Social media has shaped the way we think in America. Social media is telling us what to think, how to think, what to say or what narrative to follow. We don't have a personal view anymore.
Fuck social media and im probably not gonna stream as much, maybe just one or two days. Also i might just post a picture like once a month or something. I wish social media never existed
ugh, you're so right. Social media is like, collecting people. I'm one of those people that as soon as I meet someone I get along with I'm like "Omg lets be facebook friends!" because I guess I just want to hold onto people I like... but sometimes that's not an organic connection.
I just deactivated it. And I’m gonna commit until my bday. I’ve been on social media since the age of 26 I’m 37 now and it’s been nothing but toxic. I feel so relaxed not having it.
I used two Instagram accounts. The first was created literally to show off, the second one - to stalk my crush’s profile. That was really toxic towards me and the people around. I’ve always been depended on people’s opinion and their reactions and Inst made it worst. I’m sooo glad I quit this social media and don’t mean to come back. The desire to build my own life without any respect from the outer world is stronger.
This is one of the better videos on this subject I've seen. My wake up call was realizing that I was consuming constant information, but it was pretty much all garbage. It didn't do anything to improve my life, and, yeah, the shortened attention span didn't help, either. Great video!
i had a very similar experience - at first i felt smarter from all the random facts/info i knew and how caught up with current events i was, but over time i realized it was eroding my ability to make sense of any of it
I deleted Instagram today after 17 years. I was totally addicted. Trying to get a healthy relationship w my phone again. It's ruining my brain!!! Thanks for this video❤ This and others today have reshaped me.
Social media has gotten completely blown out of proportion. What started as a way to post locally and share with friends has turned into a intricate business model with the target of making the user the product. Now they control what we think and what we consume every day.
I think during the pandemic it got 1000× worse. No one had anything to do and yet, despite all the technology and so say platforms like IG and FB that are supposed to connect us with people all over the world, somehow drove everyone apart even more. My wake-up call was when my 2½ year old toddler brought me my phone because she wasn't used to seeing me without a phone. That's heartbreaking. I was mindlessly scrolling on every platform imaginable for hours on end. I wasn't living my life and the worst part was that real life felt like the virtual world instead of it being the other way around. If that's not scary idk what is. As a younger millennial I judge people 25 and under because your generation is basically the tiktok generation. The fact that you quit one of the biggest platforms is something I can truly respect. I recently quit tiktok, fb, and ig myself and it's been amazing! Saddest part is, everyone got to see my life but no one ever really calls to ask me about it. I got close friends and family so those are the relationships I'll be watering from now on. Don't get me wrong, seeing a long losr friend from college is nice and all but it's not like we'll ever meet again and start being buddies again. I remember the times before fb, ig, or twitter. Those were truly simpler times. I was pressured into getting social media and I've been on it for over a decade now. I can remember a time where I didn't post and people actually wondered where I am and what I'm doing. It feels nice to be off social media. It's like feeling like a kid again in some sense.
@@mischiefmakerstudios9900 Makes one wonder? Did the Chinese have an incentive to cause the pandemic so as to increase membership/global usage of that tiktok crap? Evidence has shown that the pandemic was the driving force causing teens on a global level to start using that app.
@@JD-ps6lb What I seriously don't get is WHY social media CEO'S think that teenagers possess a huge disposable income when most of them don't? Teens are more "tech savvy" than the older generation....THAT'S WHY they're able to figure out how to use a cellphone compared to their parents. My mom for example cannot even turn on a cellphone to save her life much less launch a social media app.
Deleted mine 3 days ago after I realized I spent way too much time on Instagram and that it did not benefit my life in any way. So glad you made this video!
That's why I had to step back from social media plenty of times because I saw what it was doing to me mentally. Once I'm off it, I'm much more productive, my mind is more clear and I feel better about myself and not wasting time scrolling. Especially after this one girl stood me up on social media after she messaged me on pinterest, I knew that people on social media are just so fake and I rather meet a cool, chill woman in real life that has no social media
Wow, I deactivated and have stayed off instagram since December 2020! I love your video and resonate with everything you said. You explained it so well 👏🏽 I’ve also deleted my twitter since 2020 too. Got addicted to tiktok so deleted that too lol I feel like so many people are slowly moving away from social media
I’ve been off Instagram for about 2 months now and while there are days that I miss it a lot and feel the FOMO wondering what my friends are up to, it’s definitely helped me realize who I actually have genuine connections with. Thank you for making a video about your experiences with social media too. I feel like it’s difficult to find people our age who share the same sentiments and feel strongly enough to acknowledge the negative effects it’s having on our lives and adding to extra mental health issues. I’ve been chronically online since I was 11 and feel like I’ve reached that point in my life where I’m just ready to explore reality without too much influence from social media and hoping to change my relationship with it so one day I can not be as affected by IG
I totally agree with you on everything, especially being updated on others lives every single second & vice versa for me! It's so creepy! Why is everyone like this now?? They constantly have to know what I'm doing or want me to follow them on IG to show off.. It's super weird!
Hun it's been this way for a while. Rather than shame people for their social media consumption, blame the companies that have normalized this. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etc, condition you. These apps are designed to make people codependent and addicted.
@@DeePeeZee I'm not shaming anyone hun, like I said, it's weird that people want to know my every move, I said what I said. It seems like no one these days can ever hold an intellectual conversation without asking for my Instagram or Facebook. It's pretty disturbing. 😒 I however do agree on blaming Mark Fkerberg & all the ceos for everyone's addiction to of all this social media rubbish...
@@nativebabe9913 I agree. Fuck all these apps that have made humans be this way now. We don't actually need to know what everyone is doing at all times. It's the way these apps are designed to keep you hooked.
I just don’t think we were created for (or our minds are meant to be used for) constant consummation of information and ideas and other people’s lives and opinions and work. I think it is making us crazy, in a way, so distracted from what’s real. It’s a new kind of addiction and not beneficial in enough ways that it makes sense. Life used to be natural and peaceful and about working hard and being with family. Instead, babies are being raised w Cocomelon and Bluey (or even worse) as babysitters and don’t even know what peace and quiet and true imagination are.
I quit social media the last winter vacations and I definitely enjoyed more the present. I felt more connected to the people around me and I had a great time. I wrote more, I read more and I did things I usually don’t.
Already deleted my Instagram app for like 2-3 months ago. As I think it greatly contributes negatively to my mental health. My anxiety heightens whenever there's bad news about celebs in the explore area and I agree with the algorithm thing that it just shoves negative things for us to see and it is manipulative. I have been dealing with anxiety and depression this past few months and social media worsens it, UA-cam is the only one that is remaining but I keep my feed with positive things and more about minimalism and intentional living and I can say that I feel better this way.
I deleted social media about roughly a month ago, so far I can proudly say its truly been one of the best decisions I've made for myself. One of the main issues I had with social media was I was always presenting myself a certain way, like having a certain image for myself that everyone would know and appreciate. One could argue that this is not a bad thing, but for me so far I can already tell the difference. I feel more naturally like myself and don't feel as entitled to please everyone, rather I just started being my true self which I have to say has been a nice change. Another reason is just simply the amount of time I have. It feels like there is sudden pockets of time throughout the day that weren't there before. All and all great video! It's great people are touching more on this topic in this day and age!
yeah i had the same experience, feeling like i had to maintain a certain version of myself online made it harder for me to change and adapt. i think especially during the transition from teenage years to adulthood it's so important to be able to change, being online makes it harder.
@@realizingerin Definitely, I feel once someone reaches adulthood they release that most their "friends" have their own lives to worry about, not that all friends are fake or whatever. But deleting social media in this case more so Instagram really shows who is actually there and who isn't. To be completely honest it's kind of strange, like a wake up call or something, but also good at the same time.
i deleted instagram around a month ago and i realized that i let it influence my creative projects soooo much. i love to draw but i noticed that the end goal in my mind always was to post it online at the end. and when the drawing didnt turn out as good as i wanted it to, i didnt wanna post it and felt like i failed. now i just start drawing whatever i want to and its between me and my sketchbook and no one else. and if i really like the drawing ill show it to my boyfriend.
