Coming Off Social Media
I loved social media.
I didn’t grow up with it. I was already an adult with two young children when I created my first account. What captivated me was how everything was connected. It was easy to satisfy curiosity instantly. Information moved quickly. And there was the chance to express myself and share my views with people I thought cared.
I liked the idea of sharing my life with people I believed were interested in it.
I can’t blame social media entirely for the affair I had, but it certainly amplified it and made it easier.
One of my biggest regrets.
Eventually I came off social media because debating with people who behaved like Tommy Robinson impersonators and shared false information left me exhausted. The pressure to reveal personal details also became too much.
Since stepping away, my mental health improved in ways I didn’t expect. I no longer felt the constant pressure to perform, respond, or get pulled into pointless arguments.
Even though I said I would never go back, at the end of July 2025 I returned. I realised I missed people I don’t see every day. Old colleagues. Friends. Family who live far away.
This time I set some rules for myself.
My Rules for Using Social Media
Remove people who would walk past you in the street without speaking.
Block or remove people whose views clash strongly with your values. I have no interest in engaging with racism, misogyny, homophobia, or transphobia. Some people are not looking for conversation. They are looking for conflict.
Avoid posting controversial or argument-inducing material on other people’s pages. Don’t feed the trolls.
And yes, I know the irony here. I’m sharing this through social media as well. The difference now is that I try to use it deliberately instead of letting it use me.
The Mental Health Benefits of Reducing Social Media Use
Research suggests there can be real benefits to limiting time on social media.
A study from the University of Pennsylvania found that limiting social media use to about 30 minutes per day led to measurable reductions in loneliness and symptoms of depression.
Source: Hunt et al., 2018
Social media use, especially before sleep, is also associated with poorer sleep quality. Reducing use can help improve rest.
Source: Levenson et al., 2016
Constant comparison with curated versions of other people’s lives is linked with lower self-esteem. Taking a break can interrupt that cycle.
Source: Vogel et al., 2014
Reducing notifications and endless scrolling can also make it easier to concentrate and stay present during the day.
And when online interaction stops replacing real interaction, people often invest more energy into relationships that exist face to face.
If you’re struggling with your mental health, stepping back from social media, even temporarily, can be one of the simplest changes worth trying.
Instagram / Facebook introduction (same tone as your others)
I used to love social media. Then I realised how much of my energy it was quietly taking.
Coming off it helped my mental health more than I expected. Going back later meant setting some rules about how I use it instead of letting it use me.
This piece is about what changed when I stepped away and what I do differently now.
Read the full post here:
#mentalhealth #socialmedia #digitalwellbeing #depressionrecovery #selfawareness #resilience #focus #mentalclarity #boundaries #onlinelife
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Coming Off Social Media
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