once i got realistic about what type of content i consumed on ig and twitter, i realized so quickly it was not expanding the way i think and in fact was keeping me stuck in the same (oftentimes negative/harmful) thought loopholes. social media is addictive in part because it algorithmically reproduces the way we already think. it keeps us comfortable.
start questioning: what can help expand your life? what other creative and consumptive outlets do you find fulfilling? is there a book you want to read? something you want to draw or write about? or, in general, consider how your older self would have wanted your time to be spent. you are so right that social media makes us feel Bad-- but we don't have to! it is an act of self-care and deep love to work on stepping away from things that hurt!
as far as practical tips, the best things that helped me were:
a) like some others mentioned, deleting ALL social media apps from my phone so i can only access them on my computer. this helps because the online interfaces are a lot clunkier so it reduces some of the quick gratification that keeps you addicted. also you have to be literally sitting at a desk to use it, so the portability aspect/mindless scrolling is largely removed.
b) keeping a journal because it's a much safer space to dump thoughts than a private story
c) prioritizing in-person connection rather than mediating relationships through tech-- meet a friend for coffee! cultivate intimacy rather than superficiality, and notice how irl vs. online connection feels different
d) nervous system regulation and grounding practices to counteract how scrolling can make you anxious/stressed/disembodied!
finally i did struggle a lot with fomo and being behind on trends at first but then i realized it doesn't really matter. trends are fleeting. even without chronic online-ness i am still funny and relatable and i find it much more interesting to hear about people's lives when i haven't been informed about them in an endless information stream online!!
Oct 31, 2024
Related Recs
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1) i realized some time ago that alot of social media, with whatever algorithm they use, will try their best to push whats most popular to you. No matter if it’s positive or negative. So while Im on insta, I tend to delete the app and redownload it a day later when I catch them doing that. It’s like a mini reset but not really. But alongside that, i have made the conscious effort not to doomscroll and to dislike and report posts/comments/videos that are willfully harmful and spread misinformation.
2) i look back into the areas where i spent a lot of time online as a child when i didn’t have social media. And that place was Youtube and rewatching comfort shows and finding new outlets that don't trigger me. Sometimes that’s finding people online that only have like 5k subscribers. The other well known site that doesn’t have awful people on there is Pinterest 😂 i never had an awful time on there outside of the ads
3) like i am the child of the house, i limit the content on my phone. On the Iphone at least you can set timers to how long you have been on an app each day and block certain websites.
Jan 19, 2025
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I’m going through the same thought process right now. My twitter/x has been long gone, I’ve gotten rid of meta, and frankly if tik tok comes back purchased/changed/etc. I will no longer be using it either. So for me I’ve done a few things: I’ve made new social media on healthier apps (which sounds counterintuitive to less social media but hear me out). I made a Pixelfed and it’s like the old old instagram. No ads, no distractions taking you to new links, no memes unless someone happens to post one on their personal account. It’s literally just people organically posting pictures of things they like from their breakfast to the view of their nature walk. Because it’s so simple again, I don’t really think there’s room for doomscrolling. This is me if you want to see what I mean!
Next: I use Bluesky partially to see some goings-on in the world to keep up to date, I went to the library of congress website and specifically subscribed to their email newsletters on bills being introduced and news in congress to stay up to date, and I’m vetting some news sources looking for something more objective and reliable to start reading from.
Also: a while back I got some digital cameras like I had when I was a kid for nostalgia reasons but now they’re coming in handy. I’m transitioning to using a flip phone! You don’t have to go this extreme but honestly I’m excited for it. I’ll have a flip phone so not everything will be so convenient and at the touch of my fingers, so I hope that my internet usage will become much more intentional. I’ll be leaving only a few apps on my smart phone, music, reading, this app and pixelfed for periodic social interaction lol, and that’s all I can think of right now. I’ll essentially be taking the SIM card out and using my smart phone as a wifi connected ipod lol.
My goal is to get back into my hobbies! Reading, sewing clothing, knitting, painting, being outdoors, gardening. I’ll communicate more intentionally with family and friends and not just through sending memes. I won’t doomscroll for hours and then feel bad that I wasted the day away. A lot of the sinister stuff going on between social media monopolies and the government recently is making the transition even easier. It’ll be hard at first because you’ll be so used to reaching for something to do for some instant gratification or stimulation, etc. but it’ll be so overall rewarding in the long run! Good luck❤️
Jan 19, 2025
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I’ve been feeling very conflicted about influence of social media on my life and my well-being. I often want to drop it all and disappear, more often in a rather spontaneous urge. It doesn’t make it any easier that using social media is an essential part of my professional skill, even if I abandon my personal social media account - i would still have to use it every day.
I had an analogy the other day that using social media is like social drinking… it doesn’t make me an alcoholic if I do it once in a while but it’s an easy gateway to become one doing it for social purposes.
the thing is, I absolutely prefer to continue using social media for social purposes. I really value my friends and I want to stay in touch. I genuinely like seeing what my friends are sharing about their daily life. I feel grateful when someone shares a funny video with me, as it means they were thinking of me. Is it all bad for me to be using social media? Not really. Do I wish there’s an alternative way to stay connected with my friends other than consuming algorithm and advertising recommendations? Absolutely.
Feb 2, 2025
Top Recs from @antifabricated
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undoubtedly my favorite conversational invocation. i use it a lot and i love to hear it.
imploring someone to tell you more shows such deep interest, attention, and love! curiosity is always the answer; learn more before you pass a judgment.
Nov 7, 2024
there’s something quite melancholy and cathartic about it, like wow, I’m old enough and I’ve been living in this neighborhood long enough to start to be recognized as a familiar face. i love that i can walk into my favorite coffee shop and be greeted as a friend, by baristas who know exactly my coffee particularities but don’t frown if i want something different from my usual order. it feels especially comforting on days i miss home and feel kind of alone, kind of afraid of being an adult. being a regular is feeling seen and known even by relative strangers, with whom you can connect over a comforting drink or meal! this is just one of the ways i love to cultivate a sense of home and community in my coming-of-age years— it’s so grounding to experience familiarity especially when you’re adjusting to living alone, recently moved to a new city, or otherwise needing to feel settled during tumultuous times!
Nov 11, 2024
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idk about you all but the second i get home i will be putting sweats or lounge clothes on. these clothes only see the indoors and are never exposed to the Outside City. god forbid my jeans or slacks touch my clean cozy bed!! let alone shoes... might be the asian grandmother influencing me but i find it a terrible crime to wear shoes in the house. a pair of slippers is much more comfortable! i find changing into a cozier outfit provides a wonderful mental transition into the coziness/safety of home PLUS it makes me feel extra put together, stylish, and focused when i'm goin out!! effectively switches my brain between work mode and relaxed mode.
Nov 17, 2024