This was one of the more eloquent videos on the matter, and you articulated my own POV of social media (particularly instagram) perfectly! It's wild that even with the bombardment of videos like this, documentaries like "The Social Dilemma", various Ted Talks and the major amounts of controversies that these social media platforms have been involved in... that people still haven't woken up to this yet? I was like you on Instagram, I always knew that it was fake yet I'd still be on it all of the time. Even the part about how someone interprets somebody ELSE'S activity on instagram... like I take breaks, I've deactivated it for months at a time, and I've had people get genuinely angry with me that I'm not viewing their stories or liking their photos. It's made society so narcissistic, and I dream of a day where I could go back to before we had it. Thanks for the vid! :)
Love your insights. I’ve been off instagram for a short time and can already feel the shift. So much more energy to go deeply into my interests now that I’m off it. And feel a sense of freedom and liberation, like you said, too.
11:50 this is my biggest thing. with social media you can't organically drift apart. you either block them and leave them wondering what happened, or stay tied together by socials forever. neither is comfortable
I liked Instagram until it incorporated reels. When tiktok started becoming big and all my friends were getting it, I was intrigued. However, I saw how addictive it could be and decided not to get it. Now I feel that Instagram reels are just trying to be like tiktok and I found myself just scrolling through the videos every day for long periods of time. That's why I'm taking a month or so off...and maybe eventually deleting it. Great video!
This was a really incredible video and was constantly engaging :) I had a veryyyy similar experience as yours and I agree with all your points. Sometimes I sit down and wonder what the world would be like if more and more people were having these epiphanies. It makes me sad for my friends who are suffering from social media and struggle to step back. Thanks for bringing ample light to a very important topic!
thanks for your thoughtful comments, it's really great to connect with someone else who's gone through similar realizations :) i agree re:friends, i've just tried to be supportive and not pushy because i know it can come across as holier-than-thou if i get too preachy lol but it really has changed my life for the better
I’m currently trying to detach myself from social media to focus on my goals. It really does take a lot to completely stop after years of being around technology. Thank you, this gives me hope.
I’ve been off social media for about 4 months for the same reasons you’re talking about. I can’t say that I’m completely over all the things that social media did for me, but I’m certainly more aware, less stressed out, anxious, etc. over it. This is probably the best video I’ve watched. It is incredibly honest and thoughtful. Kudos to you, especially for being so young.
Thanks for the video Erin! Just my sharing: Social media was created to connect people. Yes, it did made our friends’ lives more accessible to us. We could stay updated. But it also brought the flaws. Let’s take Instagram/FB for an example. 1. Before Instagram/FB, we only compare our lives to the people we meet often. And in general, people normally don’t befriend those too far off their family income. If your family is making $200k/yr, chances of you mixing with kids whose families are doing $20m/yr is low. Not zero, but low. The schools you go to, the things you do are diff. With social media esp IG, we get to see everyone’s lives 24/7. Even those who aren’t our friends. The ones much richer than us, the ones who have more time and resources than us. We don’t know if that lifestyle is real or fake, cos some people do crazy stuff to brag. Thus, the materials comparing game never ends and it screws our mind up. 2. We think sharing photos/videos on IG stories is updating our friends. But truth is, no story is really shared. It’s just a lazy form of low-key brag or posting things we like. True sharing of stories happen via voice, it can be face to face or online, doesn’t matter. But stories are shared through voice, where there’s a constant back and forth of interaction. Voice shares emotions like no other channel. it bonds. Instagram has degenerated to become a bragging place with lots of ads. It doesn’t allow us to share stories well yet it makes us all anxious. Of course, there are people who say they use IG stories to stay updated about their friends’ lives. Fair point. You’ll stay updated about what they are doing daily. But staying updated and hearing them share the stories via voice are two different things. One is passive and doesn’t bond both of you, the latter is active and helps bond both of you even more. I think most people are suffering to an extent while using Instagram. But they aren’t aware of it. They continue to use it. For those who are aware enough to know that they can’t share authentic stories and be listened to on Instagram, they leave it. Know what you’re sacrificing when you use Instagram. And ask yourself “ Is it worth it?” If the answer isn’t ‘HELL YES”, you should consider getting yourself away from it at least 2 weeks in a month. Mental health is very important in this world. It just feels like as we connect more on current social media, we become more disconnected. Without social media, it’s just a lot less paranoia, less anxiety. Talking to friends, sharing stories in real life or over a call just feels real. It keeps the heart full. For me, anything that disturbs my inner peace is too expensive. Always.
thank you so much for your comment, i totally relate to your perspective. i think seeing updates from friends via stories gives people a false sense of connection/closeness that is often underpinned with feelings of envy/FOMO that people aren't always consciously aware of. part of why i wanted to post more on youtube/tiktok is exactly what you said - voice communicates with so much more depth. it's also nice that now when i see my friends/family i have so much more to catch up with them on since i'm not seeing their updates 24/7.
Your comment was well written and articulated. I think social media does damage mental health especially when it is overused. It becomes mentally exhausting for me after a while to compare my life with the lives of others.
Social media, especially Instagram, exposed some of my friends’ altered personalities. For example, I had deleted Instagram last year due to the main reasons you mentioned in this video. A friend of mine, who had known of all of my personal reasons for deleting the app, had recently posted a picture and wanted me to like it. He knew that I didn’t have the physical capabilities of doing such a thing at that time, and so he says, “just get the app back and like my picture. You can delete Instagram another time.” And he didn’t realize how rude he sounded, despite knowing all of my reasons. Likes, comments, and the pressure to post really does change your thinking, making you tone deaf to the real world.
Totally understand... I went to a content creators brunch (it was... weird) cuz I also do content for work, so wanted to see if there are tips and tricks that I can learn... To sum it up: the more those girls talked, the more I thought "They talk about NOTHING like they're discussing how to have world peace."
Wow you articulated this so well and made me think about aspects of social media and connection that I've never even considered or thought about before! I definitely want to take back control of my life and how I use social media, you inspired me to actually want to start my journey :)
One of the best videos on this topic. The push I needed to finally take that step and get off the toxicity of social media. Thank you for sharing, so well put and perfectly worded.
I'm 25 as well and haven't had social media or any messaging apps for 3 years and if you've watched the social dilema these apps are engineered to be addictive but I hated it because people base there friendships now a days on these dumb platforms and say you want to meet someone for a relationship it's boring because there's no mystery getting to know someone because everything about them is online also people see u as weird for not being on these apps no thanks I'm good lol
I’m 22 almost 23 and I’m done with social media apps. Nothing but fakes and dating apps girls just want attention or they are low value women that talk to multiple guys so..I’m good also
I’ve been watching videos about life without Instagram for a while and this one was the most inspiring. You are very insightful. Thank you! I subscribed. Love your energy
I cannot stand social media now I have quit every last bit of it, I will never ever do it again. I feel like it's psychologically damaging, and a huge waste of time.
Great video! I agree with everything you have said. I am 25 as well, and I still remember when Instagram very first came out LOL. It has changed so much now, same with the rest of every single app that people use now. I have found it to be so toxic, and also tiring seeing everyones "perfect" pictures and also following people who clearly don't care what I am up to, it is all about them. The narcism that these apps breed to this generation is so scary. It really is.
