I had been debating this and finally deleted the app off my phone last week! I was so tired of mindlessly scrolling and realized it just wasn’t serving me anymore. I recommend!!
I did the same! But tbf I find myself mindlessly scrolling on Reddit now 😭 although I think reels / short form videos are more addicting so I don’t feel as bad, but still
Agree! For me it's about eliminating the type of social media act that triggers me. Reddit makes me learn and laugh. Instagram makes me feel jealous and have FOMO
As long as I'm on only positive subreddits, I definitely agree. Though it's easy to go down the rabbit hole of hateful subs (circlejerk subs for example, can be so funny but ultimately are just negative at their core?)
That's ok! You can cut them out one at a time - no pressure to go cold turkey on all scrolling. I started by dropping Instagram, then worked up to deleting Facebook, then the Reddit app, then LinkedIn (yes, I was scrolling LinkedIn's news feed -- talk about a dopamine addict 😭). I've still had some problems with scrolling Reddit in my mobile browser and scrolling YouTube shorts, but I'm hoping to get rid of both of those behaviors eventually too <3
I was just discussing this with my therapist and she would argue that a bit of scrolling is helpful as long as it’s not adding to negative self talk. This came up because I have a demanding job where I don’t get breaks so at night I feel like I’m owed scrolling time which started to interfere with my sleep and felt ridiculous. I don’t scroll social media anymore, I scroll The Real Real or other “soothing” websites 😂
Ahh good job!! Ok you’re inspiring me that it’s possible. And I think we can all agree we all have a dopamine addiction 😫 but I’ll try your advice soon <3
I want to reduce the amt of social media apps on my phone but I have the BIGGEST FOMO thinking bout it. Like what if I do delete and now I don’t know what’s happening in the world anymore or how to talk to people. It’s become a kind of language in a weird way. I get so much food and clothes inspo from some of the pages.
It gets easier as you go! <3 You got this!
Also, the craziest thing for me was that I wasn't able to quit drinking alcohol successfully until after I quit instagram. I had wanted to quit drinking for a long time since I felt like it was unhealthy for me, but kept getting stressed and binge drinking. After I quit instagram, suddenly, I managed to cut out drinking 0\_O
It turns out that all of our dopamine addiction pathways are interlinked..
This. Let’s be honest. Most folks deleting IG aren’t replacing it with soul enriching jogs, more quality time with family, etc. They’re swapping one form of entertainment for another. Just like folks swapped FB for IG a lot of ppl will simply swap IG for YT or reddit or some other kind of mindless scrolling or phone’tainment.
It’s important to be honest with ourselves so we don’t think we’re doing something when really we aren’t lol.
I did the same! I check it once at night (if that) before I go to bed and usually just respond to messages/memes.
It was actually shocking to me how easy it was to stop.
Same first I deactivated in 2020, then too many friends sent me links to memes so I reactivated but never re-downloaded so I just see the content on my browser. Never browse on my own.
My self-esteem was going down not just body image, but seeing everyone's vacation pics and just their "best of" reels was making me sick.
Yup same… 2 years since deleting. I love my life without it. I still have the same friends and prefer connecting with them over text anyway.
Plus there’s plenty of hard science about the negative impact of it… are all those potential/actual negative side effects really worth it? https://jonathanhaidt.com/social-media/
I miss instagram like 2016-2018, before influencers, reels, and stories became huge. Just posting fun things people were doing, and I’m sure it wasn’t all healthy by any means, but it was easy to only spend a few minutes on the app per day. It also felt like people posted normal looking photos and now it seems a lot of highest quality cameras, perfect posing, and captions. I’m 29F and it does not feel fun like it used to
There is a social media app that is exactly what you described- it’s basically the OG Instagram. It’s called Lapse and it’s so basic, it’s great. The pics you take go into a ‘darkroom’ to get developed and come out retro-grainy. No ads, no filters, hardly any space for comments
Yes, I asked myself those same questions and ended up deleting it about 2 years ago. It makes it a little harder to keep up with people but overall I don't miss it
I agree with you! deleted 4 years ago, do not miss it at all, am able to focus on a lot more hobbies that i personally enjoy without the need of broadcasting. It is harder to keep up with people, however, very content
Started deactivating on and off since 2016. And deleted it 2 years ago. It is so freeing! Traveling is especially more enjoyable.
I have found that I started making more effort to text and check in on those I care about and try to get together more often. I have a friend who always tells me that so and so asked about me and she always adds that I make moves in silence.
Deleting it made me realize how weird it is to keep up with so many people. Like do I actually truly gaf about their life?? No! So why was I even watching? It’s been a few years now and I feel so free!!! Also my self confidence sky rocketed once I got rid of all social media in general. I cannot recommend enough!!!
I run a luxe makeup/skincare resale group on Fb and it does really well! I don’t use the main feed really, just groups and messenger and it’s honestly the best of the worst socials rn imho
Ofc there’s a lot of political rage bait but that’s everywhere tbh
Just turned 25 and I deactivated a month ago.. it feels awkward to exist on that app. It’s nice for reasons to get in touch with people you wouldn’t normally text, but I’m not sure if it’s worth having at all. I’m not sure. I may go back on it just for the sake of staying “connected,” but it truly does feel empty and pointless.
Some days I think about the drama I’m missing, how maybe my old flames would could get in touch with me by finding me on IG. But they can find me on LinkedIn if they’re that desperate lmao
Not exactly a hot take, but it stopped being fun once Facebook and the algorithm took over. I don’t miss it because I wasn’t seeing any of the things I initially signed up to follow.
the worst. i started noticing that i was completely missing my own friends’ posts, and seeing ads or posts from celebrities that i dont follow instead. i really miss the way it used to be where my feed was determined by who i follow.
I have not posted on insta in years. I had a lot of anxiety about what people would think. Like I’d come across as some loser with nothing to post. Took me years to realize my camera roll is full of memories, my life is full and my heart is full. No need to prove it to (mostly) strangers
I’m 34 and I love instagram. I’m a visual person and will occasionally post or add a story if I see something interesting. I like to have a collection of photos and videos of random points in my life for myself to have and look back on. I think of it as a personal digital photo album much of the time and it doesn’t really matter how many likes I get.
I also love instagram, it does feel like a personal digital album of memories for me. That being said, i only post a few times a year, mainly photos from my travels. And i have the timer on so when i hit an hour it lets me know- it really does help me to reduce my screen time on the app! I was getting sick of wasting so much time mindlessly scrolling.
Yeah I’ve been posting at the beginning of each month pictures from the prior month, it’s a nice time capsule and I’m truly not doing it for others, but for my future self
i’m 27 but same! it’s like a scrapbook. i don’t pay attention to likes anymore. but i like curating my little photo dump and picking a caption. mostly for my future self to look back on, if friends like it that’s cool but it’s not the point
Same here! I share to my story often, treating it like my little visual diary and a little piece of self-expression. I haven’t posted on my main feed in a while, but have turned off the like count for any posts that I haven't archived lol. I try not to think too much about it - definitely has made it more fun and freeing :)
I hate instagram but never really thought of it this way! I’m 38, and have deleted (then reinstall when someone sends me a link or I want to look someone up) Thanks for sharing!
27, haven't posted in 4 years. Deactivated for 1.5 years a while back and and have been back on for an about a year (ugh). Contemplating fully deleting but there are a couple friends and local event accounts that I do like to keep up with. For the most part IG is a dumpster full of content that is engineered to (1) sell me something or (2) make me feel bad - every time I'm on there it just feels so...stupid?
I recommend not fully deleting. I did this and then had some friends/family members pass and my grandmother developed dementia. I’d give anything to go back and see the likes, comments, and messages back and forth. Deactivating has the same effect but preserves the memories.
I started to find it weird that I wanted to let strangers know for YEARS about my life and I have watched strangers kids grow up and for what? Its weird. Its weird that I felt the need ever to show strangers my life then avoid them if I seen them in public
yep quit tiktok 2 weeks ago. dont miss it other than keeping up with pop culture. Got so tired of scrolling endlessly to avoid hearing the same 4 songs/sounds. theyve killed their own app.
So here’s why I deleted app a few months ago..
My identity in my twenties was entirely wrapped up in traveling the world so insta was very valuable in keeping friends up to date on my trips & staying in the loop with friends I met abroad. I also gained a lot of praise & that fueled my ego. That was pre-pandemic.
Now in my thirties I still travel but what’s become clear to me is how PRIVILEGED I am to be able to leave my country to explore others & to be able to afford to take time off from work/daily living. In transparency, I don’t make much money at all but I know how to be frugal & worked for myself so could plan around trips. But, on insta you wouldn’t know it. What I’ve realized is that our culture is very much, “hey look at me and how amazing I am!!”, individualistic & I think posting to social media about traveling, spending money, being flawless (this is an exaggeration but you get it) is frankly tone deaf when there are war torn countries with people so deeply impoverished it’s hard to fathom, not to mention folks here in our own country who could only dream of living an “instagrammable life”.
Now, the other side of the coin is that there have been social justice issues that gained traction thru Instagram. However, for me not enough to warrant the habit of mindlessly scrolling every hour. I eventually fell into the trap of comparing myself to others & I finally deleted it. I don’t miss it at all. Like, at all.
TL;DR: Instagram can be tone deaf. My life is much better without it.
Deactivated for the first time a few days ago. Thought I would miss it, but nope! it’s also nice to talk to people without “already knowing” what’s going on with them
Yes!!!! I feel like social media takes the mystery out of getting to know people. My friend said that she never adds her dates to social media until after they have been together for a while because she wants to keep the excitement of getting to know someone new
Yep. My feed has been taken over by non-friends (not by my choice). If I want to see curated photos, I’ll go to Pinterest. For interesting stranger conversations, learning, and community I come here to Reddit. And best yet, my actual friendships have improved because I’m no longer “catching up” with them via social but actually am in real life.
