I quit Instagram and this is what happened
About a year ago I deleted my Instagram. And not just deleted the app from my phone, I’ve tried -and failed- that before. No, I went on my laptop and Googled: how to delete your Instagram account. It was very interesting noticing how my daily live drastically changed after deleting Instagram completely and how aware I was of this change. And now that I have completely gone through all the stages of withdrawal -possibly even grief- I thought I’d share some of my thoughts and experiences.
Deleting social media 101
First I want to talk about how Instagram makes it pretty ‘hard’ for you to actually delete your account completely. As it turns out -surprise- Instagram really does not want you to leave. After finding the right link evantually on Google they have you go through multiple steps and questions in order to delete your account. For example they asked me: why do you want to delete your account. I answered: it takes up too much of my time. Then Insta replied with: can we suggest you delete the app from your phone for a little break instead of completely deleting your account? Or, something along those lines. I found this whole process to be very interesting for multiple reasons. First, I think it is crazy that you have to use Google to be able to delete an account to a Social Media. The fact that there is, to my knowledge, no way to do so in the app itself. Second, they have really thought about how to make you stay — the having to Google it and the questionnaire you have to fill in. Third, it shows me that Instagram is very well aware of how much time people spend on the app and how addicting it can be. Lastly, it shows me that I’m not the only one who has wanted to leave the Social Media app for this very reason.
So, after figuring out how to and actually deleting my Instagram account the withdrawal started. Like, pretty much right away. I quit Instagram for multiple reasons — which I’ll dedicate another post to, because there is so much to be said — but the deciding factor was the amount of time I was waisting I was, literally, scrolling away. Every spare moment I had I’d be scrolling through Insta and not be any wiser, not be any more inspired or feel any better. It was just me passing the time. And that waisted time was the main reason for me to decide to give up Instagram.
Filling time and looking interesting
For me, Instagram started out in the way it probably did for many people: as a way to stay up-to-date with friends, share some of the fun things -and only fun things- from my own live and to not fall behind with the developments of the world. However, the older I got the less I started to share and at some point I even deleted all my own content and changed my account to private. This came from a feeling of not wanting to share things with the world and be more ‘in the moment’. Was I actually more ‘in the moment’? No. The time I gained from not having to make photo’s or videos, edit them and post them I just filled with more scrolling through the picture perfect looking feeds of complete strangers who were ‘living’ the life many people think they should be living. And that is what Instagram was for me: a time filler. Whenever I was waiting for a bus or train I would open Insta. If I had to go to the dentist or doctor and would be sitting in a waiting room full of strangers I’d turn to phone and thus Insta to make me look ‘occupied’ and ‘interesting’. What it actually made me look like was closed off, unfriendly and — in my opinion- sad. By quitting Instagram my phone became so much more boring to me. In the beginning of Insta detoxing I would look at my camera roll a lot or check my already checked mail inbox three times in 3 minutes. After a while though this also became boring and I was forced to actually look up and face my surroundings. And this has been one of the best, if not the best thing, that could have happened.
Real life inspo
As said I used to escape in my phone and Instagram. Partly because I liked the content on Instagram but mostly because I didn’t want to feel awkward or bored whilst waiting for my train to arrive or my water to boil. When my phone became just a phone again and I started to just look around and be I learned that it’s not awkward or boring — at least not always — to just wait. I learned to look around and saw so many new things, noticed little details I’d never seen before, got to know my city and my neighborhood better. And more importantly I started to think. This may sound weird as if I wasn’t able to make normal connections in my brain before but what I mean is that I got better at ‘reading’ my own thoughts and to just sit and think for a while. It may sound basic but I didn’t do that very often before and I think I’m probably not be the only one. I love to just sit with a cup of coffee and get lost in my own thoughts. It gives me real life inspiration and helps me to connect with myself and God. This gives me peace and real satisfaction. Two things Instagram, or any other Social Media for that matter, have never been be able to provide.
If you also wish to delete your Instagram account (and get back your life) look no further! I’ve saved the link for you down below. Good luck living your actual best life with your new found time! https://help.instagram.com/370452623149242
P.S. I’m not saying I will never return to Instagram because I do believe it has many positive aspects as well, but if I do it’ll be for business only.