Hi! thanks for this video. I want to promise myself in front of everyone that exactly one year later, I will remove all the negativity from my life, went off most social media, improve my English and realize most of my dreams(hopefully). See you in 1 year🌿
I’m so so happy to see your video! Wow. I’ve been feeling like this for months but kept suppressing that because as a health and mindset coach I was told that I HAD to be on IG. I kept posting but just felt so inauthentic because it didn’t feel like me. Plus, like you I don’t think that inundating our minds with so much info is healthy. Also, as an Ayurveda practitioner I try to consume less info into so that I can allow my mind to be free and peaceful. Just like it used to be prior to social media. I think you don’t have to follow the societal trends but follow what your heart and mind wants and needs. Bottom line we don’t need to know what people are doing, saying, eating, or going. We need boundaries on what we intake into our mind and soul too ❤️
Instagram is absolutely exhausting. The only thing keeping me on there is that I feel like I should still post to my art Instagram. But I have other places to post my art, so for now I just have it off my phone unless I post on my art Insta. So true about which connections are worth keeping! I totally agree!
I really appreciate how articulate and thoughtful your reflections are. As someone who has built a life through social media, the idea of leaving it feels both terrifying and deeply invigorating. I love what you said about our digital selves not needing these platforms to define or mediate us, and how we can still connect with and express this part of ourselves-just in different ways. Will definitely be recommending your video to others! Thank you, just subscribed! 🙏
Wanted to leave a second comment now that I've finished watching :) Your perspective is so mature and well articulated! Especially what you're saying about Instagram being a middle man between friendships and leaving too much room for speculation, when none of that would be the case in the absence of the app. As you said, relationships are supposed to naturally fade and shift with time. The app definitely makes eliminates that aspect of being a human. Not only that but it dramatically complicates it. Really great video.
Yes! I had an awkward interaction with someone and they removed me as a follower. Whole time I was just nervous, and without social media we probably would’ve made up
I liked the part about how IG is about being in a relationship with the performance image of other people. I had never really considered IG that way but it makes sense. It literally filters your relationship with others. I have been off all social media except UA-cam and WhatsApp for 2 months. It’s tough because the addiction is strong but I do feel a stronger inner peace. I deleted my accounts because deactivation wasn’t enough to keep me off for longer than 3 weeks at a time.
I got off IG a little over a month ago...I feel like you perfectly encapsulated all the things I felt were benefits to quitting. Thank you so much for making this video, stay safe and healthy!
This makes so much sense. This makes makes me think so differently about Instagram. Like this feeling has always been there, but someone expressing it so well gives me so much more clarity. Thanks a lot.
The way you explained everything was amazingly articulated. I understand so many things now that I didn't realize before and I'm only halfway through the video. Thank you!
I would love another video on what hobbies/activities you started doing after getting off social media! Love your insight on this. I have also started to realize how social media has been making me feel terrible.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I had removed IG but was contemplating on leaving and replace it with blogging possibly UA-cam since I have been hanging out here more. I feel like it’s better for my metal health.
i have watched so many of these vids and this is one of the best vids out there, you make such good points. i'm going through my withdrawal period and this really helped me, thank you
You are so well spoken & I really appreciate that you’ve been able to come on here & articulate into words exactly the reality behind how social media feels to me but I’ve never been able to place why it feels so off. Thank you so much for sharing. I never realize how addicted I am to it until I start thinking about deleting it completely & then coming up with reasons why I shouldn’t. Almost like I’m talking myself out of it. I think the best thing for me to do at this point is to just do it & not look back. Thank you for this video ❤️❤️
Lengthy is never bad when it’s as detailed and well explained like yours. Thank you for this video because you were so generous with everything you experienced. I found this today when I was thinking of taking a break from IG. I’m glad I watched this.
I’m taking a 30 day break from social media… I’m hoping I have the balls to let it go all together… I’m a singer and I’m older and a mum now, and I was comparing myself to other musicians… trying to stay “relevant” … so toxic. None of us have anything to prove to anyone… ♥️ thanks for your great video. I agree with everything you say.
I can relate to this being a music artist myself. But when I stepped away from social media, I got more focused on my music and I started to have more joy in making my music and my youtube channel doing music. So I totally agree with you and understand where you are coming from
I deleted instagram and threads almost 2 weeks ago. I still have facebook, messenger and Snapchat but only use them if I actually have to and not just to endlessly scroll. It feels nice to not be tied to my phone day in and day out and having crazy amounts of screen time, which is way down now.
I loved your take on this! They way you express yourself shows great depth to your thinking and level of both self awareness as well as awareness of how these platoforms are directly influencing the bevaiour and thinking of the majority of people. Keep reflecting and staying true to your values :)
How many times have we finished a *social media 'scrolling session'* and actually ended up feeling *better* about ourselves.. and life in general ? I can't seem to think of even one time :-/
Hi Erin! Thanks for posting this! As a generation X'er I had the wonderful privilege of being internet free into early adulthood. I miss those days and it breaks my heart to see how social media is affecting my children...and they don't even have social media!
I definitely had an issue of chronically being online during 2020-2021. I felt like if I wasn’t constantly sharing posts about social issues, that I was a bad person. So my actual intention was not good in the first place. IG and tumblr are the only platforms I’m on now. I almost forget about my tumblr app most days. I got burnt out from using IG, that I rarely post and I just started logging out of it. It’s good to keep up with social issues, but I honestly just subscribed to pages in my email to see how I can contribute. I’ve also volunteered for a group that fights food insecurity. I do that based on whenever I can take off work. I was always seeing people say “social media is slacktivism” anyways, but then they were constantly online as well. You can find alternatives to social media, to be aware of social issues. I’m someone with autism, social anxiety, and generalized anxiety, so I was also always too hyper aware of how I came off to people. Which is just not productive. Idk, social media just makes me ill. I always wonder what it would be like if I was at least a millennial. Social media really became a big thing in 7th grade for me.
You put this so well! So motivational thank you ❤️ I’ve been watching heaps of these videos and I’m deciding to quit Instagram, feel like I’m growing out of it. The negatives outweigh the positives
hey, i literally agree with everything you’ve said. I actually feel that i had a toxic relationship with tik tok, so when summer started i realized how much it affects me, and i decided to quit. Same thing about Instagram. I swear when i decided to quit these socials, my life got a different way. This is literally the BEST decision i did in my life, and i’m never going on back. Because i realized how life without socials is so cool. And Also because only the thought of being in it, it sucks. It’s so sad to see everyone being more focused about how their profile looks like or “im aesthetic or not🥺🥺🥺” like van we LIVE LIFE? This is not life, Being on a social 10+ hours is not life, comparing urself to others is not life, being negative is not life. I really saw how much i was negative when i decided to quit it, and now i’m a positive person. Also quitting socials made me more focused not only about things but also about myself. I repeat it, This was the best decision i’ve ever made ; deleting my socials. And i only deleted Instagram and Tik tok, cause those were the problem. Now i only use Pinterest, UA-cam And Spotify. And my screen time was 9h when i had Tik tok And Instagram, Now my screen time is 3h/2h (cause i spend a lot of time on the weeknd watching youtube and netflix) Also another thing i’ve realized since i don’t have anymore these specific socials, my CONFIDENCE is back, and it’s STUNNING and UNIQUE and i absolutely love it. I invite everyone to delete your socials (just the ones that are negative) like Tik Tok and Instagram. These Apps are just for Brain wash ourselfs and try to control our way to think, to talk, to like, to decide. Be you, not anyone else, even if you feel like you’re the weird one, BE YOURSELF cause you are the only person you can count on. After all this, send a lot of love and thank you so much to share your experience and invite other people to grow up and think about success. Cause Social Media does that, takes ur time, and time is so IMPORTANT, it can’t return, so please think about this (to everyone who reads this) cause this is about YOU, your FUTURE.
omg thanks for writing this, ive been thinking about social media a lot lately cuz i noticed how much it affects and manipulated me and this really resonated with me. I feel like it's turning me to someone I am not and I really hate that and find it alarming
I have deleted my instagram few months ago and that has helped me lot developing my mindset. Slowly taking a step forward and not being anxious like before
Your video here hits the notes spot on. I lost my Facebook account just a few weeks ago, and it's one of the best things that could have happened to me. I am more aware of my social surroundings for sure and I'm more amiable in different social situation. Thank you for posting this. It's good to know that I'm not alone in this.