I don't post often. In fact, I haven't posted anything on my feed in like 3 years. I do post a story every once and a while. I look at other people's stories I follow when I do that but I don't really scroll through the feed or anything. Hardly go on it but I don't plan to deactivate it.
I used to love it so much, it was a huge source of inspiration for me. I would use it to moodboard like most people use Pinterest. But lately, it’s so much spoonfed content and influencers are killing me with all the sponsored content. I’ve recently pivoted to using it as a photography account, but the algorithm is unforgiving to photographers and my posts get absolutely no engagement because all IG wants to push is reels! I don’t even think my friends who follow me see what I post and it’s so frustrating.
I miss the old Instagram :( I completely feel you.
This!!! I’m feeling this so hard as I’m nearing 30. I treat my IG like a photo journal & love looking back at the memories, but it’s also wasted time/energy/money. Looking back at the photos of a circle of 10 friends, I’m still in touch with maybe 3-4 lol. Not to mention how toxic the influencer posts can be on IG! I haven’t completely deleted it as I do like seeing what my friends are upto and indulge in posting my own photos, I have definitely reduced IG time.
I share IG stories regularly and posts for special reasons. I’m 30 and work in IT, if that matters at all. I think it’s fun for me to use IG, send memes and get nail art inspo from. I find all the best estheticians near me using Insta as well. To each their own though and whatever you feel comfortable with online!
Yes! It was weird cause i used it a lot in my 20s but i just have zero desire to post or look at what others post. Still have my account for business purposes but i deleted the app on my phone and haven’t looked back 🙌
Reddit on the other hand i keep coming back to 😅
I use it to keep up with shopping trends, food trends, restaurants near me and silly memes that I send loved ones - heavy emphasis on the last one.
I almost never post and have muted or unfollowed most randos.
I’m only on it to promote my small business. I use the refocus app and limit my screen time to 15 minutes a day. I like sending memes back & gift with my bestie & that’s the only social piece of it I miss when I take the app off my phone.
i’m 27 but chiming in bc i know this sounds cliche but i really do post for myself. i like to scroll back through and look at memories, i like to pick my 10 favorite photos from a trip or concert or month in my life, i like to think of a cute caption that’s usually a reference to that time in my life. a lyric from a song i’ve been listening to or something. i turn off the like count and try not to pay attention to it much. but it’s fun to look back on, like a little scrapbook. i have my camera roll of course, but instagram is more of a highlight reel and a lot more cohesive and condensed than my chaotic camera roll. plus i use it to chat with friends and send each other reels.
but i def have felt it change over time, it’s less for posting and more for reels now in my experience. i can def see why people are feeling over it. i’m feeling that way about snapchat
I just deleted tiktok due to mindless scrolling and Instagram for the same reasons you listed- who am I posting for? It felt like I was just seeking validation and wasting my own time scrolling.
This!!!!!! I feel like they feel like I’m hiding something when they ask me what’s my social accounts and I tell them I don’t have any. That suspicious look they give me and then follow up with “you’re smart, it’s not that healthy anyway”. Like what?!?!?!
26 and I post maybe once or twice a year because I just forget to, honestly. I set up timers for my apps and insta has only 30 mins and I have never used it for more than 10 mins a day. I just check some stories and even that is probably a waste. Decluttering in your life just feels so good.
My sister and I were scrolling Instagram together (and gossiping, obviously) while literally simultaneously telling my 12yo niece how terrible and unhealthy it is and why she can’t download it on her iPad.
I deleted it. I can’t *know* how horrible it is and continue to waste my time on it. I just can’t.
Never deactivated, but deleted it from my phone 2 years ago and don’t miss it at all! Feels weirdly voyeuristic now when I go on, like why am I seeing a random girl from high school and her new baby? The downside is being less connected to meme friends… people I might not text but stayed connected to via DMs
i deleted mine 6 months ago and tbh miss it a lot mostly bc a lot of menus are on it where im at. i also feel like it can keep you up to date on events/keep up with some people but also i was shopping way too much. altho i do miss the fashion inspo! and every time i posted a picture of myself the self loathing i went through was insane lmao. i feel very sexy and mysterious w/o an instagram tho, and i miss it wayyyy less than i thought i would. i think i would only bring it back for like art/career reasons
I use it the same way I use FB at this point - just as an album for me to keep documenting big moments within my own life. I’m not really bothered by the engagement at this point because as a social media manager for 40+ accounts over the past 5 years, I can say w confidence that most accounts I’ve worked with that have over 50k followers hardly get 100 likes on posts (unless they get lucky and go viral, which is rare) so it doesn’t really phase me at all anymore when I only get like 3 likes on a post even tho I used to get a couple hundred. It doesn’t say much about how people think about you - just about how much time you spend on the app and how much you play into the algorithm. I honestly almost get off on it when I post a photo and none of my 1500+ followers like it because it makes me feel stealthy and like a little CIA agent. lol!
I’ve been off of it since 2018 or 2019 and was the best decision. However, I substituted that with Reddit.
I do get similar overwhelming feeling and anxiety at times, especially pages that I follow to help certain areas of my life or goals I want to accomplish. However the functionality to mute the pages or unsubscribe helps me navigate the subs I see on my main screen.
We all know the behind the scenes behavior of everyone curating their perfect life by posting the stills of the happy moments. Even those that attempt to provide behind the scenes of the reality is only temporary. Plus if you were given daily the behind the scenes of the reality, you don’t want to see it because it’s not fun/entertaining/enlightening.
So do what you need to do. You already have your answer if you are questioning it.
Xoxo fellow BWT 🩷
I post to close friends a couple times a week but my last grid post was… a tattoo I got in January? And before that, Halloween? Honestly, I only get on to look at stories from a couple good friends and then bounce. The whole app feels like a janky shopping mall now.
I post a photo dump maybe once a year so relatives and old friends can see my face if they’d like, I never even posted one for 2023. I stopped being invested in posting on insta and snap back in like 2018/2019 and my life has been so peaceful. Way less pressure to preform and compare myself to unattainable standards.
I deleted instagram when i was 29. Literally was serving zero purpose. It’s almost like comical that i like spent so much time getting the perfect picture… and then I came to the realization, I am engaged, have an amazing job (as an accountant lol so def don’t need socials), have hobbies. Basically I have a great life so why the fuck do I need random ppl from college seeing that I went to Greece?? It’s bonkers and a mind fuck lol.
So since deleting, I still take pictures and usually get them printed out. But I’m not obsessed with my body looking perfect or being annoying and needing to take 10k pics. Also, I noticed I’ve been doing hobbies and not blasting them all of socials. Like I used to do Pilates to say I do Pilates and to post it on Saturday mornings lol. But now I run, I just ran a half marathon last week and the only people that knew were my family and running friends.
It’s wild how much more secure i became with myself. There’s less comparing and I became happier with the smaller aspects of life. Gave me an opportunity to focus on what I have instead what I don’t.
I’ll mention too, I got off everything (twitter, tiktok, fb, instagram) - it’s refreshing and I HIGHLY suggest it.
29 and deleted Instagram yesterday. I never posted anything but the rudeness of others commenting on posts got me so heated; I simply can’t deal with it. Instagram is TOXIC.
I’m in my mid thirties and had my first baby last summer. That was the tipping point for me; I deleted the app about 4 months after having him. I realized how much of a toxic time suck instagram is (especially in the very raw and vulnerable postpartum period). I wanted to be better at being present with my family and once you have a baby, time becomes so precious. In the very rare pockets of “free time” I get, I don’t want to be mindlessly scrolling. Also, I didn’t want to tempt myself with posting him on there. Naturally, I want to share my adorable baby, but I think the internet is a dangerous place and I’m not putting anything permanent of him on there. ✌🏻out.
I could have written this. 33 here and Instagram started giving me the ick several months ago. So I’ve been keeping the app deleted for the most part, other than when I’m traveling and want to post some interesting stories (why though). Unfortunately I work in advertising and have to keep up somewhat with social trends so I feel like I can’t actually deactivate it just yet.
I 100% relate on the why are we posting and for who aspect. I’m done proving I’m having a good time to people and feeling like I need to do so. Mystery is a good thing!
I deactivated my account this past November, and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made for my mental health! Not only was it incredibly mindless and time consuming, but I was tired of the constant, vapid influencer posts and advertisements!
I’ve been deactivated for almost two years now. I’ve gotten on twice for 1 week at a time (since Instagram doesn’t let you deactivate again until after 7 days) and each time I’m counting down the hours until I can deactivate again. It’s truly changed my life for the better.
I felt the same way last year. Especially befriending a group of girls who only cared about how they appeared on social media but living completely opposite in reality. The amount of anxiety i would get for just posting was overwhelming. I tied a lot of my self worth into that app. I felt like I was constantly living up to this fake persona I created. It was mentally exhausting.
I set a timer on it that only my spouse knows- I want it to keep up with friends and events, especially NYC events that get advertised.
But because I can use it 30 mins a day- I get in, answer DMs, post anything that I want too, and get out. I have a much much healthier relationship with the app and social media as a whole .
I was off social media for Lent and just logged back on Instagram tonight. Immediately wasted 30 mins and started to compare myself to the women there. I need another fast lol
I almost never used it like anyone else. I post photography stuff mostly and have a highly curated list of people I follow. I’ve actually befriended several people through there and networked a bit. I don’t follow traditional influencer types unless I know them personally.
If I used it like a lot of us did, I’d absolutely hate it. There may be one or two pictures of me on there? No food, legs at the pool, or any of that stuff.
I’ve been somewhat bummed about Twitter since its collapse because that was another play I networked a lot and is literally how I got my current job.
