Quitting Social Networking To Stay Sane

[killerkaytee]

Anyone else have to quit Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.. to stay sane? Last night I decided I really needed to stay away from them all for awhile for my own happiness. Every time I would go on them, I found myself comparing myself/life to other people on my newsfeed, and it was really starting to get unhealthy. I also found myself getting jealous and sad whenever I saw people posting pictures with their boyfriends or posting fun/cute things they were doing together since I only get to see mine twice a year. So I decided instead of letting it get to me, I was going to take a break from it all and focus on mine and my boyfriend's lives and not other people's online. As weird as this sounds, it felt freeing to delete all the apps off my ipod and not go on them anymore. I'm hoping this will help me be more happy with my life and appreciate the things I have. Anyone else feel this way about social networking and stay away from them? Did it help you in anyway?

[lademoiselle]

Yes. I was on Facebook once, then stuff happened and I deactivated my account for good. I felt lost for the first week; it was then I realised how much my profile had become an extension of my identity, and I didn't want to feel that way any more (not to mention I wanted to leave the past in the past). After that passed though, I felt liberated, as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Two years have gone by since then. I've never looked back!

ETA: I do realise that I'm somewhat extreme in this Millions people find social networking sites beneficial in various ways, and even I can appreciate why that would be the case. However, Facebook was a source of constant problems for me, so leaving was the right thing for me to do. Everyone is different - you have to do what you feel is best for you

[killerkaytee]

Yes. I was on Facebook once, then stuff happened and I deactivated my account for good. I felt lost for the first week; it was then I realised how much my profile had become an extension of my identity, and I didn't want to feel that way any more (not to mention I wanted to leave the past in the past). After that passed though, I felt liberated, as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Two years have gone by since then. I've never looked back!

ETA: I do realise that I'm somewhat extreme in this Millions people find social networking sites beneficial in various ways, and even I can appreciate why that would be the case. However, Facebook was a source of constant problems for me, so leaving was the right thing for me to do. Everyone is different - you have to do what you feel is best for you

Thanks for your reply! I do feel a little lost and disconnected lol but I know its for the better right now until I can be in a place in my life where it will not affect me as much. Glad to hear it worked for you!

[Hololz]

I quit yesterday. I do plan on going back, but it was literally consuming my life, I was very addicted, not good in my final year. After exams I'll probably pop back on, I also need to arrange a visit with a friend from the USA coming to the UK, so I'll just use it to give them my email address instead. But yeah, hoping productivity will improve exponentially now. I'm little bit like "argh what do I use the internet for now!" but I'll get over it, I already quit once before.

[killerkaytee]

I quit yesterday. I do plan on going back, but it was literally consuming my life, I was very addicted, not good in my final year. After exams I'll probably pop back on, I also need to arrange a visit with a friend from the USA coming to the UK, so I'll just use it to give them my email address instead. But yeah, hoping productivity will improve exponentially now. I'm little bit like "argh what do I use the internet for now!" but I'll get over it, I already quit once before.

I agree with you I'll probably get back on facebook here and there after awhile because I have family on there who live far away so its nice to keep in touch.

[Reglisse]

I actually deleted my facebook app a little while ago too.. Nice to get a break from being bombarded with information about the lives of people that I hardly even talk to in real life.. But at the same time I'm eternally grateful to facebook, without it i wouldn't have gotten back in touch with my now SO after years and years of lost contact..

[Carenza LaRue]

as a single mom of a 5 year old.... FB became my best friend over the last few years.

can't go out the way I used to do, because my girl has to be fed, bathed and so on at nights.
so, I am on FB quite much and I have a whole circle of friends I don't want to leave.

but, I have to be honest here.... FB is an addiction... sometimes I find myself sitting behind the screen waiting for messages from my friends.... when there are a lot of house hold chores to do....
always short in time, because of that and I think it's pretty stupid of myself haha.... life could be so much easier without it.... but with less fun.

besides that, FB is the best way to keep in contact with my SO during the day.

it's a sort of dilemma for me....

[digitalfever]

No, Social Media has been my "job" so I don't get too into when I'm not on the intern clock.

[Mims27]

Quitting FB or my other social sites would not keep me sane...I would probably go INsane! LOL

[charly]

Quitting FB or my other social sites would not keep me sane...I would probably go INsane! LOL

Agree! I would totally lose contact with my friends, since no-one lives nearby! I do look on fb too often, but I have never found myself comparing myself to others. Also I never post much, use it just to message people

[Kanga]

Yep, I had to deactivate facebook, because I was comparing myself to other people, and any friends I wanted to keep in contact with. I have their number, or will randomly activate it, and send them a message.

[garnet]

I left everywhere for a long while. The only online presence I had was to post on my blog. I didn't even look at the social networking sites, and it did me a lot of good. I definitely came back with a clearer head. I spend about a tenth of the time I used to on them. My life only got better for it.

[TwoThree]

I deleted my official facebook account a few years ago (the one with my real name). I just couldn't stand the scrutiny from family members, and all the religious bullshit my newsfeed was filled with. The very reason why I did it was that a friend of my mother's (still can't figure out how she ended up on my friends' list) told me off for saying something she . I knew then that I didn't want to do that anymore. So I created an account with a pseudonym and vowed to keep it free from family, real-life acquaintances and basically anyone that shares my citizenship. It's much better this way and has been going well for three years.

Then again, I'm not a facebook addicted by any means. I check my account maybe twice or three times a week.