I love this video. Instagram deactivated my account for no reason about a month and a half ago. It was super upsetting and heartbreaking at first, but now I’m realizing how much noise and distraction I was putting up with, and it feels nice to have the quiet and time to focus. I never read and now I’m reading 😂 I wish I could find a way to feel more connected with everyone, but I’m not sure it’s worth going back to Instagram for just that reason alone.
I also gave up facebook during the pandemic. For many reasons related to what you've mentioned, I had "tried" to give it up before, but I always succumbed to going back to it, and this was as a person who HASN'T been online my whole life - facebook arrived when I was in my early 20's. But 2020 was the year that finally encouraged me to finally kick it for good - I couldn't take the drama, the misinformation, the divisiveness of our society, the anger etc - I finally just needed to leave and I don't regret it at all. I go on now every once in a while to sell something on marketplace, but then I deactivate/log out again for months at a time. I'm currently contemplating deleting instagram even though I'm a content creator and instagram is part of my side job now. I still have mental health struggles with it to this day and question if it's really worth it for me. Thanks for the great video 💗
Loved This, never heard anyone before discussing the digital self & it’s so true, I’ve had several instagram accounts over the past 10 years and I always get carried away and find myself posting things just for content, & becoming an entirely different person & then I feel like I’m living a lie. I’m presenting myself like the opposite of how I’m actually feeling and then it makes me feel worse. Deleted day 2 ❤️
I love this idea. I unfollowed a ton of people, even family because I don’t need to know what everyone is doing all the time. I also stopped posting stories. My life was so peaceful before I had instagram and I worked out more and did more writing and focused on being happy in my own life. So I want to get back to that. I’m over 40 too so no one cares about my life or likes my posts
You helped me understand how it was growing up with this. I was about 20 when FB became a thing and I still know what it was like having real friends outside of social media before it became a big thing. So to me that is not new, but to this generation it is
I watched a couple similar videos before seeing yours, this one resonated the most with me. Seemed like every thing you shared I could also agree with and also made me have a greater understanding as to why I deleted my socials. Thank you for sharing your insight.
damn, I'm not deleting instagram (definitely using it less) but i deleted other social media and you just said literally everything i was thinking and feeling. i was so frustrated with the way i struggled to have meaningful conversations with some social media addicted friends because they prefered to post on their profiles about their lives than talk to me. and then be surprised i ask about something they already posted about. one of the reasons i deleted twitter - overwhelemed with so many irrelevant opinions, aggresive behavior and overall lack of boundaries of people online. and i want to feel like a person, not a performance.
Thanks for sharing. You’ve hit on many of the same issues & feelings I’ve experienced engaging with/within the social media “bubble” mindset. (Not sure just how to express that any more clearly.) But, yeah, you’ve jogged my thinking in a new direction, which comes at a timely moment as I’ve recently made many similar realizations as you share here. ☮️
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I've been binge watching a lot of videos about leaving social media and yours is one of my favorites! I'm in the process of leaving Instagram, step by step it is getting easier. I do feel that only 20 people there are truly friends and people I care about, but the feeling that the platform connects you with others is really tricky and confuses us into believing that it's important to have these connections with literally strangers. However, I have to admit that I'll miss some pages, like Michael Yamashita's page. Thanks for the video, it's really good!
This is so true. I learned this the hard way by talking to this one girl from pinterest and she was the one that messaged me. Fast forward after we were talking to each other, she pushed me away and blocked me after I was trying to check on her to see if she was okay. I had to forgive myself for letting it get that far in the first place, knowing that my life was just as fine before I even talked to this woman, So I totally agree. I rather have a connection with a woman in real life
2020 was the last straw for me. After that I was really anxious after being on IG, like everyday I felt so empty and depressed. After a long time of thinking about it, I deleted my IG account on January of 2021. Man that felt good! Sometimes I miss it a little but, but not that much that I would go back. Now I’m only on UA-cam. 😊
I quit for these exact reasons. I realized at some point that all my “friends” existed solely online. When I quit I felt so lonely but then I actually started making real friends who I actually have things in common with in the REAL world. Sure it’s a lot harder to maintain friendships but I was so lonely before yet I had the illusion that my life was filled with people.
thoughtful vid! i agree w a lot of your points, esp the ones about fractured attention and the importance of not letting that mode of thinking run your life. i think it's on us to create the spaces we want to see online and not just accept the versions giant tech companies shit out. it's hard though, but i believe it's important to try
agreed! i’ve come across quite a few websites from the early 2000s lately and they evoke such a strong response in me, like wow the internet had so much less centralization and it was possible to have so much more weirdness and creativity online. we sacrificed that for the simplicity and convenience of bigger platforms, but i hope it comes back
God🙌... thank you for this. So thoughtful & 100% on point. My favorite quote "Instagram was the constant middle man in a lot of my friendships.... your presentation of self online interacting with their presentation of self online"
Sometimes it's like you are living a digital fantasy on socialmedia. Because sometimes real life is dreary. You get more acceptance from strangers who are probably shy and just want to reach out to somebody.
I think it depends on the person. I quit Instagram about 1 month ago and there's no change. But I kinda knew that, because Instagram wasn't the problem. It in itself actually is no problem. It's our minds that need to be controlled. But I knew my own problem was deeper. And yet, it helps that at least a little obstacle is out of the way. I am planning on reinstalling, I just don't know yet when. I initially planned a good few months of break, but we shall see. I need a little bit more self mind control before I can do that and I'm definitely not there yet.
Social media has shaped the way we think in America. Social media is telling us what to think, how to think, what to say or what narrative to follow. We don't have a personal view anymore.
completely agree, it is especially good at forcing people to choose extreme polarities instead of developing nuanced opinions
Said by someone on social media.
@Demon Slayer It's not considered, it is.
Fuck social media and im probably not gonna stream as much, maybe just one or two days. Also i might just post a picture like once a month or something. I wish social media never existed
That was the intention of social media to galvanise indoctrination and use drunks and addicts as a vanguard against tolerance.
ugh, you're so right. Social media is like, collecting people. I'm one of those people that as soon as I meet someone I get along with I'm like "Omg lets be facebook friends!" because I guess I just want to hold onto people I like... but sometimes that's not an organic connection.
It’s not life… it’s a performance of life 🎭
Well said! 👏🏽
I just deactivated it. And I’m gonna commit until my bday. I’ve been on social media since the age of 26
I’m 37 now and it’s been nothing but toxic.
I feel so relaxed not having it.
I used two Instagram accounts. The first was created literally to show off, the second one - to stalk my crush’s profile. That was really toxic towards me and the people around. I’ve always been depended on people’s opinion and their reactions and Inst made it worst. I’m sooo glad I quit this social media and don’t mean to come back. The desire to build my own life without any respect from the outer world is stronger.
go girl
I’ve been off instagram for 8 years, and on and off on facebook. Best thing I’ve ever done for myself
This is one of the better videos on this subject I've seen. My wake up call was realizing that I was consuming constant information, but it was pretty much all garbage. It didn't do anything to improve my life, and, yeah, the shortened attention span didn't help, either. Great video!
i had a very similar experience - at first i felt smarter from all the random facts/info i knew and how caught up with current events i was, but over time i realized it was eroding my ability to make sense of any of it
Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (Ephesians 5:14)
ua-cam.com/video/PpylUDKrHek/v-deo.html
Well said.
I deleted Instagram today after 17 years. I was totally addicted. Trying to get a healthy relationship w my phone again. It's ruining my brain!!! Thanks for this video❤ This and others today have reshaped me.
I hear you!!!!!!
Social media has gotten completely blown out of proportion. What started as a way to post locally and share with friends has turned into a intricate business model with the target of making the user the product. Now they control what we think and what we consume every day.