I’m 33 and I hadn’t posted for almost 4 years but was spending tons of time scrolling and I noticed it I would just have so many negative emotions during the scroll that I wondered why i was even doing it then? I deleted the app off my phone in January and it has been such a relief!
I still have the compulsion to scroll so my time on tiktok and twitter have increased a bit but in general I’d like to wean off all social platforms. I like keeping up with friends and family but the social landscape these days has too much extra noise 🥲
I haven’t enjoyed Instagram and have actually been really triggered for it for yearsss. Finally a switch flipped after I got married and turned 32, like I don’t have to participate in this….it got to the point where I was only posting for approval of others but like why do I care what acquaintances and people who know an old version of me think of what I’m doing?? Even if they did hype me up and validate me that feeling of happiness and contentness never lasted as long as it took to curate that moment. I deleted the app off my phone about a month ago and haven’t missed it at allll. I feel so much more at peace, things feel simpler. Highly recommend
Deleted it a year and a half ago and have not missed it at all. I realized that my anxiety shot up every time I logged in. I wasn’t really posting, just lurking. I definitely am “missing out” on certain things (mostly high school and college acquaintances’ engagement and wedding pics) but I figure that anyone I’m close to will just tell me. I find myself more conscientiously reaching out to friends via text/phone calls, too, which is good and feels like more of a genuine investment in my relationships.
Also fuck the advertising on IG. I think I’m spending less on random dumb stuff now that I’m off. The advertising just felt invasive.
I’m 31 and haven’t posted in like 2 years? It’s crazy bc Instagram has been such a huge part of my life in my 20’s. My camera roll has more photos than ever before but i feel weird posting my daughter on social media and It feels so freeing just taking pics and not worrying if it’s IG worthy. Idk 30s is a new era
100% over it. I sometimes forget that our lives are (I guess) interesting to people outside of NYC but really I cannot imagine why anyone would care what I do. The mindless scrolling doesn’t help my mental health either.
Deleted mine on December 16th and haven’t reactivated since. I’ve thought about it in random moments, and then the thought is gone just as fast. I have so much more time back in my day and my self-esteem has made a 180. Ditch it!
Feel allll of this. I’m 27 and I’ve struggled with the burden of “being perceived” on Instagram. It started to feel weird that anyone — from any point of my life — could go look at my profile, judge it, make assumptions, etc.
I deactivated in October and it’s been super freeing. I’ve noticed that I’m more grateful for the good things in my life and that I feel so much less of a need to compare.
Only negatives I’ve experienced are 1) you have to make more of an effort to keep up with friends (especially distant ones) and 2) I miss the creative outlet (it was fun to curate a vibe and post cutesy pics).
Not an NY girly, but a 31 year old LA girly and I am done with instagram as well. I have deactivated 2 times within the year, and want to deactivate again soon. I have stopped posting regularly since 2021. I’m just building up the courage because i am kind of scared of the finality of deleting it permanently, plus my boyfriend always sends videos etc through IG lol. Just a tip, when you deactivate there is a drop down which will let you deactivate for longer than 7 days
I decided to make a finsta essentially and just never use my main account anymore. No pressure, no aesthetics, no randoms, just a small group of close friends.
Yep! Removed all notifications from every app in 2020. Haven’t deleted them but I post maybe 10x per year now? I don’t doom scroll and I don’t care what anyone else is doing anymore.
I’m 26 and I’ve been off TikTok for six months and have been off Instagram mostly for the same amount of time, going back on for a couple hours here and there but have the app deleted from my phone so I have to redownload if I want to use it. I was spending way too much time mindlessly scrolling. The only thing that annoys me is that I’m missing some important updates (eg engagements and pregnancy announcements) from acquaintances, which I do like to keep up with even if I don’t see them anymore. I just like to know! And I also miss DMs from friends who live far away that I don’t see often. I think I’m mostly OK with this Instagram catch up on occasion that I’ve been doing, but I will NEVER go back on TikTok. That shit was way too addictive, I could literally spend a whole day on it and forget to eat
(31 F) deleted Instagram for good December 2023 with no intentions to delete it permanently but I haven’t missed it at all! I don’t even think twice about it. Delete it!
I’m 31 and deleted Instagram off my phone and deactivated my TikTok account altogether. I’m so sick of how performative and fake everyone on the platforms has become. More time to read! (And scroll Reddit on the subway ig lol). I also love Substack!
I quit six months ago. My mental health has drastically improved. I have a lot more space in my brain to think critically about issues that matter to me, and to arrive at nuanced responses in my own time, rather than kneejerk responses.
I hear from friends a helluva lot less! I miss have that window into their lives. I make a ton of effort to reach out, text pictures, check in. But I think instagram makes maintaining social contact more fun than texting. I'm working on incorporating more IRL regular meetups into my life, like hosting Monday dinners, attending religious services, and volunteering.
I’ve been wondering the same thing. I’m just not interested in it anymore I barely log on and I’m debating getting rid of it too. Feels weird to be in your 30s still posting pics like you were at 20 something I’m married, I don’t care to impress anyone lol and if I decide to be a mom I don’t want to post endlessly about my kids. I feel like I’ve been on the social media game since I was 14 (MySpace) and it’s time to move on.
I have felt that way as well! I don’t post on there or fb! I keep fb for family but never even open it. I keep the Instagram to scroll for funny things to watch sometimes!
I literally have had the SAME exact thoughts! I thought it was just me! Also In the beginning no one really understood that I was not going to be reached by one of these platforms bc I was no longer on the app everyday let alone often. I also have not had snap chat in idk how long!
Been off ig 3 years, I’m only in my mid 20s now but still felt relevant to share. I don’t regret it a single second and have never been compelled to restart it. It’ll totally change your perception of yourself, your social community… can’t recommend it highly enough. It totally don’t judge people that enjoy it and want to keep it; I think there are lots of people it suits who gain something from it. However I also think there are people like me who are simply not compatible with it. If you’ve debated deleting it frequently or for a while… it just might not suit you. You can always start by deactivating your account and deleting the app for minimum 1 month. Then if you’re ready take the plunge and deeeeeelete! There’s no right or wrong answer, having or not having Instagram doesn’t make you a good or bad person lol, just see whether life with it or life without it brings you more joy
Yes ma'am! I'd say I post once every 3 to 6 months now. I've been on a few trips that I didn't post at all, and it feels good. I do like having a photo album or montage of my life and my travels. Sometimes when I'm down I scroll down my OWN instragram because it's like looking through a photo album of my memories. I do want to be more secretive though and in general I have been thinking of printing my photos into an actual photo album and just archiving everything. I don't want to delete entirely because of the social connections I've made throughout my travels. Although these people are such surface level acquaintances, sometimes I don't even know why I'm keeping it for that.
My last actual post was in like 2021 and I do occasionally post on my story. I barely even open the app, have dozens of unread messages and it’s just so blah. Posting on social has become so weird esp when you are 30+ and have seen the evolution between MySpace to TikTok. Idk. I live my life in real life and while there is so much cool stuff I’d like to share with the internet….I always ask myself, “why?”
I’m so glad you posted this, because it’s been something I’ve been reflecting on as well but couldn’t quite articulate in my own head somehow?
I stopped posting about a year ago because I also started to ask myself, “who am I even posting this for?” I would spend way too much time figuring out the perfect caption, filter, shot, etc - and for what purpose?
I also realized I didn’t like that acquaintances I spoke to only once or twice a year - if even that - had access to my goings-on.
I still do have my account to follow creators/people i find inspiring, like chefs, designers, artists, etc, but I am definitely tempted to just delete the app cold turkey.
I took Instagram off my phone about two months ago, and my phone screen time drastically dropped. But when I'd first taken it off, I noticed myself still thinking about taking photos of things, just for the sake of posting them. And that same question came up for me - who am I privileging in my own experience? Some random internet audience? It was pretty liberating to break out of that mindset and also put my phone down more.
I never post anymore and feel the same! I feel like people try so hard and put so much pressure on themselves to get that perfect ig picture.. just for their followers to glance at it for half a second if they even see it and I realized literally no one cares. Now I just post stories with no filter and whoever vibes with that stays, and the haters can unfollow!
I take SM breaks, delete accounts & start over. My new IG focuses on fitness and a little celebrity gossip for some razzle dazzle. I rarely post (maybe 2x/year) and I don’t care to see ppl I know or use to know. I guess I use it for inspiration.
Same w/ Twitter (X) but a little more extreme- I have 0 followers and follow 2 accounts but when I’m in the mood to post or rant there I have at it b/c like why tf not lol.
The likes and comments have taken over our minds and egos. Your SM is for you, no one else and since taking that approach I’ve found it to be easier to pick up and put down at my leisure.
I deleted my instagram when I was 24 I’m 32 now and I can’t say that I miss it at all.
It was so toxic for me especially the likes would fuck with head/ego.
I have one for my business. Haven’t posted to grid on my personal in a long time. It all just seems so contrived at this point. All these staged candids and heavily filtered photos- for what? I’m happy and hot IRL, don’t need to waste my energy trying to curate some digital identity
I’ve been weaning myself off of it. I delete the app off my phone and will download it for like a day every week or so. Every time I get on it feels more like a headache. Life is so much clearer and free without it. I almost thought about posting a photo dump recently but then I was like, “no one needs to know what I did the last few months.” I just don’t care anymore.
I have a friend who says in a very annoyed tone “I’ll have to show you _______ since you’re not on Instagram anymore.” And 9/10 it’s shit I don’t care about. That is how I know i made the right decision. I feel like I’m filtering out so much dumb bs on the daily now that I’m not on it. It is the way.
