In a world dominated by social media platforms, the decision to completely disconnect might seem radical to many. Yet, that’s exactly what I did five years ago, and I’ve never regretted it for a moment. My journey away from social media began like many others—as a pre-teen sneaking behind my mother’s back to create an Instagram account, eventually expanding to multiple platforms throughout high school and early university years.
The turning point came when screen time tracking features were introduced. The numbers were genuinely horrifying, revealing just how much of my precious time was being consumed by mindless scrolling. However, awareness alone wasn’t enough to break the habit. It wasn’t until watching “The Social Dilemma” documentary that I truly understood the manipulative nature of these platforms. The revelation that social media companies deliberately design their products to maximize addictiveness—essentially turning users into slot machine players at a casino—prompted me to delete Facebook on the spot, with other platforms soon following.
What struck me most was the realization that I was voluntarily surrendering control of my time and attention to corporations that didn’t have my best interests at heart. As someone who values self-improvement and personal growth, I couldn’t reconcile being addicted to platforms designed to exploit my psychology. The question became clear: why would I let Facebook, or any social media company, dictate how I spend my limited time on this planet?
Many people express concerns about missing out or losing connections when considering reducing their social media usage. My experience has been quite the opposite. The people who truly matter in my life have my phone number, email, or see me in person. I’ve maintained WhatsApp for family overseas and recently acquired LinkedIn for professional purposes (though I keep it strictly controlled). As for news and current events, there are countless alternative sources that don’t come packaged with the negative mental health impacts of social media.
Beyond the time spent scrolling, I’ve come to appreciate the freedom from the performance aspects of social media. I no longer spend hours staging photo shoots, selecting the perfect image from hundreds of options, crafting the ideal caption, timing posts for maximum engagement, and anxiously monitoring likes and comments. This constant pursuit of external validation is exhausting and ultimately empty, tying our self-worth to metrics that have no real bearing on our value as human beings.
Recent research supports these concerns. A systematic review examining social media’s impact on children aged 6-13 found that frequent use correlates with decreased self-esteem, depression symptoms, anxiety, and other mental health challenges. Platforms like Instagram and YouTube showed particularly negative effects. However, the study also noted that moderate use, when supported by family and school involvement, could facilitate positive social interaction and emotional expression (Cheng et al. 2024).
This highlights an important point: social media itself isn’t inherently evil. It’s a tool that can be used constructively or destructively. The problem lies in how these platforms are designed to override our self-control mechanisms, making moderation extremely difficult. Many of us need to effectively “parent ourselves” by setting strict boundaries around usage—or in my case, eliminating it entirely.
Five years after deleting social media, I can confidently say my life has improved dramatically. I’m more present in the moment, my relationships are deeper, and my self-esteem is no longer tied to digital metrics. I still take photos to cherish memories, but they’re for me, not for crafting a carefully curated online persona. The world didn’t end when I logged off—it actually began to feel more real, more immediate, and infinitely more satisfying.
References: Liu, T.; Cheng, Y.; Luo, Y.; Wang, Z.; Pang, P.C.-I.; Xia, Y.; Lau, Y. The Impact of Social Media on Children’s Mental Health: A Systematic Scoping Review. Healthcare 2024, 12, 2391. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12232391