I think during the pandemic it got 1000× worse. No one had anything to do and yet, despite all the technology and so say platforms like IG and FB that are supposed to connect us with people all over the world, somehow drove everyone apart even more.
My wake-up call was when my 2½ year old toddler brought me my phone because she wasn't used to seeing me without a phone. That's heartbreaking. I was mindlessly scrolling on every platform imaginable for hours on end. I wasn't living my life and the worst part was that real life felt like the virtual world instead of it being the other way around. If that's not scary idk what is.
As a younger millennial I judge people 25 and under because your generation is basically the tiktok generation. The fact that you quit one of the biggest platforms is something I can truly respect.
I recently quit tiktok, fb, and ig myself and it's been amazing! Saddest part is, everyone got to see my life but no one ever really calls to ask me about it. I got close friends and family so those are the relationships I'll be watering from now on.
Don't get me wrong, seeing a long losr friend from college is nice and all but it's not like we'll ever meet again and start being buddies again.
I remember the times before fb, ig, or twitter. Those were truly simpler times. I was pressured into getting social media and I've been on it for over a decade now. I can remember a time where I didn't post and people actually wondered where I am and what I'm doing.
It feels nice to be off social media. It's like feeling like a kid again in some sense.
I really like your response. I feel the same way as you, especially the toddler bringing you your phone part. I quit FB & IG 6 months ago
The thing I noticed about Instagram was during the pandemic, a lot more artists started to post a lot more artwork since they were home more often.
@@mischiefmakerstudios9900 Makes one wonder? Did the Chinese have an incentive to cause the pandemic so as to increase membership/global usage of that tiktok crap? Evidence has shown that the pandemic was the driving force causing teens on a global level to start using that app.
@@JD-ps6lb What I seriously don't get is WHY social media CEO'S think that teenagers possess a huge disposable income when most of them don't? Teens are more "tech savvy" than the older generation....THAT'S WHY they're able to figure out how to use a cellphone compared to their parents. My mom for example cannot even turn on a cellphone to save her life much less launch a social media app.
Deleted mine 3 days ago after I realized I spent way too much time on Instagram and that it did not benefit my life in any way. So glad you made this video!
thank you, and good luck with your journey wherever it may lead you!
That's why I had to step back from social media plenty of times because I saw what it was doing to me mentally. Once I'm off it, I'm much more productive, my mind is more clear and I feel better about myself and not wasting time scrolling. Especially after this one girl stood me up on social media after she messaged me on pinterest, I knew that people on social media are just so fake and I rather meet a cool, chill woman in real life that has no social media
Social media made people rude and disrespectful to others and its so sad how many people get bullied on social media
Wow, I deactivated and have stayed off instagram since December 2020! I love your video and resonate with everything you said. You explained it so well 👏🏽 I’ve also deleted my twitter since 2020 too. Got addicted to tiktok so deleted that too lol I feel like so many people are slowly moving away from social media
tiktok is the struggle for me now, i enjoy posting on it a lot so i keep it but i have to maintain strict boundaries with how much i use it
Wow i admire u so much for doing that. I've always wanted to do that. I can do it for 3 days and then i'm back on instagram
My life right now....
Tiktok is the most addictive to me. Instagram makes me question how I see things socially 😭😭😭
@@noahs.1275 same I’ve always avoided even downloading the app just because I see how addicted it can be!
I’ve been off Instagram for about 2 months now and while there are days that I miss it a lot and feel the FOMO wondering what my friends are up to, it’s definitely helped me realize who I actually have genuine connections with. Thank you for making a video about your experiences with social media too. I feel like it’s difficult to find people our age who share the same sentiments and feel strongly enough to acknowledge the negative effects it’s having on our lives and adding to extra mental health issues. I’ve been chronically online since I was 11 and feel like I’ve reached that point in my life where I’m just ready to explore reality without too much influence from social media and hoping to change my relationship with it so one day I can not be as affected by IG
I totally agree with you on everything, especially being updated on others lives every single second & vice versa for me! It's so creepy! Why is everyone like this now?? They constantly have to know what I'm doing or want me to follow them on IG to show off.. It's super weird!
Hun it's been this way for a while. Rather than shame people for their social media consumption, blame the companies that have normalized this. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etc, condition you. These apps are designed to make people codependent and addicted.
@@DeePeeZee I'm not shaming anyone hun, like I said, it's weird that people want to know my every move, I said what I said. It seems like no one these days can ever hold an intellectual conversation without asking for my Instagram or Facebook. It's pretty disturbing. 😒 I however do agree on blaming Mark Fkerberg & all the ceos for everyone's addiction to of all this social media rubbish...
@@nativebabe9913 I agree. Fuck all these apps that have made humans be this way now. We don't actually need to know what everyone is doing at all times. It's the way these apps are designed to keep you hooked.
I just don’t think we were created for (or our minds are meant to be used for) constant consummation of information and ideas and other people’s lives and opinions and work. I think it is making us crazy, in a way, so distracted from what’s real. It’s a new kind of addiction and not beneficial in enough ways that it makes sense. Life used to be natural and peaceful and about working hard and being with family. Instead, babies are being raised w Cocomelon and Bluey (or even worse) as babysitters and don’t even know what peace and quiet and true imagination are.
I quit social media the last winter vacations and I definitely enjoyed more the present. I felt more connected to the people around me and I had a great time. I wrote more, I read more and I did things I usually don’t.
Already deleted my Instagram app for like 2-3 months ago. As I think it greatly contributes negatively to my mental health. My anxiety heightens whenever there's bad news about celebs in the explore area and I agree with the algorithm thing that it just shoves negative things for us to see and it is manipulative. I have been dealing with anxiety and depression this past few months and social media worsens it, UA-cam is the only one that is remaining but I keep my feed with positive things and more about minimalism and intentional living and I can say that I feel better this way.
I deleted social media about roughly a month ago, so far I can proudly say its truly been one of the best decisions I've made for myself. One of the main issues I had with social media was I was always presenting myself a certain way, like having a certain image for myself that everyone would know and appreciate. One could argue that this is not a bad thing, but for me so far I can already tell the difference. I feel more naturally like myself and don't feel as entitled to please everyone, rather I just started being my true self which I have to say has been a nice change. Another reason is just simply the amount of time I have. It feels like there is sudden pockets of time throughout the day that weren't there before.
All and all great video! It's great people are touching more on this topic in this day and age!
yeah i had the same experience, feeling like i had to maintain a certain version of myself online made it harder for me to change and adapt. i think especially during the transition from teenage years to adulthood it's so important to be able to change, being online makes it harder.
@@realizingerin Definitely, I feel once someone reaches adulthood they release that most their "friends" have their own lives to worry about, not that all friends are fake or whatever. But deleting social media in this case more so Instagram really shows who is actually there and who isn't. To be completely honest it's kind of strange, like a wake up call or something, but also good at the same time.
i deleted instagram around a month ago and i realized that i let it influence my creative projects soooo much. i love to draw but i noticed that the end goal in my mind always was to post it online at the end. and when the drawing didnt turn out as good as i wanted it to, i didnt wanna post it and felt like i failed. now i just start drawing whatever i want to and its between me and my sketchbook and no one else. and if i really like the drawing ill show it to my boyfriend.
This was one of the more eloquent videos on the matter, and you articulated my own POV of social media (particularly instagram) perfectly!
It's wild that even with the bombardment of videos like this, documentaries like "The Social Dilemma", various Ted Talks and the major amounts of controversies that these social media platforms have been involved in... that people still haven't woken up to this yet? I was like you on Instagram, I always knew that it was fake yet I'd still be on it all of the time.
Even the part about how someone interprets somebody ELSE'S activity on instagram... like I take breaks, I've deactivated it for months at a time, and I've had people get genuinely angry with me that I'm not viewing their stories or liking their photos. It's made society so narcissistic, and I dream of a day where I could go back to before we had it.