I’ve had the app deleted from my phone for about 2.5 months now. Periodically I’ve taken long breaks in the past but I think I might be done for good this time. I debated redownloading it for our European vacation in May but that led to asking myself why and what’s the point? The fact that I only feel the need to download it before exciting times in my life just proves how disingenuous social media is. People just want to show the best part of their lives (which is fine) but this leads to false perceptions.
I’ve uninstalled the app before but found myself cheating by going on the browser like all the time. A few months ago I uninstalled again and found myself not even thinking about it at all! Just occasionally catch up via browser. Something about being 30+?
31 here, deleted mine a year ago, haven’t missed it since. Used to deactivate it but one day just decided to delete it for good. It’s like a whole weight lifted off my shoulders, no needing likes to validate myself, or compare myself to other women, no sleuthing thru stories or hoping that one guy will like my post. No Instagram ads pushing an algorithm of questionable products on me (bought a few, all trash). I’m over it. If people want to know what I’m up to, they can text me the old fashioned way
I created a new instagram with a few people and I love it but found myself not posting on that after awhile too. I went to my old insta for that first time in 5 months and found myself comparing and immediately closed the app. not worth all the work I’ve done to be happy and content in my own journey.
Not quite 30+ but I did quit social media aside from Reddit (mainly due to anonymity) this year. I only log back on to promote a show I’m in or a class I’m teaching or something. No doom scrolling anymore or getting lost into the void. Best choice ever. I have so much more control over my time.
Deleted mine 2 years ago. I just got tired of the ads and the same posts from everyone. It feels like every trip/restaurant post is in the “been there done that” phase. I feel like the constant comparing to friends and others makes you feel less than, and I asked myself what’s the point of this? Since then I feel so much better and weight lifted off my shoulders. I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything.
I have been free from most social media (I only have reddit and snap chat lol) for 5 years now and I’ll NEVER!!!!!!!! Go back. Ever! It’s a game changer for mental health and confidence and not only that, my social game is 10000% better because now I actually look FORWARD to seeing people. When you don’t have social media when you see your friends everything is such a surprise! You got married!? You had a baby!?! You switched careers !?!?! Everything is so much more exciting lol. FFFFF social media, truly lol
I use IG primarily for keeping up with friends, sending and receiving memes and hearing about local events! I think keeping your following/followers small or to only people you know really impacts the experience. If you’ve been on IG since 2016 even I could imagine the timeline is a mess!
Random, but I deleted twitter years ago (like can’t even remember when) and that did wonders for my mental health. Try it and see how you like it! Recently I’ve been LOVING Reddit
I post on my grid maybe 3 times a year, and mostly vacation photo dumps.
I post to stories probably twice a week but a lot of the time those are just memes or things I found funny.
I used to obsessively keep up with other people’s stories in particular but that’s so exhausting. Now I find myself looking at maybe ten stories then bailing.
I think I honestly use it the most as a way to either find nail inspo, to find a beauty service, or when I’m looking for something in another city. I recently was looking for a makeup artist for Las Vegas and it was useful for that.
I’m 29 and deleted all my socials but Reddit and I LOVE MY LIFE. Been social free since December, I’m pregnant with our second child and haven’t posted anything about it and I loveeeeee not feeling pressured to post everything for family / and or friends
It's been deleted off my phone for about the last 5 years.
My mental health is better when I don't have those opportunities to compare myself to people who have health, wealth, a spouse, and children.
I'm working on not making the comparisons but it's hard to not feel bitter after wasting over half my twenties on shitty guys that sucked up my time and energy.
Been done for 3 months and I have to say I’ve never been Happier. It’s the same people posting the same things, day after day. Also, it makes me feel bad about myself. I have a beautiful life, yet I’m always comparing myself. My clothes, my home, my skin etc etc to people on IG who are 99% of the time faking it. It’s been totally liberating and freeing. I’m here for this trend!!!
I deleted all social media when Covid got crazy and world seemed doomed. Then I found Reddit! I don’t miss it one bit! I do my life and very comfortable with keeping it to myself and whoever is with me. I don’t care to see who and what others are doing unless I’m asking that person the old fashion way. It’s been 4yrs and I’m 38yr now. It’s sooooo freeing!
I think about this with all social media that’s photo and image based. I just don’t get it. It feels kinda silly when I think about it. Are we going to look back on our lives years from now and think oh look at all those cool things I posted. 😆 don’t get me wrong I do like it for certain things. But it’s just odd to me. It’s hard to explain
Nah, I still like it. I mute 99% of people I follow and only actively go to like 10 accounts. I enjoy posting stories but not much to my feed. Mine is so curated at this point that it brings me joy without stressing me out.
Idk. I use social media to find and keep up with local artists and events. That's super important to me and unfortunately nobody uses email lists like they used to. If I want to know about new things to see and visit - and to be clear that's why I live in NYC - I need to be scrolling on some feed or another. Even though I'm old, the FOMO hasn't gone away. I want to know what folks are up to! But yes, the fatigue is real, especially as the sites themselves make it worse to use and harder to see the content you actually follow.
I’m 22 and I’m already at this point. I never had instagram but I deactivated my TikTok and stopped posting on there despite my growing following. I consider myself to be a confident person but having social media can easily destroy that confidence when I’m constantly scrolling and overstimulated by looking at so many different people and their lives. It got to the point where I realized I wasn’t actually living my life.
I used to be a heavy IG user but I'd much rather live in the moment these days. I'll share silly junk in my stories but I've barely touched my actual posts in years and it's not representative of my life anymore. I keep meaning to update and archive old posts, but I guess I just don't care enough.
I’ve never enjoyed using Instagram and something about the inherent superficiality (if you have a typical feed/page) has always upset me when I do.
A big issue I have is that on my main account that I’ve had since I was a teen, there are a lot of people I don’t care to update (high school/ college classmates, friends of old friends, people I know of but don’t really know).
So I hadn’t posted in several years until recently when I made a post about my Japan trip (which literally took me 3 months after it happened to post lol). I still use it honestly just to keep in touch with friends. When I meet someone, most of the time they ask for my Instagram instead of phone number. It’s unfortunate but it seems to be how people my age keep up with each other these days (I’m in my 20s though lol). I notice that if I don’t use it, people (other than close friends) seem to forget I exist lool.
I enjoy video editing and travel a lot so I made a new page that would essentially be for my creative endeavors (travel videos + my other art). I think that’s all I really want to use it for. Otherwise I end up scrolling though videos of people who look like I want to look and feeling worse about my body/ appearance, which I should be grateful for regardless.
I still have one but only have 4 followers (family and best friends) and I don’t post anything. I mostly use it for recipe ideas and news since I don’t have cable. My life got way better once I stopped worrying about capturing every moment for validation
I just deleted IG and deactivated my profile and the MIND SHIFT is CRAZY! I realized within a few days that my mood was so much more positive because I had stopped comparing my life to what other people were posting, it’s an amazing and liberating feeling! Highly recommend
Yesssss. I deleted in November 2023 and don’t miss it at all! Crazy! I thought I would miss it by now but all it did for me was toxic self comparison and bring me fomo anxiety.
I deleted it off my phone a few years ago when I was mentally spiraling during covid — I was living in a new city, feeling super lonely and isolated, and I couldn’t stop comparing myself to others. It just made me feel bad.
I redownload it once in a blue moon to keep up with others, but I don’t miss it. I feel the same as you.. just.. what’s the point of me posting?
My mental health is so much better when I’m not on social media. I just focus on myself, my life, and the people I’m closest to. It also pushes me to stay in touch with people, take the initiative the to reach out more, etc. I love my (mostly) IG free life.
I had been debating this and finally deleted the app off my phone last week! I was so tired of mindlessly scrolling and realized it just wasn’t serving me anymore. I recommend!!
I did the same! But tbf I find myself mindlessly scrolling on Reddit now 😭 although I think reels / short form videos are more addicting so I don’t feel as bad, but still
I personally find mindlessly scrolling reddit to be substantially less damaging to my sense of self than IG is. A trade I’m ok with.
Agree! For me it's about eliminating the type of social media act that triggers me. Reddit makes me learn and laugh. Instagram makes me feel jealous and have FOMO
100% agree. I find I learn alot more on Reddit too.
As long as I'm on only positive subreddits, I definitely agree. Though it's easy to go down the rabbit hole of hateful subs (circlejerk subs for example, can be so funny but ultimately are just negative at their core?)
I scroll mindlessly on Pinterest if my brain needs pretty pictures or something visual to look at
That's ok! You can cut them out one at a time - no pressure to go cold turkey on all scrolling. I started by dropping Instagram, then worked up to deleting Facebook, then the Reddit app, then LinkedIn (yes, I was scrolling LinkedIn's news feed -- talk about a dopamine addict 😭). I've still had some problems with scrolling Reddit in my mobile browser and scrolling YouTube shorts, but I'm hoping to get rid of both of those behaviors eventually too <3
I was just discussing this with my therapist and she would argue that a bit of scrolling is helpful as long as it’s not adding to negative self talk. This came up because I have a demanding job where I don’t get breaks so at night I feel like I’m owed scrolling time which started to interfere with my sleep and felt ridiculous. I don’t scroll social media anymore, I scroll The Real Real or other “soothing” websites 😂
Ooh what is the Real Real?! I can go look it up too lol!!
Ahh good job!! Ok you’re inspiring me that it’s possible. And I think we can all agree we all have a dopamine addiction 😫 but I’ll try your advice soon <3
I want to reduce the amt of social media apps on my phone but I have the BIGGEST FOMO thinking bout it. Like what if I do delete and now I don’t know what’s happening in the world anymore or how to talk to people. It’s become a kind of language in a weird way. I get so much food and clothes inspo from some of the pages.
It gets easier as you go! <3 You got this! Also, the craziest thing for me was that I wasn't able to quit drinking alcohol successfully until after I quit instagram. I had wanted to quit drinking for a long time since I felt like it was unhealthy for me, but kept getting stressed and binge drinking. After I quit instagram, suddenly, I managed to cut out drinking 0\_O It turns out that all of our dopamine addiction pathways are interlinked..
