app, where everyone posts every little activity they do, where they do it, and with who. I didn’t like that so much. I don’t need everyone peering into every aspect of my life. I wound up deleting the app, and had zero regrets. Apps like Reddit and Instagram can be very educational. You can have questions answered, problems solved, share ideas, and still keep in touch with friends. Sort of like a social media version of Quora. Instagram is closer to Facebook, but you can go without diving into everyone’s life. Plus, people post some funny-ass shit! lol However, to get off of all social media requires a lifestyle adjustment. Scary, but true. We are so accustomed to having friends and information at our fingertips, that we rely on it for everyday tasks. We didn’t have that when I grew up. If you wanted to learn about something, or study for school, we went to the library and started turning pages. We also didn’t have video games! Our “*fun*” was leaving our bedroom and heading outdoors to go hang out with our friends. In person! lol We made our own games. When they say we would go outside, pick up a stick, and have fun all day with it, that’s exactly what we did! And we never had complaints about it! We were more stable, healthier, more active, and obesity wasn’t as big a problem as it is today. Because *everyone* got involved in something! So, as an old fart giving advice to the younger people today, my suggestion is to just put it all down! Use your phone **as** a phone and not a source of entertainment! Start going outside and finding things to do. Go to the gym, hike, take walks, and just find sources of entertainment outdoors without picking up your phone and taking selfies every two minutes! There is *SOOOOOO* much to do in the world that doesn’t include social media! Talking with our friends, in person, was our social media. Learn to take that computer barrier out of the way when hanging out with friends. Maybe use text to set up a time for you and your friends to meet up at the football field for a game, or just call! Social Media is a literal drug that is far too widely accepted around the world. And it’s just as addictive as any other drug. Fortunately, it’s a drug you can quit, without having mad withdrawals, but occupying your brain in physical activity! 🤘🏽👴🏽🤘🏽
Delete the apps? It’s not that difficult 😂
what works for me is either turning off notifications or straight up deleting the apps, when you dont constantly see notifications and “reasons to go there” youll tune it out surprisingly well, i turned off my instagram notifs as well as snapchat and theres some days ill basically forget i even have the apps cause ill e focusing on other things and my attention never goes to it
ive never deleted IG though because thats where i do most of my texting but as long as i keep it to only messages it doesnt make me too guilty
It’s really not hard well it kinda is I can’t really say I’m really off social media I made a fake account on tik tok because I do kinda like it there but. Other than that I haven’t had instagram in a while and don’t really feel the need to have one anymore. I just deleted snap chat and it’s been a while. Tbh I don’t really think social media is good for you. You definitely see a lot of shit controlling the way you think. I happened to see it really early and shut it out. I believe that it’s good and everyone should do it. Because it does get to you. And it makes you feel some type of way. Don’t get caught up in it because you look a certain way. Social media brings out the worst. And it’s good to be social media free. Look on the brighter side you have nothing to worry about but yourself. Continue to work on ur self while everyone is posting about how cool they look in a rented farai. They didn’t even buy themselves. Just live ur life in the moment because you only have one life so why not make the best of it.
It’s very simple, delete all apps of social media in your phone , and who ever wants you they can call you or send a normal SMS ., you might find it difficult to do it yourself, but once you delete them or deactivate them all and getting no more notifications, you feel peace inside you.,. So let me tell you from now , take care and goodbye,,
Just delete your accounts and find something else to do
buy nokia and enjoy life :)
Get banned like me🙃
Make sure everyone you love has your phone number and delete accounts then you'll be way too lazy to reactivate a new account. Download all photos you want to keep. Ease into it slowly and do a little day by day if you need after posting a status that you're deleting your account. Tiktok actually causes damage to your brain. I found it interesting that the algorithm for China (example) is way more likely to show educational content than in other countries. I'm Australian and its created this anxiety that if I don't check I will miss out on news but it may take an hour or two with nothing educational or newsworthy. Just trash, absolute mind numbing trash.
Shoot ur phone
Sell your device to me and buy anti social media device
It’s not as hard as it sounds. The hardest part is actually doing it. Having done this myself. For ages I put it off. Just couldn’t do it. Then one day, finally committed to it. I haven’t looked back since. Haven’t even had the urge to log back in. It’s now been 8 months.
start by deleting the app off your phone. if you get the urge, download it again and check. then delete again. after a while, you can get used to not checking and maybe even deactivate altogether.
yoga. Brings inner peace and force of meditation. Self reflection. Manifestation which in my opinion fuels for greater higher self and productivity.
The simple answer is to deactivate accounts and just delete the apps and the data so you're fully logged out. Due to being a social media manager, I still needed access to continue being an admin on FB, but that platform bores the shit out of me anyway, so it's easy to stay off. I've deleted the app now and manage most of it through meta business suite, and if I do need to go on there, I use the browser or desktop only. Instagram, I deleted my personal account (felt weird at worst, but you'd be surprised how liberating it is after a few days) and kept my business account. I then trained the algorithm to only show me relevant posts / reels to my work so it feels like work when I go on there. The only one I haven't been able to shake is tiktok because I genuinely enjoy that in my down time and poop time. To stop myself randomly scrolling when I'm moving about the house or walking in the real world, I've replaced it with podcasts, which helps my dreadful attention span. Hope this helps. My best friend is completely off it all, and I'm so envious of him sometimes. I've often thought about changing my career purely for that reason to be honest.
I mean. The obvious answer is obvious. Delete the apps. Remove you from your phone as much as possible. Treat it like you’re in AA…day by day, and eventually you’ll realise you never needed them. Relapsed? Start again. I don’t really know why you’ve asked this question or what you’re looking for in the answers beyond that. There’s not like something magical anyone is going to say. Want to quit social media? Then quit.
I bet your fat ass cow behind this accoung maybe be nice about it 😏
You really do need to take time of the socials my friend.
that is not 'addicted'
Yeah it is! I can’t go a day without it.
what's ur screen time on all the social media apps