Thanks for the vid! :)
Love your insights. I’ve been off instagram for a short time and can already feel the shift. So much more energy to go deeply into my interests now that I’m off it. And feel a sense of freedom and liberation, like you said, too.
how u feeling today
11:50 this is my biggest thing. with social media you can't organically drift apart. you either block them and leave them wondering what happened, or stay tied together by socials forever. neither is comfortable
I liked Instagram until it incorporated reels. When tiktok started becoming big and all my friends were getting it, I was intrigued. However, I saw how addictive it could be and decided not to get it. Now I feel that Instagram reels are just trying to be like tiktok and I found myself just scrolling through the videos every day for long periods of time. That's why I'm taking a month or so off...and maybe eventually deleting it. Great video!
Did you ever go back?
@@rdsunshine34741 I did. But I take months off of it and try to only go on instagram using my computer. It's helped a lot.
Leo
This was a really incredible video and was constantly engaging :) I had a veryyyy similar experience as yours and I agree with all your points.
Sometimes I sit down and wonder what the world would be like if more and more people were having these epiphanies. It makes me sad for my friends who are suffering from social media and struggle to step back. Thanks for bringing ample light to a very important topic!
thanks for your thoughtful comments, it's really great to connect with someone else who's gone through similar realizations :) i agree re:friends, i've just tried to be supportive and not pushy because i know it can come across as holier-than-thou if i get too preachy lol but it really has changed my life for the better
I’m currently trying to detach myself from social media to focus on my goals. It really does take a lot to completely stop after years of being around technology. Thank you, this gives me hope.
I’ve been off social media for about 4 months for the same reasons you’re talking about. I can’t say that I’m completely over all the things that social media did for me, but I’m certainly more aware, less stressed out, anxious, etc. over it. This is probably the best video I’ve watched. It is incredibly honest and thoughtful. Kudos to you, especially for being so young.
Thanks for the video Erin!
Just my sharing:
Social media was created to connect people. Yes, it did made our friends’ lives more accessible to us. We could stay updated. But it also brought the flaws. Let’s take Instagram/FB for an example.
1. Before Instagram/FB, we only compare our lives to the people we meet often. And in general, people normally don’t befriend those too far off their family income. If your family is making $200k/yr, chances of you mixing with kids whose families are doing $20m/yr is low. Not zero, but low. The schools you go to, the things you do are diff. With social media esp IG, we get to see everyone’s lives 24/7. Even those who aren’t our friends. The ones much richer than us, the ones who have more time and resources than us. We don’t know if that lifestyle is real or fake, cos some people do crazy stuff to brag. Thus, the materials comparing game never ends and it screws our mind up.
2. We think sharing photos/videos on IG stories is updating our friends. But truth is, no story is really shared. It’s just a lazy form of low-key brag or posting things we like. True sharing of stories happen via voice, it can be face to face or online, doesn’t matter. But stories are shared through voice, where there’s a constant back and forth of interaction. Voice shares emotions like no other channel. it bonds.
Instagram has degenerated to become a bragging place with lots of ads. It doesn’t allow us to share stories well yet it makes us all anxious.
Of course, there are people who say they use IG stories to stay updated about their friends’ lives. Fair point. You’ll stay updated about what they are doing daily. But staying updated and hearing them share the stories via voice are two different things. One is passive and doesn’t bond both of you, the latter is active and helps bond both of you even more.
I think most people are suffering to an extent while using Instagram. But they aren’t aware of it. They continue to use it. For those who are aware enough to know that they can’t share authentic stories and be listened to on Instagram, they leave it.
Know what you’re sacrificing when you use Instagram. And ask yourself “ Is it worth it?”
If the answer isn’t ‘HELL YES”, you should consider getting yourself away from it at least 2 weeks in a month.
Mental health is very important in this world. It just feels like as we connect more on current social media, we become more disconnected.
Without social media, it’s just a lot less paranoia, less anxiety.
Talking to friends, sharing stories in real life or over a call just feels real. It keeps the heart full.
For me, anything that disturbs my inner peace is too expensive. Always.
thank you so much for your comment, i totally relate to your perspective. i think seeing updates from friends via stories gives people a false sense of connection/closeness that is often underpinned with feelings of envy/FOMO that people aren't always consciously aware of. part of why i wanted to post more on youtube/tiktok is exactly what you said - voice communicates with so much more depth. it's also nice that now when i see my friends/family i have so much more to catch up with them on since i'm not seeing their updates 24/7.
Your comment is so beautiful and intelligent ! Thank you !!
Absolutely true. 👏🏼
Your comment was well written and articulated. I think social media does damage mental health especially when it is overused. It becomes mentally exhausting for me after a while to compare my life with the lives of others.
Social media, especially Instagram, exposed some of my friends’ altered personalities. For example, I had deleted Instagram last year due to the main reasons you mentioned in this video.
A friend of mine, who had known of all of my personal reasons for deleting the app, had recently posted a picture and wanted me to like it. He knew that I didn’t have the physical capabilities of doing such a thing at that time, and so he says, “just get the app back and like my picture. You can delete Instagram another time.” And he didn’t realize how rude he sounded, despite knowing all of my reasons.
Likes, comments, and the pressure to post really does change your thinking, making you tone deaf to the real world.
Totally understand... I went to a content creators brunch (it was... weird) cuz I also do content for work, so wanted to see if there are tips and tricks that I can learn... To sum it up: the more those girls talked, the more I thought "They talk about NOTHING like they're discussing how to have world peace."
This is one of the best videos I've seen about quitting social media. Thank you so much for sharing.
Wow you articulated this so well and made me think about aspects of social media and connection that I've never even considered or thought about before! I definitely want to take back control of my life and how I use social media, you inspired me to actually want to start my journey :)
i'm so glad to hear it, good luck!
One of the best videos on this topic. The push I needed to finally take that step and get off the toxicity of social media. Thank you for sharing, so well put and perfectly worded.
thank you!
I'm 25 as well and haven't had social media or any messaging apps for 3 years and if you've watched the social dilema these apps are engineered to be addictive but I hated it because people base there friendships now a days on these dumb platforms and say you want to meet someone for a relationship it's boring because there's no mystery getting to know someone because everything about them is online also people see u as weird for not being on these apps no thanks I'm good lol
I’m 22 almost 23 and I’m done with social media apps. Nothing but fakes and dating apps girls just want attention or they are low value women that talk to multiple guys so..I’m good also
I love hearing this from someone so much younger than myself (I'm 42).
I’ve been watching videos about life without Instagram for a while and this one was the most inspiring. You are very insightful. Thank you! I subscribed. Love your energy
thank you so much!
I cannot stand social media now I have quit every last bit of it, I will never ever do it again. I feel like it's psychologically damaging, and a huge waste of time.
I thought when I was 12 that myspace was weird but then I made one and got addicted to it yes I’m dwelling on life
Great video! I agree with everything you have said. I am 25 as well, and I still remember when Instagram very first came out LOL. It has changed so much now, same with the rest of every single app that people use now. I have found it to be so toxic, and also tiring seeing everyones "perfect" pictures and also following people who clearly don't care what I am up to, it is all about them. The narcism that these apps breed to this generation is so scary. It really is.
Hi! thanks for this video. I want to promise myself in front of everyone that exactly one year later, I will remove all the negativity from my life, went off most social media, improve my English and realize most of my dreams(hopefully). See you in 1 year🌿
I’m so so happy to see your video! Wow. I’ve been feeling like this for months but kept suppressing that because as a health and mindset coach I was told that I HAD to be on IG.
I kept posting but just felt so inauthentic because it didn’t feel like me. Plus, like you I don’t think that inundating our minds with so much info is healthy. Also, as an Ayurveda practitioner I try to consume less info into so that I can allow my mind to be free and peaceful. Just like it used to be prior to social media. I think you don’t have to follow the societal trends but follow what your heart and mind wants and needs. Bottom line we don’t need to know what people are doing, saying, eating, or going. We need boundaries on what we intake into our mind and soul too ❤️
Instagram is absolutely exhausting. The only thing keeping me on there is that I feel like I should still post to my art Instagram. But I have other places to post my art, so for now I just have it off my phone unless I post on my art Insta.