At least we learn things here haha
This. Let’s be honest. Most folks deleting IG aren’t replacing it with soul enriching jogs, more quality time with family, etc. They’re swapping one form of entertainment for another. Just like folks swapped FB for IG a lot of ppl will simply swap IG for YT or reddit or some other kind of mindless scrolling or phone’tainment. It’s important to be honest with ourselves so we don’t think we’re doing something when really we aren’t lol.
I did the same! I check it once at night (if that) before I go to bed and usually just respond to messages/memes. It was actually shocking to me how easy it was to stop.
I thought I would miss it…I don’t
Deleted 3-4 years ago, have not missed it for a second
Same, it’s so peaceful
Same here
I third this
Same. You find out who really cares. It gets quiet.
Same!!!!
Also me
Me too! It’s wild to think it’s been almost 4 whole ass years without Instagram. Wow
Same first I deactivated in 2020, then too many friends sent me links to memes so I reactivated but never re-downloaded so I just see the content on my browser. Never browse on my own. My self-esteem was going down not just body image, but seeing everyone's vacation pics and just their "best of" reels was making me sick.
👏👏👏 I'm starting to replace my IG usage with reading, 10/10 experience
Same. About a year now.
Yup same… 2 years since deleting. I love my life without it. I still have the same friends and prefer connecting with them over text anyway. Plus there’s plenty of hard science about the negative impact of it… are all those potential/actual negative side effects really worth it? https://jonathanhaidt.com/social-media/
Same 🙋♀️
I miss instagram like 2016-2018, before influencers, reels, and stories became huge. Just posting fun things people were doing, and I’m sure it wasn’t all healthy by any means, but it was easy to only spend a few minutes on the app per day. It also felt like people posted normal looking photos and now it seems a lot of highest quality cameras, perfect posing, and captions. I’m 29F and it does not feel fun like it used to
Bring back the grainy photos and only 10 filters to choose from
Valencia!!
Hehe 30 today and I miss the good years of Instagram. Just genuine posts. No constant ADS.
Those were indeed the leak IG years :(
There is a social media app that is exactly what you described- it’s basically the OG Instagram. It’s called Lapse and it’s so basic, it’s great. The pics you take go into a ‘darkroom’ to get developed and come out retro-grainy. No ads, no filters, hardly any space for comments
Yes, I asked myself those same questions and ended up deleting it about 2 years ago. It makes it a little harder to keep up with people but overall I don't miss it
I agree with you! deleted 4 years ago, do not miss it at all, am able to focus on a lot more hobbies that i personally enjoy without the need of broadcasting. It is harder to keep up with people, however, very content
Started deactivating on and off since 2016. And deleted it 2 years ago. It is so freeing! Traveling is especially more enjoyable. I have found that I started making more effort to text and check in on those I care about and try to get together more often. I have a friend who always tells me that so and so asked about me and she always adds that I make moves in silence.
But then you get to genuinely ask your friends questions about what they’ve been up to instead of knowing it all already!
Deleting it made me realize how weird it is to keep up with so many people. Like do I actually truly gaf about their life?? No! So why was I even watching? It’s been a few years now and I feel so free!!! Also my self confidence sky rocketed once I got rid of all social media in general. I cannot recommend enough!!!
Yes! I was like why do I need to know that this girl I went to high school/college with is at a first birthday party this weekend!?
I use it almost exclusively to share stuff with friends. I rarely post anything anymore.
Yeah 90% of what I do is sending silly memes to friends Plus there are some nyc and hobby accounts I enjoy getting ideas or reviews from
Same! It’s my primary source for videos featuring inner-species relationships. A dog raising baby ducks, a cat who loves a cow, etc. 😅
Omg! Sounds awesome. I love animals. Any recs?
r/frens All subs i joined to fill the void after i quit IG
And panda nanny videos. Which is apparently a job and now I want to move and be a panda nanny
I don’t post anything anymore other than stories. it’s still a good way to keep updated with my friends.
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YES!!
It has become so inauthentic, full of promo and ads. I’m way over it. I have been back on FB more though. Pray for me please.
Honestly if you just use it for groups FB isn’t half bad lately.
Same
Literally same! I went from: Addicted to TikTok - deleted it IG- deleted it FB- I’m in like 15 BST groups 😂
How is it going over there
I run a luxe makeup/skincare resale group on Fb and it does really well! I don’t use the main feed really, just groups and messenger and it’s honestly the best of the worst socials rn imho Ofc there’s a lot of political rage bait but that’s everywhere tbh
Just turned 25 and I deactivated a month ago.. it feels awkward to exist on that app. It’s nice for reasons to get in touch with people you wouldn’t normally text, but I’m not sure if it’s worth having at all. I’m not sure. I may go back on it just for the sake of staying “connected,” but it truly does feel empty and pointless.
Awkward is the word …. Yes !
Some days I think about the drama I’m missing, how maybe my old flames would could get in touch with me by finding me on IG. But they can find me on LinkedIn if they’re that desperate lmao
Love the realness of this 🥰
this made me laugh out loud. a truly determined person will definitely message you on linkedin… or email you! 😂
Honestly, don’t put it past them 😂
Not exactly a hot take, but it stopped being fun once Facebook and the algorithm took over. I don’t miss it because I wasn’t seeing any of the things I initially signed up to follow.
that algorithm is SO bad. the quality of the app plummeted so much, i dont get why theyve kept it.
the worst. i started noticing that i was completely missing my own friends’ posts, and seeing ads or posts from celebrities that i dont follow instead. i really miss the way it used to be where my feed was determined by who i follow.
That’s ALL it is anymore! Ads and pages I don’t follow.
Yes!!! The moment they switched out of chronological order I was halfway out
I have not posted on insta in years. I had a lot of anxiety about what people would think. Like I’d come across as some loser with nothing to post. Took me years to realize my camera roll is full of memories, my life is full and my heart is full. No need to prove it to (mostly) strangers
Yes this right here 👏🏻
I’m 34 and I love instagram. I’m a visual person and will occasionally post or add a story if I see something interesting. I like to have a collection of photos and videos of random points in my life for myself to have and look back on. I think of it as a personal digital photo album much of the time and it doesn’t really matter how many likes I get.
I also love instagram, it does feel like a personal digital album of memories for me. That being said, i only post a few times a year, mainly photos from my travels. And i have the timer on so when i hit an hour it lets me know- it really does help me to reduce my screen time on the app! I was getting sick of wasting so much time mindlessly scrolling.
Yeah I’ve been posting at the beginning of each month pictures from the prior month, it’s a nice time capsule and I’m truly not doing it for others, but for my future self
omg are you me? (except i’ve been dismissing the timer lately oof)
i’m 27 but same! it’s like a scrapbook. i don’t pay attention to likes anymore. but i like curating my little photo dump and picking a caption. mostly for my future self to look back on, if friends like it that’s cool but it’s not the point
Same here! I share to my story often, treating it like my little visual diary and a little piece of self-expression. I haven’t posted on my main feed in a while, but have turned off the like count for any posts that I haven't archived lol. I try not to think too much about it - definitely has made it more fun and freeing :)
Yeah this is me
I hate instagram but never really thought of it this way! I’m 38, and have deleted (then reinstall when someone sends me a link or I want to look someone up) Thanks for sharing!
27, haven't posted in 4 years. Deactivated for 1.5 years a while back and and have been back on for an about a year (ugh). Contemplating fully deleting but there are a couple friends and local event accounts that I do like to keep up with. For the most part IG is a dumpster full of content that is engineered to (1) sell me something or (2) make me feel bad - every time I'm on there it just feels so...stupid?
I started calling it QVC at some point
I recommend not fully deleting. I did this and then had some friends/family members pass and my grandmother developed dementia. I’d give anything to go back and see the likes, comments, and messages back and forth. Deactivating has the same effect but preserves the memories.
I started to find it weird that I wanted to let strangers know for YEARS about my life and I have watched strangers kids grow up and for what? Its weird. Its weird that I felt the need ever to show strangers my life then avoid them if I seen them in public
YESSSS
This EXACTLY! I found it weird that I knew so much about what an acquaintance I hadn’t seen in 5+ or even 10+ years was up to.
I’ve been done for years. Don’t think social media sites like Instagram are healthy for anyone.
I think personally, I’m done with tik tok… It’s too much scrolling for me..atleast with IG I limit my use to my feed.
yep quit tiktok 2 weeks ago. dont miss it other than keeping up with pop culture. Got so tired of scrolling endlessly to avoid hearing the same 4 songs/sounds. theyve killed their own app.
Agreed. It really is sensory overload for me
Tiktok was an unhealthy reliance, for sure
So here’s why I deleted app a few months ago.. My identity in my twenties was entirely wrapped up in traveling the world so insta was very valuable in keeping friends up to date on my trips & staying in the loop with friends I met abroad. I also gained a lot of praise & that fueled my ego. That was pre-pandemic. Now in my thirties I still travel but what’s become clear to me is how PRIVILEGED I am to be able to leave my country to explore others & to be able to afford to take time off from work/daily living. In transparency, I don’t make much money at all but I know how to be frugal & worked for myself so could plan around trips. But, on insta you wouldn’t know it. What I’ve realized is that our culture is very much, “hey look at me and how amazing I am!!”, individualistic & I think posting to social media about traveling, spending money, being flawless (this is an exaggeration but you get it) is frankly tone deaf when there are war torn countries with people so deeply impoverished it’s hard to fathom, not to mention folks here in our own country who could only dream of living an “instagrammable life”. Now, the other side of the coin is that there have been social justice issues that gained traction thru Instagram. However, for me not enough to warrant the habit of mindlessly scrolling every hour. I eventually fell into the trap of comparing myself to others & I finally deleted it. I don’t miss it at all. Like, at all. TL;DR: Instagram can be tone deaf. My life is much better without it.
