After being active on social media for almost 10 years, I finally took a break.
Social media definitely has a lot of pros along with cons. First of all, it’s a great place to stay connected with people. You can share photos, videos and messages with friends and family. You can stay up to date on what’s happening around the world – global issues, the latest trends, news and movements. It’s also a form of entertainment, it’s fun to go on there when you’re bored and just scroll, see what people are up to, look at cute pictures and videos of animals. They’re all really great things that I did enjoy and that I found helpful.
The problem for me came with the cons of social media that were getting more and more overwhelming. I found that as soon as I’d go on social media, or even just think about it (which, in some corner of my mind, was always happening) I’d instantly feel a wave of anxiety. I began to overthink every aspect of social media. As soon as I opened up Instagram, I would feel dread for being on there but didn’t feel like I could leave. I wanted to know what my friends were doing (major FOMO) and I didn’t want to be ignorant to the happenings of the world. I would also feel very insecure. Despite becoming secure and confident in myself, it became so easy to compare myself to other people in a negative way. I would compare my appearance to someone who looked nothing like me. I would compare myself to someone else’s achievements and accomplishments as if I didn’t have my own to be proud of. Overall, it was impacting my self-esteem and my mental health.
I decided that it would be best for me to take a break from social media and really commit to it. It was something I had been considering for a while but never did because I didn’t want to miss out on anything. I’ve taken breaks from it in the past, for a short period of time especially during peak school times. This summer, I really went for it. I deactivated my Instagram and Facebook accounts (I would need to come back to them eventually) and deleted my Snapchat and Twitter accounts (apps I was drifting from anyway).
The first week or so was a bit rough, I was tempted to go back on and see what everyone was up to, or to share what I’d been doing. In this time of COVID-19, I really wanted to know what my friends were doing since we no longer see each other on a regular basis. Leaving social media, I knew that my relationships with my friends would be okay and we’d stay connected. Sure, I miss seeing funny snaps and snippets of my friends’ lives but I still talk to them daily and we share important events with each other. I know that my connections with my friends aren’t dependent on our social media interactions and if anything, I feel like I’m reaching out to them more often now. I also wanted to see what was happening in the world but I had friends helping me stay updated and pointing me to reliable sources and resources to stay educated.
It’s been four months and I’ve definitely noticed an improvement in my mental health. I’m not as concerned about what everyone is up to or worried about making my life look incredible. It’s given me more time to focus on my own growth as I’ve been able to look within myself and grow in so many ways. My mind is clearer and more focused, my anxiety concerning social media has pretty much disappeared. I feel lighter and happier; it feels freeing to no longer be dependent on it as I once was. Not only that, but I no longer feel the urge to overshare on the Internet. I’m enjoying life around me as it comes instead of trying to make it look picture perfect. I don’t know how much longer I’ll stay off of social media but I do know that I’m in no rush to return. When I do go back, I’ll have a new mindset to help me stay balanced.
If you find that social media has been taking a toll on you, I would definitely recommend taking a break- even a short one. Give your mind a rest and take some time for yourself without any pressure. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using social media and if you enjoy sharing your life with others, all the power to you! Just remember that you’re not obligated to use it or pretend that you’re okay if you’re not. Do what’s best for you and be kind to yourself.