So true about which connections are worth keeping! I totally agree!
yeah, i definitely think instagram can be worth it for visual artists. it's just such an emotionally draining platform :(
The way you expressed your points was so eloquent. This was probably my favorite take on the subject, thank you for uploading!
I really appreciate how articulate and thoughtful your reflections are. As someone who has built a life through social media, the idea of leaving it feels both terrifying and deeply invigorating. I love what you said about our digital selves not needing these platforms to define or mediate us, and how we can still connect with and express this part of ourselves-just in different ways. Will definitely be recommending your video to others! Thank you, just subscribed! 🙏
Wanted to leave a second comment now that I've finished watching :)
Your perspective is so mature and well articulated! Especially what you're saying about Instagram being a middle man between friendships and leaving too much room for speculation, when none of that would be the case in the absence of the app. As you said, relationships are supposed to naturally fade and shift with time. The app definitely makes eliminates that aspect of being a human. Not only that but it dramatically complicates it.
Really great video.
Yes! I had an awkward interaction with someone and they removed me as a follower. Whole time I was just nervous, and without social media we probably would’ve made up
You touched on so many great points! I'm in the process of removing and archiving my data from social media. I can't wait to be rid of it.
„a fractured attention span inhibits depth of knowledge.“ so so well said, everything. i loved hearing your view on this topic ❤
I liked the part about how IG is about being in a relationship with the performance image of other people. I had never really considered IG that way but it makes sense. It literally filters your relationship with others. I have been off all social media except UA-cam and WhatsApp for 2 months. It’s tough because the addiction is strong but I do feel a stronger inner peace. I deleted my accounts because deactivation wasn’t enough to keep me off for longer than 3 weeks at a time.
I got off IG a little over a month ago...I feel like you perfectly encapsulated all the things I felt were benefits to quitting. Thank you so much for making this video, stay safe and healthy!
This makes so much sense. This makes makes me think so differently about Instagram. Like this feeling has always been there, but someone expressing it so well gives me so much more clarity. Thanks a lot.
The way you explained everything was amazingly articulated. I understand so many things now that I didn't realize before and I'm only halfway through the video. Thank you!
You have articulated this soooo intelligently and on point.
thank you so much!
LOVED this and loved your insights on everything, I hope more people stumble upon this video and consider getting rid of social media
I would love another video on what hobbies/activities you started doing after getting off social media! Love your insight on this. I have also started to realize how social media has been making me feel terrible.
ooh that’s a great idea!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I had removed IG but was contemplating on leaving and replace it with blogging possibly UA-cam since I have been hanging out here more. I feel like it’s better for my metal health.
i have watched so many of these vids and this is one of the best vids out there, you make such good points. i'm going through my withdrawal period and this really helped me, thank you
i'm so glad it was helpful! you got this
You are so well spoken & I really appreciate that you’ve been able to come on here & articulate into words exactly the reality behind how social media feels to me but I’ve never been able to place why it feels so off. Thank you so much for sharing. I never realize how addicted I am to it until I start thinking about deleting it completely & then coming up with reasons why I shouldn’t. Almost like I’m talking myself out of it. I think the best thing for me to do at this point is to just do it & not look back. Thank you for this video ❤️❤️
thank you so much! i wish you luck in your journey, wherever it may lead
Lengthy is never bad when it’s as detailed and well explained like yours. Thank you for this video because you were so generous with everything you experienced. I found this today when I was thinking of taking a break from IG. I’m glad I watched this.
I’m taking a 30 day break from social media… I’m hoping I have the balls to let it go all together… I’m a singer and I’m older and a mum now, and I was comparing myself to other musicians… trying to stay “relevant” … so toxic. None of us have anything to prove to anyone… ♥️ thanks for your great video. I agree with everything you say.
I can relate to this being a music artist myself. But when I stepped away from social media, I got more focused on my music and I started to have more joy in making my music and my youtube channel doing music. So I totally agree with you and understand where you are coming from
Are you feeling better after you took a break from it?
I deleted instagram and threads almost 2 weeks ago. I still have facebook, messenger and Snapchat but only use them if I actually have to and not just to endlessly scroll. It feels nice to not be tied to my phone day in and day out and having crazy amounts of screen time, which is way down now.
Thank you so much!
I learned a lot, glad to have found someone who has had same experience as me!! ❤
Thank you so much. My growth on social media is so slow but I stopped rushing. Thank you for this video
I loved your take on this! They way you express yourself shows great depth to your thinking and level of both self awareness as well as awareness of how these platoforms are directly influencing the bevaiour and thinking of the majority of people. Keep reflecting and staying true to your values :)
How many times have we finished a *social media 'scrolling session'* and actually ended up feeling *better* about ourselves.. and life in general ?
I can't seem to think of even one time :-/
Hi Erin! Thanks for posting this! As a generation X'er I had the wonderful privilege of being internet free into early adulthood. I miss those days and it breaks my heart to see how social media is affecting my children...and they don't even have social media!
i learned a lot about the pitfalls of social media, thanks for the sincere, honest remarks about your journey!
thank you so much, glad you enjoyed it!
I definitely had an issue of chronically being online during 2020-2021. I felt like if I wasn’t constantly sharing posts about social issues, that I was a bad person. So my actual intention was not good in the first place. IG and tumblr are the only platforms I’m on now. I almost forget about my tumblr app most days. I got burnt out from using IG, that I rarely post and I just started logging out of it. It’s good to keep up with social issues, but I honestly just subscribed to pages in my email to see how I can contribute. I’ve also volunteered for a group that fights food insecurity. I do that based on whenever I can take off work. I was always seeing people say “social media is slacktivism” anyways, but then they were constantly online as well. You can find alternatives to social media, to be aware of social issues. I’m someone with autism, social anxiety, and generalized anxiety, so I was also always too hyper aware of how I came off to people. Which is just not productive. Idk, social media just makes me ill. I always wonder what it would be like if I was at least a millennial. Social media really became a big thing in 7th grade for me.
You put this so well! So motivational thank you ❤️ I’ve been watching heaps of these videos and I’m deciding to quit Instagram, feel like I’m growing out of it. The negatives outweigh the positives
hey, i literally agree with everything you’ve said. I actually feel that i had a toxic relationship with tik tok, so when summer started i realized how much it affects me, and i decided to quit. Same thing about Instagram.
I swear when i decided to quit these socials, my life got a different way.
This is literally the BEST decision i did in my life, and i’m never going on back.
Because i realized how life without socials is so cool.
And Also because only the thought of being in it, it sucks.
It’s so sad to see everyone being more focused about how their profile looks like or “im aesthetic or not🥺🥺🥺” like van we LIVE LIFE?
This is not life, Being on a social 10+ hours is not life, comparing urself to others is not life, being negative is not life. I really saw how much i was negative when i decided to quit it, and now i’m a positive person.
Also quitting socials made me more focused not only about things but also about myself.
I repeat it, This was the best decision i’ve ever made ; deleting my socials.
And i only deleted Instagram and Tik tok, cause those were the problem.
Now i only use Pinterest, UA-cam And Spotify. And my screen time was 9h when i had Tik tok And Instagram, Now my screen time is 3h/2h (cause i spend a lot of time on the weeknd watching youtube and netflix)
Also another thing i’ve realized since i don’t have anymore these specific socials, my CONFIDENCE is back, and it’s STUNNING and UNIQUE and i absolutely love it.
I invite everyone to delete your socials (just the ones that are negative) like Tik Tok and Instagram.
These Apps are just for Brain wash ourselfs and try to control our way to think, to talk, to like, to decide.