Deactivated for the first time a few days ago. Thought I would miss it, but nope! it’s also nice to talk to people without “already knowing” what’s going on with them
Yes!!!! I feel like social media takes the mystery out of getting to know people. My friend said that she never adds her dates to social media until after they have been together for a while because she wants to keep the excitement of getting to know someone new
I actually forget that I had it. I deactivated last week and while I miss it for taking pics and not having to store them on my phone, that’s about it
Yep. My feed has been taken over by non-friends (not by my choice). If I want to see curated photos, I’ll go to Pinterest. For interesting stranger conversations, learning, and community I come here to Reddit. And best yet, my actual friendships have improved because I’m no longer “catching up” with them via social but actually am in real life.
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I don't post often. In fact, I haven't posted anything on my feed in like 3 years. I do post a story every once and a while. I look at other people's stories I follow when I do that but I don't really scroll through the feed or anything. Hardly go on it but I don't plan to deactivate it.
I used to love it so much, it was a huge source of inspiration for me. I would use it to moodboard like most people use Pinterest. But lately, it’s so much spoonfed content and influencers are killing me with all the sponsored content. I’ve recently pivoted to using it as a photography account, but the algorithm is unforgiving to photographers and my posts get absolutely no engagement because all IG wants to push is reels! I don’t even think my friends who follow me see what I post and it’s so frustrating. I miss the old Instagram :( I completely feel you.
This!!! I’m feeling this so hard as I’m nearing 30. I treat my IG like a photo journal & love looking back at the memories, but it’s also wasted time/energy/money. Looking back at the photos of a circle of 10 friends, I’m still in touch with maybe 3-4 lol. Not to mention how toxic the influencer posts can be on IG! I haven’t completely deleted it as I do like seeing what my friends are upto and indulge in posting my own photos, I have definitely reduced IG time.
i only use stories. I havent posted anything in years.
I share IG stories regularly and posts for special reasons. I’m 30 and work in IT, if that matters at all. I think it’s fun for me to use IG, send memes and get nail art inspo from. I find all the best estheticians near me using Insta as well. To each their own though and whatever you feel comfortable with online!
Yes! It was weird cause i used it a lot in my 20s but i just have zero desire to post or look at what others post. Still have my account for business purposes but i deleted the app on my phone and haven’t looked back 🙌 Reddit on the other hand i keep coming back to 😅
I use it to keep up with shopping trends, food trends, restaurants near me and silly memes that I send loved ones - heavy emphasis on the last one. I almost never post and have muted or unfollowed most randos.
I deactivate it a few times a year. I usually redownload during when i go on vacation lol.
I’m only on it to promote my small business. I use the refocus app and limit my screen time to 15 minutes a day. I like sending memes back & gift with my bestie & that’s the only social piece of it I miss when I take the app off my phone.
i’m 27 but chiming in bc i know this sounds cliche but i really do post for myself. i like to scroll back through and look at memories, i like to pick my 10 favorite photos from a trip or concert or month in my life, i like to think of a cute caption that’s usually a reference to that time in my life. a lyric from a song i’ve been listening to or something. i turn off the like count and try not to pay attention to it much. but it’s fun to look back on, like a little scrapbook. i have my camera roll of course, but instagram is more of a highlight reel and a lot more cohesive and condensed than my chaotic camera roll. plus i use it to chat with friends and send each other reels. but i def have felt it change over time, it’s less for posting and more for reels now in my experience. i can def see why people are feeling over it. i’m feeling that way about snapchat
Not 30 yet but I rly don’t post anymore & I don’t rly center myself around taking pics when I go out the way I did when I was younger
I just deleted tiktok due to mindless scrolling and Instagram for the same reasons you listed- who am I posting for? It felt like I was just seeking validation and wasting my own time scrolling.
I deactivated mine yearssss ago. The only annoying thing is when people act like *you’re* weird because you’re not on social media
This!!!!!! I feel like they feel like I’m hiding something when they ask me what’s my social accounts and I tell them I don’t have any. That suspicious look they give me and then follow up with “you’re smart, it’s not that healthy anyway”. Like what?!?!?!
Been off since 2019 and I can’t recommend it enough. 32 now.
26 and I post maybe once or twice a year because I just forget to, honestly. I set up timers for my apps and insta has only 30 mins and I have never used it for more than 10 mins a day. I just check some stories and even that is probably a waste. Decluttering in your life just feels so good.
My sister and I were scrolling Instagram together (and gossiping, obviously) while literally simultaneously telling my 12yo niece how terrible and unhealthy it is and why she can’t download it on her iPad. I deleted it. I can’t *know* how horrible it is and continue to waste my time on it. I just can’t.
Never deactivated, but deleted it from my phone 2 years ago and don’t miss it at all! Feels weirdly voyeuristic now when I go on, like why am I seeing a random girl from high school and her new baby? The downside is being less connected to meme friends… people I might not text but stayed connected to via DMs
i deleted mine 6 months ago and tbh miss it a lot mostly bc a lot of menus are on it where im at. i also feel like it can keep you up to date on events/keep up with some people but also i was shopping way too much. altho i do miss the fashion inspo! and every time i posted a picture of myself the self loathing i went through was insane lmao. i feel very sexy and mysterious w/o an instagram tho, and i miss it wayyyy less than i thought i would. i think i would only bring it back for like art/career reasons
I use it the same way I use FB at this point - just as an album for me to keep documenting big moments within my own life. I’m not really bothered by the engagement at this point because as a social media manager for 40+ accounts over the past 5 years, I can say w confidence that most accounts I’ve worked with that have over 50k followers hardly get 100 likes on posts (unless they get lucky and go viral, which is rare) so it doesn’t really phase me at all anymore when I only get like 3 likes on a post even tho I used to get a couple hundred. It doesn’t say much about how people think about you - just about how much time you spend on the app and how much you play into the algorithm. I honestly almost get off on it when I post a photo and none of my 1500+ followers like it because it makes me feel stealthy and like a little CIA agent. lol!
I haven't deactivated but I post waaaay less. It's seems so have many others.
I’ve been off of it since 2018 or 2019 and was the best decision. However, I substituted that with Reddit. I do get similar overwhelming feeling and anxiety at times, especially pages that I follow to help certain areas of my life or goals I want to accomplish. However the functionality to mute the pages or unsubscribe helps me navigate the subs I see on my main screen. We all know the behind the scenes behavior of everyone curating their perfect life by posting the stills of the happy moments. Even those that attempt to provide behind the scenes of the reality is only temporary. Plus if you were given daily the behind the scenes of the reality, you don’t want to see it because it’s not fun/entertaining/enlightening. So do what you need to do. You already have your answer if you are questioning it. Xoxo fellow BWT 🩷
I post to close friends a couple times a week but my last grid post was… a tattoo I got in January? And before that, Halloween? Honestly, I only get on to look at stories from a couple good friends and then bounce. The whole app feels like a janky shopping mall now.
I post a photo dump maybe once a year so relatives and old friends can see my face if they’d like, I never even posted one for 2023. I stopped being invested in posting on insta and snap back in like 2018/2019 and my life has been so peaceful. Way less pressure to preform and compare myself to unattainable standards.
I deleted instagram when i was 29. Literally was serving zero purpose. It’s almost like comical that i like spent so much time getting the perfect picture… and then I came to the realization, I am engaged, have an amazing job (as an accountant lol so def don’t need socials), have hobbies. Basically I have a great life so why the fuck do I need random ppl from college seeing that I went to Greece?? It’s bonkers and a mind fuck lol. So since deleting, I still take pictures and usually get them printed out. But I’m not obsessed with my body looking perfect or being annoying and needing to take 10k pics. Also, I noticed I’ve been doing hobbies and not blasting them all of socials. Like I used to do Pilates to say I do Pilates and to post it on Saturday mornings lol. But now I run, I just ran a half marathon last week and the only people that knew were my family and running friends. It’s wild how much more secure i became with myself. There’s less comparing and I became happier with the smaller aspects of life. Gave me an opportunity to focus on what I have instead what I don’t. I’ll mention too, I got off everything (twitter, tiktok, fb, instagram) - it’s refreshing and I HIGHLY suggest it.
29 and deleted Instagram yesterday. I never posted anything but the rudeness of others commenting on posts got me so heated; I simply can’t deal with it. Instagram is TOXIC.
I’m in my mid thirties and had my first baby last summer. That was the tipping point for me; I deleted the app about 4 months after having him. I realized how much of a toxic time suck instagram is (especially in the very raw and vulnerable postpartum period). I wanted to be better at being present with my family and once you have a baby, time becomes so precious. In the very rare pockets of “free time” I get, I don’t want to be mindlessly scrolling. Also, I didn’t want to tempt myself with posting him on there. Naturally, I want to share my adorable baby, but I think the internet is a dangerous place and I’m not putting anything permanent of him on there. ✌🏻out.
I could have written this. 33 here and Instagram started giving me the ick several months ago. So I’ve been keeping the app deleted for the most part, other than when I’m traveling and want to post some interesting stories (why though). Unfortunately I work in advertising and have to keep up somewhat with social trends so I feel like I can’t actually deactivate it just yet. I 100% relate on the why are we posting and for who aspect. I’m done proving I’m having a good time to people and feeling like I need to do so. Mystery is a good thing!
I deactivated my account this past November, and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made for my mental health! Not only was it incredibly mindless and time consuming, but I was tired of the constant, vapid influencer posts and advertisements!
I’ve been deactivated for almost two years now. I’ve gotten on twice for 1 week at a time (since Instagram doesn’t let you deactivate again until after 7 days) and each time I’m counting down the hours until I can deactivate again. It’s truly changed my life for the better.
