i deleted all of my social media

hello beautiful people!

i hope you’re all doing well. 

4 months ago, i contemplated deleting my social media platforms tiktok and instagram and see what changes and if i decide to continue living life offline. i had a hard time putting my phone down as i was too busy either doomscrolling on my fyp or comparing my life to what i saw on other people’s stories on instagram. i would spend >8 hours daily on social media and would often develop headaches or eyestrain because i was scrolling until the early hours of the morning. 

also, i found tiktok in particular to be very toxic and low vibrational so i didn't want anything to do with it anymore.

so, on august 8th 2025 i deactivated my tiktok account and did the same with instagram. and i’m never going back.

so… what happened after?

in the beginning (after 1 week)

• i moved into a new house for my third year of university that didn’t have any internet yet, which made me really bored. but this boredom led me to start reading again and i finished 5 books in august (something i haven’t done since i was a kid).
• there were often times i would get really bad digital fomo and my friends were messaging me asking where i was and i had this looming fear that i was missing out on what was going on in the digital realm.
• sometimes, i would sit in silence and just stare embracing the silence and monotony which was very calming.
• i started going on walks to pass the time, sometimes i would go on 2-3 walks daily (for 30 minutes - 1 hour) and not only was this good exercise but it cleared my head.
• i started going to the library more, searching for new books to read and doing supercurricular activities such as computer programming.

(after 2-3 weeks)

• i became so used to having no social media that when i reactivated instagram for a little while in september, my screen time for the app would be no more than 30 minutes.
• i found different ways to get a rush of dopamine that i no longer feel the need to doomscroll.
• i deleted any unnecessary apps off my iphone and turned it into a “dumb phone” that i only use for imessage and calls.
• i began computer programming and received two certificates for the core course and the optional advanced course on Bright Network.
• i stopped bringing my phone to run errands such as grocery shopping and i create physical grocery lists instead of using my phone.

(1 month+)

• i carry my digital cameras, my 3ds xl, a journal and a small notebook with me everywhere in my bag. i love taking pictures and digicam videos when i'm with my friends and i would love to create a scrapbook when i get the chance.
• my sleep schedule has improved tremendously; i go to bed at 8pm-10pm and i wake up before 6am. 
• i feel more present, no longer feeling the need to go on my phone and just enjoy the moment. i went to a party on friday this week and not once i did i go on my phone because i was so busy socialising and mingling with others which was such an refreshing experience.
• i never go on my phone or have my phone in my pocket at work, during my break i either read a magazine from the staff room, do crossword puzzles or i just stare out the window lol.
• my attention span has improved SO MUCH. i can watch youtube videos, tv shows and movies without getting distracted.
• i never go on my phone during class, making sure i always pay attention to my professors in lectures and seminars and asking questions if i don’t understand anything.

as of now, i only use social media on my laptop. my main social media platforms are pinterest, youtube, tumblr and spacehey. i started collecting physical media such as cds and recently purchased a ps2 which i absolutely love so much because i can play my cds on it. when i get bored, i either read or i do schoolwork and i’m in the process of purchasing a flip phone and use that as my primary phone (if you have any flip phone recommendations pls lmk!!!)

overall i would 100% recommend doing a dopamine detox and deleting social media, but you have to really want to quit to gain optimal results as it’s important to understand that phone addiction is still an addiction. 

it's an eye-opening experience because the online world isn't in my pocket anymore and if i want to go online, i have to log on from my laptop.

𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘: 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐜 mwah

if you are hesitant, there are tons of videos online if you don’t know where to start but i promise you it'll be so worth your time. 

— 𝙚𝙯9𝙧𝙣𝙨