I deleted Instagram after the election. My mental health has been all the better for it (my anxiety, specifically, has been way more manageable). I haven't checked out, I am not sticking my head in the sand or plugging my ears. It's the oversaturation of despair that I just couldn't handle anymore. There are many reasons to despair, but that's not the water I want or need to swim in right now. I need to rethink how I approach information consumption, interaction, and participation on social media. The only way to do that, for me, is to take a big step back.
I do miss interactions with people I don't get to see frequently, but I would much rather text them, write them a letter, meet up with them for coffee, whatever. Maybe I'll rejoin Instagram at some point, but also...I think I would be okay with it being a door that shuts behind me and locks.
Yes, I’m def finding I’m texting even more without Insta (and using Substack chat!) but that feels like good connection. I still need to figure out how much I need it for *work* but treating it more like a work thing vs an all consuming thing may help with that…
I'm right there with you; I have not had Facebook since 2017 after the 1st election of the orange man. Then the day the orange man was reelected (&*#@^%, long line of bad words) I deleted Instagram. Obviously I'm here on Substack too but if you have to pay to play there are rules and etiquette and respect. Anyway, I feel so much lighter. Trying to focus my energy locally where I might be able to make a small dent and help someone in a smaller circle. I an also reading Hello Beautiful and it as a glorious book!
I have a Facebook but I rarely check it. I’m mostly on LinkedIn. I used to be active in the comments here but I had to take a break because my mom died and I had to take care of my dad until he died 9 months later. 2024 was an intense year. I am making time to grieve this year as well as for self-care and part of that is feeling in community with everyone here.
Oh I am just seeing this after I responded to a previous comment. I am so so sorry, Amy. What a hellishly brutal year for you. A comment break makes complete sense and I’m just glad we are a space you can return to (with whatever frequency serves you!). Sending love and holding space for grief.
What a great group of links! Also, thanks to your Bird Buddy rec I now have a birthday gift for my partner later this month-- we were going to go to a concert to celebrate but we ended up not being able to go when the date arrived, and I wasn't sure I had the creativity to come up with another good substitution gift after all the Christmas and birthday gifts I've gotten over the past couple of months (all my immediate family save my daughter have Nov/Dec/Jan birthdays...). He will LOVE the Bird Buddy, and I'm excited about it too!
I just got the Jones Road foundation and a few Miracle Balms. Now I look dewy as a stumble around in a state of perpetual dread thinking Trump is going to annex Canada. I like healthcare and gun free schools.
I have a time limit on IG and I have cultivated a feed that’s mostly dogs and spiritual stuff and curly hair. FB has always been a safe space for me, and also I have a hundred or more dog friends, but I’ve been just naturally decreasing my time there. A few weeks ago after reading Melissa Urban’s Book of Boundaries (highly recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) I activated Downtime on my phone, which except for a few apps, shuts down everything at 10 pm until 8 am the next morning. Admittedly, Substack is my one exception to that, but I don’t spend too many hours upon hours scrolling here. Most of what I read here requires some amount of reflection, so it takes a bit of brain energy that doomscrolling does not.
-
I’m so sorry you’ve been dealing with the plague! I hope you avoid it and everyone else gets better soon!
I do agree that this year has been more of a slow roll than a dive in. And I’m okay with that. I have nothing to prove to anyone except myself.
Shortly before Christmas I took Instagram off my phone and was amazed at how much lighter I felt. I also had more time. I wasn’t one who spent a TON of time on it but it was still so nice. I put it back on during the holidays and then took it off again come Jan 2nd.
Sorry illness has already hit your house! I had pneumonia at the end of the year and realized that between that, a cough I got from smoke in late summer, and RSV last winter, I spent about 1/3 of my year coughing last year. Not cool.
Yes, I had already gotten my Insta time down to what felt like a "reasonable" hour-90 min per day but... none is still so freeing! I also liked that I didn't post any holiday pics. I still might, but it was nice not getting caught up in feelings and comparison traps about other people's perfect-seeming holidays. Hadn't even realized that was a voice in my head!
In other news, UGH to all your sickness. Fingers crossed for better health all around in 2025!
Gosh, now I'm debating if I need a bird buddy too. Highly recommend Stan Tekiela's state-specific bird guides for easy IDs, btw. Thanks for mentioning my word of the year post.
V., I had a dream we were together IRL the other night and I was like "Virginia is even more beautiful in person."
I'm still on Insta but haven't been on Insta since Election Day and there are some specific communities I feel v guilty for neglecting. But also, fuck Mark Zuckerberg. I have such weird feelings about the internet anymore. The cause of and solution to all life's problems as Homer Simpson would say.
I deleted Instagram after the election. My mental health has been all the better for it (my anxiety, specifically, has been way more manageable). I haven't checked out, I am not sticking my head in the sand or plugging my ears. It's the oversaturation of despair that I just couldn't handle anymore. There are many reasons to despair, but that's not the water I want or need to swim in right now. I need to rethink how I approach information consumption, interaction, and participation on social media. The only way to do that, for me, is to take a big step back.