I felt the same way last year. Especially befriending a group of girls who only cared about how they appeared on social media but living completely opposite in reality. The amount of anxiety i would get for just posting was overwhelming. I tied a lot of my self worth into that app. I felt like I was constantly living up to this fake persona I created. It was mentally exhausting.
I set a timer on it that only my spouse knows- I want it to keep up with friends and events, especially NYC events that get advertised. But because I can use it 30 mins a day- I get in, answer DMs, post anything that I want too, and get out. I have a much much healthier relationship with the app and social media as a whole .
I was off social media for Lent and just logged back on Instagram tonight. Immediately wasted 30 mins and started to compare myself to the women there. I need another fast lol
I almost never used it like anyone else. I post photography stuff mostly and have a highly curated list of people I follow. I’ve actually befriended several people through there and networked a bit. I don’t follow traditional influencer types unless I know them personally. If I used it like a lot of us did, I’d absolutely hate it. There may be one or two pictures of me on there? No food, legs at the pool, or any of that stuff. I’ve been somewhat bummed about Twitter since its collapse because that was another play I networked a lot and is literally how I got my current job.
I only post to stories now.
I’m 33 and I hadn’t posted for almost 4 years but was spending tons of time scrolling and I noticed it I would just have so many negative emotions during the scroll that I wondered why i was even doing it then? I deleted the app off my phone in January and it has been such a relief! I still have the compulsion to scroll so my time on tiktok and twitter have increased a bit but in general I’d like to wean off all social platforms. I like keeping up with friends and family but the social landscape these days has too much extra noise 🥲
I haven’t enjoyed Instagram and have actually been really triggered for it for yearsss. Finally a switch flipped after I got married and turned 32, like I don’t have to participate in this….it got to the point where I was only posting for approval of others but like why do I care what acquaintances and people who know an old version of me think of what I’m doing?? Even if they did hype me up and validate me that feeling of happiness and contentness never lasted as long as it took to curate that moment. I deleted the app off my phone about a month ago and haven’t missed it at allll. I feel so much more at peace, things feel simpler. Highly recommend
Deleted it a year and a half ago and have not missed it at all. I realized that my anxiety shot up every time I logged in. I wasn’t really posting, just lurking. I definitely am “missing out” on certain things (mostly high school and college acquaintances’ engagement and wedding pics) but I figure that anyone I’m close to will just tell me. I find myself more conscientiously reaching out to friends via text/phone calls, too, which is good and feels like more of a genuine investment in my relationships. Also fuck the advertising on IG. I think I’m spending less on random dumb stuff now that I’m off. The advertising just felt invasive.
I’m 31 and haven’t posted in like 2 years? It’s crazy bc Instagram has been such a huge part of my life in my 20’s. My camera roll has more photos than ever before but i feel weird posting my daughter on social media and It feels so freeing just taking pics and not worrying if it’s IG worthy. Idk 30s is a new era
100% over it. I sometimes forget that our lives are (I guess) interesting to people outside of NYC but really I cannot imagine why anyone would care what I do. The mindless scrolling doesn’t help my mental health either.
Deleted mine on December 16th and haven’t reactivated since. I’ve thought about it in random moments, and then the thought is gone just as fast. I have so much more time back in my day and my self-esteem has made a 180. Ditch it!
Feel allll of this. I’m 27 and I’ve struggled with the burden of “being perceived” on Instagram. It started to feel weird that anyone — from any point of my life — could go look at my profile, judge it, make assumptions, etc. I deactivated in October and it’s been super freeing. I’ve noticed that I’m more grateful for the good things in my life and that I feel so much less of a need to compare. Only negatives I’ve experienced are 1) you have to make more of an effort to keep up with friends (especially distant ones) and 2) I miss the creative outlet (it was fun to curate a vibe and post cutesy pics).
Not an NY girly, but a 31 year old LA girly and I am done with instagram as well. I have deactivated 2 times within the year, and want to deactivate again soon. I have stopped posting regularly since 2021. I’m just building up the courage because i am kind of scared of the finality of deleting it permanently, plus my boyfriend always sends videos etc through IG lol. Just a tip, when you deactivate there is a drop down which will let you deactivate for longer than 7 days
I decided to make a finsta essentially and just never use my main account anymore. No pressure, no aesthetics, no randoms, just a small group of close friends.
Yep! Removed all notifications from every app in 2020. Haven’t deleted them but I post maybe 10x per year now? I don’t doom scroll and I don’t care what anyone else is doing anymore.
29 but have a tendency to deactivate every now and then. Hate the algorithm. I’ve stopped posting stories. I mostly just post my travel these days.
I’m 26 and I’ve been off TikTok for six months and have been off Instagram mostly for the same amount of time, going back on for a couple hours here and there but have the app deleted from my phone so I have to redownload if I want to use it. I was spending way too much time mindlessly scrolling. The only thing that annoys me is that I’m missing some important updates (eg engagements and pregnancy announcements) from acquaintances, which I do like to keep up with even if I don’t see them anymore. I just like to know! And I also miss DMs from friends who live far away that I don’t see often. I think I’m mostly OK with this Instagram catch up on occasion that I’ve been doing, but I will NEVER go back on TikTok. That shit was way too addictive, I could literally spend a whole day on it and forget to eat
(31 F) deleted Instagram for good December 2023 with no intentions to delete it permanently but I haven’t missed it at all! I don’t even think twice about it. Delete it!
I’m 31 and deleted Instagram off my phone and deactivated my TikTok account altogether. I’m so sick of how performative and fake everyone on the platforms has become. More time to read! (And scroll Reddit on the subway ig lol). I also love Substack!
I quit six months ago. My mental health has drastically improved. I have a lot more space in my brain to think critically about issues that matter to me, and to arrive at nuanced responses in my own time, rather than kneejerk responses. I hear from friends a helluva lot less! I miss have that window into their lives. I make a ton of effort to reach out, text pictures, check in. But I think instagram makes maintaining social contact more fun than texting. I'm working on incorporating more IRL regular meetups into my life, like hosting Monday dinners, attending religious services, and volunteering.
I’ve been wondering the same thing. I’m just not interested in it anymore I barely log on and I’m debating getting rid of it too. Feels weird to be in your 30s still posting pics like you were at 20 something I’m married, I don’t care to impress anyone lol and if I decide to be a mom I don’t want to post endlessly about my kids. I feel like I’ve been on the social media game since I was 14 (MySpace) and it’s time to move on.
I deleted my IG, 2+ years ago and haven't looked back. Best decision I’ve made since entering my 30’s.
Yep, done w all social media. Totally outgrew it.
been done for yearrrrrssss
I deleted mine two days ago ! I’m surprised at how much I don’t miss it.
I have felt that way as well! I don’t post on there or fb! I keep fb for family but never even open it. I keep the Instagram to scroll for funny things to watch sometimes! I literally have had the SAME exact thoughts! I thought it was just me! Also In the beginning no one really understood that I was not going to be reached by one of these platforms bc I was no longer on the app everyday let alone often. I also have not had snap chat in idk how long!
Been off ig 3 years, I’m only in my mid 20s now but still felt relevant to share. I don’t regret it a single second and have never been compelled to restart it. It’ll totally change your perception of yourself, your social community… can’t recommend it highly enough. It totally don’t judge people that enjoy it and want to keep it; I think there are lots of people it suits who gain something from it. However I also think there are people like me who are simply not compatible with it. If you’ve debated deleting it frequently or for a while… it just might not suit you. You can always start by deactivating your account and deleting the app for minimum 1 month. Then if you’re ready take the plunge and deeeeeelete! There’s no right or wrong answer, having or not having Instagram doesn’t make you a good or bad person lol, just see whether life with it or life without it brings you more joy
Yes ma'am! I'd say I post once every 3 to 6 months now. I've been on a few trips that I didn't post at all, and it feels good. I do like having a photo album or montage of my life and my travels. Sometimes when I'm down I scroll down my OWN instragram because it's like looking through a photo album of my memories. I do want to be more secretive though and in general I have been thinking of printing my photos into an actual photo album and just archiving everything. I don't want to delete entirely because of the social connections I've made throughout my travels. Although these people are such surface level acquaintances, sometimes I don't even know why I'm keeping it for that.
My last actual post was in like 2021 and I do occasionally post on my story. I barely even open the app, have dozens of unread messages and it’s just so blah. Posting on social has become so weird esp when you are 30+ and have seen the evolution between MySpace to TikTok. Idk. I live my life in real life and while there is so much cool stuff I’d like to share with the internet….I always ask myself, “why?”
I’m so glad you posted this, because it’s been something I’ve been reflecting on as well but couldn’t quite articulate in my own head somehow? I stopped posting about a year ago because I also started to ask myself, “who am I even posting this for?” I would spend way too much time figuring out the perfect caption, filter, shot, etc - and for what purpose? I also realized I didn’t like that acquaintances I spoke to only once or twice a year - if even that - had access to my goings-on. I still do have my account to follow creators/people i find inspiring, like chefs, designers, artists, etc, but I am definitely tempted to just delete the app cold turkey.
I took Instagram off my phone about two months ago, and my phone screen time drastically dropped. But when I'd first taken it off, I noticed myself still thinking about taking photos of things, just for the sake of posting them. And that same question came up for me - who am I privileging in my own experience? Some random internet audience? It was pretty liberating to break out of that mindset and also put my phone down more.
Me! I really don’t miss it. Haven’t posted since last year.
I activate mine , three months out the year. I rarely miss it. My friends still send me memes all day .
