Why I quit social media for a month
Last December, specifically on the 24th, I decided I have had enough. I had been wasting so much of my precious time on social media, namely Instagram, and had started experiencing the side effects. I had longed to break free from the shackles of the digital world but kept postponing this difficult step. I realized I had gotten so used to checking my social media accounts on a daily basis that I could not picture my life any other way.
The first couple of days after de-activating Facebook and Instagram were the hardest. I would catch myself checking my phone every half hour and feeling disappointed when not finding the applications. I felt I was terribly missing something. It is then that I admitted I had reached the point of addiction to social media and have started seeing the negative effects on my mental and emotional wellbeing.
One of the most important negatives is the amount of time I wasted that I could have otherwise used learning something beneficial or could have dedicated to my family. As a Muslim, I view my time as a great gift from Allah which I am supposed to consume purposefully, doing deeds to attain His Pleasure. Another thing I noticed is the shortened attention span, which many people also suffer from as a result of prolonged phone use in general. My dear children were also affected by my social media use and felt I was not giving them enough attention. I would get carried away reading a Facebook post or following an Instagram reel that I would almost forget about them while they are by my side.
A drawback specific to Instagram for me was its negative effect on my self-image and feelings of self-worth. Known for its polished, flawless array of perfect images, Instagram creates an unrealistic world that is larger than life, where everything looks fantastically awesome and smooth. When I would navigate through accounts of blooming, successful women, who must have gone a long way and undergone extremely hard work before arriving at this massive fame and success, I would feel instantly less accomplished. This feeling of being “less than” is a very unhealthy one and is one that is often instigated by social media. We subconsciously compare ourselves to the glossy images we see online and set our lifestyle against others’ virtual lifestyles.
Then after the initial phase of recovering from the addiction – during which I watched many YouTube videos of others sharing their experiences quitting social media – I began to enjoy my real life. By the way, it took me about a week, a surprisingly short time, to adapt to the new change in lifestyle. Without Facebook and Instagram in the backdrop of my life, I became more fully present and mindful with my family and loved ones. I felt more space has been created to encompass my real-life relationships and activities. I went back to reading that Parenting book I had abandoned for some time, and started a new novel. Reading has always been one of my special hobbies and I was glad to come back to it. I am more active outdoors and more present as I am not aimlessly scrolling my feed any more when I’m out and about. In general, I am currently experiencing more peace of mind without the need to check my feed daily or watch that story before it expires in 24 hours.
After a month had elapsed, I did not feel the need to go back to social media. I was better off without those apps. Yes, I re-activated my accounts but have not since then downloaded the Facebook or Instagram applications. When there is something I need to check out, I briefly sign in from the browser and exercise better control of my time. From now on, I decided I will not be a slave to such apps again.