Be you, not anyone else, even if you feel like you’re the weird one, BE YOURSELF cause you are the only person you can count on.
After all this, send a lot of love and thank you so much to share your experience and invite other people to grow up and think about success.
Cause Social Media does that, takes ur time, and time is so IMPORTANT, it can’t return, so please think about this (to everyone who reads this) cause this is about YOU, your FUTURE.
omg thanks for writing this, ive been thinking about social media a lot lately cuz i noticed how much it affects and manipulated me and this really resonated with me. I feel like it's turning me to someone I am not and I really hate that and find it alarming
@@yoyoyo5621 🫶🏻
same i’m just using youtube, pinterest and spotify
I have deleted my instagram few months ago and that has helped me lot developing my mindset. Slowly taking a step forward and not being anxious like before
Your video here hits the notes spot on. I lost my Facebook account just a few weeks ago, and it's one of the best things that could have happened to me. I am more aware of my social surroundings for sure and I'm more amiable in different social situation. Thank you for posting this. It's good to know that I'm not alone in this.
I love this video. Instagram deactivated my account for no reason about a month and a half ago. It was super upsetting and heartbreaking at first, but now I’m realizing how much noise and distraction I was putting up with, and it feels nice to have the quiet and time to focus. I never read and now I’m reading 😂 I wish I could find a way to feel more connected with everyone, but I’m not sure it’s worth going back to Instagram for just that reason alone.
I'm 38. I live in Poland, and I have the same feeling about social media. ❤️
social media got boring, NTM ppl kept posting stuff that i care nothing about. ive been off there almost 1/2 a year. and i dont miss it
I also gave up facebook during the pandemic. For many reasons related to what you've mentioned, I had "tried" to give it up before, but I always succumbed to going back to it, and this was as a person who HASN'T been online my whole life - facebook arrived when I was in my early 20's. But 2020 was the year that finally encouraged me to finally kick it for good - I couldn't take the drama, the misinformation, the divisiveness of our society, the anger etc - I finally just needed to leave and I don't regret it at all. I go on now every once in a while to sell something on marketplace, but then I deactivate/log out again for months at a time. I'm currently contemplating deleting instagram even though I'm a content creator and instagram is part of my side job now. I still have mental health struggles with it to this day and question if it's really worth it for me. Thanks for the great video 💗
Wow impressive analysis 100% agree with your deep takeaways. Very insightful.
Loved This, never heard anyone before discussing the digital self & it’s so true, I’ve had several instagram accounts over the past 10 years and I always get carried away and find myself posting things just for content, & becoming an entirely different person & then I feel like I’m living a lie. I’m presenting myself like the opposite of how I’m actually feeling and then it makes me feel worse. Deleted day 2 ❤️
I love this idea. I unfollowed a ton of people, even family because I don’t need to know what everyone is doing all the time. I also stopped posting stories. My life was so peaceful before I had instagram and I worked out more and did more writing and focused on being happy in my own life. So I want to get back to that. I’m over 40 too so no one cares about my life or likes my posts
You helped me understand how it was growing up with this. I was about 20 when FB became a thing and I still know what it was like having real friends outside of social media before it became a big thing. So to me that is not new, but to this generation it is
the orange cat at 5:15 made me smile, he seems like a cutie! 😻😻
LOVE THIS VIDEO!!! IT'S JUST ALL SO TRUE!!!! I hate what instagram has become and what social media has done to us all :(
I watched a couple similar videos before seeing yours, this one resonated the most with me. Seemed like every thing you shared I could also agree with and also made me have a greater understanding as to why I deleted my socials. Thank you for sharing your insight.
damn, I'm not deleting instagram (definitely using it less) but i deleted other social media and you just said literally everything i was thinking and feeling. i was so frustrated with the way i struggled to have meaningful conversations with some social media addicted friends because they prefered to post on their profiles about their lives than talk to me. and then be surprised i ask about something they already posted about. one of the reasons i deleted twitter - overwhelemed with so many irrelevant opinions, aggresive behavior and overall lack of boundaries of people online. and i want to feel like a person, not a performance.
Thanks for sharing. You’ve hit on many of the same issues & feelings I’ve experienced engaging with/within the social media “bubble” mindset. (Not sure just how to express that any more clearly.) But, yeah, you’ve jogged my thinking in a new direction, which comes at a timely moment as I’ve recently made many similar realizations as you share here. ☮️
I've been binge watching a lot of videos about leaving social media and yours is one of my favorites! I'm in the process of leaving Instagram, step by step it is getting easier.
I do feel that only 20 people there are truly friends and people I care about, but the feeling that the platform connects you with others is really tricky and confuses us into believing that it's important to have these connections with literally strangers.
However, I have to admit that I'll miss some pages, like Michael Yamashita's page.
Thanks for the video, it's really good!
This is so true. I learned this the hard way by talking to this one girl from pinterest and she was the one that messaged me. Fast forward after we were talking to each other, she pushed me away and blocked me after I was trying to check on her to see if she was okay. I had to forgive myself for letting it get that far in the first place, knowing that my life was just as fine before I even talked to this woman, So I totally agree. I rather have a connection with a woman in real life
thank you so much for your video
Thank you, I really can relate to all your experiences with instagram and you have just assured me that my today decision to delete it was right.
This is an incredible video. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
the insight you give at 20 minutes is so refreshing! this was such a good video gal!
"You're creating intimacy with the performance of yourself and the bubble that has been formed around you"
This video made me feel so amazing you spoke with such grace and explained this beautifully. Thank you so much I really wanna never go back tbh
Your video from start to finish is how I have been feeling for a while! I love this and thankyou! :)
Great video and perspective. 3 days social media free and it feels amazing! Thanks for sharing.
2020 was the last straw for me. After that I was really anxious after being on IG, like everyday I felt so empty and depressed. After a long time of thinking about it, I deleted my IG account on January of 2021. Man that felt good! Sometimes I miss it a little but, but not that much that I would go back. Now I’m only on UA-cam. 😊
I quit for these exact reasons. I realized at some point that all my “friends” existed solely online. When I quit I felt so lonely but then I actually started making real friends who I actually have things in common with in the REAL world. Sure it’s a lot harder to maintain friendships but I was so lonely before yet I had the illusion that my life was filled with people.
thoughtful vid! i agree w a lot of your points, esp the ones about fractured attention and the importance of not letting that mode of thinking run your life. i think it's on us to create the spaces we want to see online and not just accept the versions giant tech companies shit out. it's hard though, but i believe it's important to try
agreed! i’ve come across quite a few websites from the early 2000s lately and they evoke such a strong response in me, like wow the internet had so much less centralization and it was possible to have so much more weirdness and creativity online. we sacrificed that for the simplicity and convenience of bigger platforms, but i hope it comes back
God🙌... thank you for this. So thoughtful & 100% on point. My favorite quote "Instagram was the constant middle man in a lot of my friendships.... your presentation of self online interacting with their presentation of self online"
Absolutely! Love this video! It's so true and honest! Notice how much free time you have now to do other things 😊
you are very intelligent and a free thinker!! a lot of the stuff you said in this vid really helped me :)
I deactivated instagram yesterday, but I’ll permanently delete it this week. I won’t ever want to go back to it again.
Sometimes it's like you are living a digital fantasy on socialmedia. Because sometimes real life is dreary. You get more acceptance from strangers who are probably shy and just want to reach out to somebody.
I was getting the urge to get back on ig but this just reminded me why I left, thankyou so much for this😭
I think it depends on the person. I quit Instagram about 1 month ago and there's no change. But I kinda knew that, because Instagram wasn't the problem. It in itself actually is no problem. It's our minds that need to be controlled. But I knew my own problem was deeper. And yet, it helps that at least a little obstacle is out of the way. I am planning on reinstalling, I just don't know yet when. I initially planned a good few months of break, but we shall see. I need a little bit more self mind control before I can do that and I'm definitely not there yet.