I do miss interactions with people I don't get to see frequently, but I would much rather text them, write them a letter, meet up with them for coffee, whatever. Maybe I'll rejoin Instagram at some point, but also...I think I would be okay with it being a door that shuts behind me and locks.
Yes, I’m def finding I’m texting even more without Insta (and using Substack chat!) but that feels like good connection. I still need to figure out how much I need it for *work* but treating it more like a work thing vs an all consuming thing may help with that…
I'm right there with you; I have not had Facebook since 2017 after the 1st election of the orange man. Then the day the orange man was reelected (&*#@^%, long line of bad words) I deleted Instagram. Obviously I'm here on Substack too but if you have to pay to play there are rules and etiquette and respect. Anyway, I feel so much lighter. Trying to focus my energy locally where I might be able to make a small dent and help someone in a smaller circle. I an also reading Hello Beautiful and it as a glorious book!
Loved Hello Beautiful!!
I have a Facebook but I rarely check it. I’m mostly on LinkedIn. I used to be active in the comments here but I had to take a break because my mom died and I had to take care of my dad until he died 9 months later. 2024 was an intense year. I am making time to grieve this year as well as for self-care and part of that is feeling in community with everyone here.
Oh I am just seeing this after I responded to a previous comment. I am so so sorry, Amy. What a hellishly brutal year for you. A comment break makes complete sense and I’m just glad we are a space you can return to (with whatever frequency serves you!). Sending love and holding space for grief.
What a great group of links! Also, thanks to your Bird Buddy rec I now have a birthday gift for my partner later this month-- we were going to go to a concert to celebrate but we ended up not being able to go when the date arrived, and I wasn't sure I had the creativity to come up with another good substitution gift after all the Christmas and birthday gifts I've gotten over the past couple of months (all my immediate family save my daughter have Nov/Dec/Jan birthdays...). He will LOVE the Bird Buddy, and I'm excited about it too!
YAY
I just got the Jones Road foundation and a few Miracle Balms. Now I look dewy as a stumble around in a state of perpetual dread thinking Trump is going to annex Canada. I like healthcare and gun free schools.
I have a time limit on IG and I have cultivated a feed that’s mostly dogs and spiritual stuff and curly hair. FB has always been a safe space for me, and also I have a hundred or more dog friends, but I’ve been just naturally decreasing my time there. A few weeks ago after reading Melissa Urban’s Book of Boundaries (highly recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) I activated Downtime on my phone, which except for a few apps, shuts down everything at 10 pm until 8 am the next morning. Admittedly, Substack is my one exception to that, but I don’t spend too many hours upon hours scrolling here. Most of what I read here requires some amount of reflection, so it takes a bit of brain energy that doomscrolling does not.
-
I’m so sorry you’ve been dealing with the plague! I hope you avoid it and everyone else gets better soon!
I do agree that this year has been more of a slow roll than a dive in. And I’m okay with that. I have nothing to prove to anyone except myself.
I’ve used time limits and Downtime for years… and also learned all their work arounds too easily lol. But love that it’s working so well for you!!
I just discovered the work around for Downtime the other night. I have PROMISED myself not to use it… too often.
Shortly before Christmas I took Instagram off my phone and was amazed at how much lighter I felt. I also had more time. I wasn’t one who spent a TON of time on it but it was still so nice. I put it back on during the holidays and then took it off again come Jan 2nd.
Sorry illness has already hit your house! I had pneumonia at the end of the year and realized that between that, a cough I got from smoke in late summer, and RSV last winter, I spent about 1/3 of my year coughing last year. Not cool.
Yes, I had already gotten my Insta time down to what felt like a "reasonable" hour-90 min per day but... none is still so freeing! I also liked that I didn't post any holiday pics. I still might, but it was nice not getting caught up in feelings and comparison traps about other people's perfect-seeming holidays. Hadn't even realized that was a voice in my head!
In other news, UGH to all your sickness. Fingers crossed for better health all around in 2025!
oh wow i ALSO missed tracy's book! must remedy.
Right? What happened! (Global pandemic.) Sorry Tracy, we love you!!!
Her book is great!!
Gosh, now I'm debating if I need a bird buddy too. Highly recommend Stan Tekiela's state-specific bird guides for easy IDs, btw. Thanks for mentioning my word of the year post.
Oh Laura, you DO.
V., I had a dream we were together IRL the other night and I was like "Virginia is even more beautiful in person."
I'm still on Insta but haven't been on Insta since Election Day and there are some specific communities I feel v guilty for neglecting. But also, fuck Mark Zuckerberg. I have such weird feelings about the internet anymore. The cause of and solution to all life's problems as Homer Simpson would say.