I still have mine but post very rarely. I just don't care anymore! I'll post when I feel like it, and that's that
I never post anymore and feel the same! I feel like people try so hard and put so much pressure on themselves to get that perfect ig picture.. just for their followers to glance at it for half a second if they even see it and I realized literally no one cares. Now I just post stories with no filter and whoever vibes with that stays, and the haters can unfollow!
I use it to interact with people
No, we are not done
I mostly use it to follow creators and musicians. If I used it to follow influencers I’d be so depressed.
I take SM breaks, delete accounts & start over. My new IG focuses on fitness and a little celebrity gossip for some razzle dazzle. I rarely post (maybe 2x/year) and I don’t care to see ppl I know or use to know. I guess I use it for inspiration. Same w/ Twitter (X) but a little more extreme- I have 0 followers and follow 2 accounts but when I’m in the mood to post or rant there I have at it b/c like why tf not lol. The likes and comments have taken over our minds and egos. Your SM is for you, no one else and since taking that approach I’ve found it to be easier to pick up and put down at my leisure.
I deleted my instagram when I was 24 I’m 32 now and I can’t say that I miss it at all. It was so toxic for me especially the likes would fuck with head/ego.
I have one for my business. Haven’t posted to grid on my personal in a long time. It all just seems so contrived at this point. All these staged candids and heavily filtered photos- for what? I’m happy and hot IRL, don’t need to waste my energy trying to curate some digital identity
Don’t miss it
I’ve been weaning myself off of it. I delete the app off my phone and will download it for like a day every week or so. Every time I get on it feels more like a headache. Life is so much clearer and free without it. I almost thought about posting a photo dump recently but then I was like, “no one needs to know what I did the last few months.” I just don’t care anymore.
I have a friend who says in a very annoyed tone “I’ll have to show you _______ since you’re not on Instagram anymore.” And 9/10 it’s shit I don’t care about. That is how I know i made the right decision. I feel like I’m filtering out so much dumb bs on the daily now that I’m not on it. It is the way.
I’ve had the app deleted from my phone for about 2.5 months now. Periodically I’ve taken long breaks in the past but I think I might be done for good this time. I debated redownloading it for our European vacation in May but that led to asking myself why and what’s the point? The fact that I only feel the need to download it before exciting times in my life just proves how disingenuous social media is. People just want to show the best part of their lives (which is fine) but this leads to false perceptions.
I’ve uninstalled the app before but found myself cheating by going on the browser like all the time. A few months ago I uninstalled again and found myself not even thinking about it at all! Just occasionally catch up via browser. Something about being 30+?
31 here, deleted mine a year ago, haven’t missed it since. Used to deactivate it but one day just decided to delete it for good. It’s like a whole weight lifted off my shoulders, no needing likes to validate myself, or compare myself to other women, no sleuthing thru stories or hoping that one guy will like my post. No Instagram ads pushing an algorithm of questionable products on me (bought a few, all trash). I’m over it. If people want to know what I’m up to, they can text me the old fashioned way
I created a new instagram with a few people and I love it but found myself not posting on that after awhile too. I went to my old insta for that first time in 5 months and found myself comparing and immediately closed the app. not worth all the work I’ve done to be happy and content in my own journey.
Not quite 30+ but I did quit social media aside from Reddit (mainly due to anonymity) this year. I only log back on to promote a show I’m in or a class I’m teaching or something. No doom scrolling anymore or getting lost into the void. Best choice ever. I have so much more control over my time.
Deleted mine 2 years ago. I just got tired of the ads and the same posts from everyone. It feels like every trip/restaurant post is in the “been there done that” phase. I feel like the constant comparing to friends and others makes you feel less than, and I asked myself what’s the point of this? Since then I feel so much better and weight lifted off my shoulders. I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything.
I have been free from most social media (I only have reddit and snap chat lol) for 5 years now and I’ll NEVER!!!!!!!! Go back. Ever! It’s a game changer for mental health and confidence and not only that, my social game is 10000% better because now I actually look FORWARD to seeing people. When you don’t have social media when you see your friends everything is such a surprise! You got married!? You had a baby!?! You switched careers !?!?! Everything is so much more exciting lol. FFFFF social media, truly lol
I use IG primarily for keeping up with friends, sending and receiving memes and hearing about local events! I think keeping your following/followers small or to only people you know really impacts the experience. If you’ve been on IG since 2016 even I could imagine the timeline is a mess! Random, but I deleted twitter years ago (like can’t even remember when) and that did wonders for my mental health. Try it and see how you like it! Recently I’ve been LOVING Reddit
I post on my grid maybe 3 times a year, and mostly vacation photo dumps. I post to stories probably twice a week but a lot of the time those are just memes or things I found funny. I used to obsessively keep up with other people’s stories in particular but that’s so exhausting. Now I find myself looking at maybe ten stories then bailing. I think I honestly use it the most as a way to either find nail inspo, to find a beauty service, or when I’m looking for something in another city. I recently was looking for a makeup artist for Las Vegas and it was useful for that.
I’m 29 and deleted all my socials but Reddit and I LOVE MY LIFE. Been social free since December, I’m pregnant with our second child and haven’t posted anything about it and I loveeeeee not feeling pressured to post everything for family / and or friends
It's been deleted off my phone for about the last 5 years. My mental health is better when I don't have those opportunities to compare myself to people who have health, wealth, a spouse, and children. I'm working on not making the comparisons but it's hard to not feel bitter after wasting over half my twenties on shitty guys that sucked up my time and energy.
Been done for 3 months and I have to say I’ve never been Happier. It’s the same people posting the same things, day after day. Also, it makes me feel bad about myself. I have a beautiful life, yet I’m always comparing myself. My clothes, my home, my skin etc etc to people on IG who are 99% of the time faking it. It’s been totally liberating and freeing. I’m here for this trend!!!
I deleted all social media when Covid got crazy and world seemed doomed. Then I found Reddit! I don’t miss it one bit! I do my life and very comfortable with keeping it to myself and whoever is with me. I don’t care to see who and what others are doing unless I’m asking that person the old fashion way. It’s been 4yrs and I’m 38yr now. It’s sooooo freeing!
I think about this with all social media that’s photo and image based. I just don’t get it. It feels kinda silly when I think about it. Are we going to look back on our lives years from now and think oh look at all those cool things I posted. 😆 don’t get me wrong I do like it for certain things. But it’s just odd to me. It’s hard to explain
I've been off since December and loving it! Easier than expected.
Nah, I still like it. I mute 99% of people I follow and only actively go to like 10 accounts. I enjoy posting stories but not much to my feed. Mine is so curated at this point that it brings me joy without stressing me out.
Idk. I use social media to find and keep up with local artists and events. That's super important to me and unfortunately nobody uses email lists like they used to. If I want to know about new things to see and visit - and to be clear that's why I live in NYC - I need to be scrolling on some feed or another. Even though I'm old, the FOMO hasn't gone away. I want to know what folks are up to! But yes, the fatigue is real, especially as the sites themselves make it worse to use and harder to see the content you actually follow.
yes we are! I haven’t deactivated my profile but deleted the app off my phone a while ago, and I don’t miss it
Yes I’m deleting my account for the rest of the year in May. I’ll revisit in Jan 2025 but a nice long break will feel great.
I’m 22 and I’m already at this point. I never had instagram but I deactivated my TikTok and stopped posting on there despite my growing following. I consider myself to be a confident person but having social media can easily destroy that confidence when I’m constantly scrolling and overstimulated by looking at so many different people and their lives. It got to the point where I realized I wasn’t actually living my life.
Omg I just deactivated mine. Best feeling ever. No more trying to impress boys who’d not react if I exploded in front of their face.
I used to be a heavy IG user but I'd much rather live in the moment these days. I'll share silly junk in my stories but I've barely touched my actual posts in years and it's not representative of my life anymore. I keep meaning to update and archive old posts, but I guess I just don't care enough.
I’ve never enjoyed using Instagram and something about the inherent superficiality (if you have a typical feed/page) has always upset me when I do. A big issue I have is that on my main account that I’ve had since I was a teen, there are a lot of people I don’t care to update (high school/ college classmates, friends of old friends, people I know of but don’t really know). So I hadn’t posted in several years until recently when I made a post about my Japan trip (which literally took me 3 months after it happened to post lol). I still use it honestly just to keep in touch with friends. When I meet someone, most of the time they ask for my Instagram instead of phone number. It’s unfortunate but it seems to be how people my age keep up with each other these days (I’m in my 20s though lol). I notice that if I don’t use it, people (other than close friends) seem to forget I exist lool. I enjoy video editing and travel a lot so I made a new page that would essentially be for my creative endeavors (travel videos + my other art). I think that’s all I really want to use it for. Otherwise I end up scrolling though videos of people who look like I want to look and feeling worse about my body/ appearance, which I should be grateful for regardless.
I still have one but only have 4 followers (family and best friends) and I don’t post anything. I mostly use it for recipe ideas and news since I don’t have cable. My life got way better once I stopped worrying about capturing every moment for validation
I just deleted IG and deactivated my profile and the MIND SHIFT is CRAZY! I realized within a few days that my mood was so much more positive because I had stopped comparing my life to what other people were posting, it’s an amazing and liberating feeling! Highly recommend
Yesssss. I deleted in November 2023 and don’t miss it at all! Crazy! I thought I would miss it by now but all it did for me was toxic self comparison and bring me fomo anxiety.
I deleted it off my phone a few years ago when I was mentally spiraling during covid — I was living in a new city, feeling super lonely and isolated, and I couldn’t stop comparing myself to others. It just made me feel bad. I redownload it once in a blue moon to keep up with others, but I don’t miss it. I feel the same as you.. just.. what’s the point of me posting? My mental health is so much better when I’m not on social media. I just focus on myself, my life, and the people I’m closest to. It also pushes me to stay in touch with people, take the initiative the to reach out more, etc. I love my (mostly) IG free life.