Should I Delete Instagram?

[Anonymous]

For anyone out there that deleted Instagram, did you find yourself feeling better about yourself and your overall life?

Like so many others, I joined instagram way back in 2014 when it was a fairly basic photo sharing platform. Since then, it's gotten worse and worse, and it's at the point now that I find nothing about it positive or inspiring. It seems to be nothing but people showing a small snapshots of events, but curating it to appear is if their lives are perfect. Vacations, new cars, home renovations, this list goes on. I recently read that it's the most toxic social media platform, and I'm really seeing why.

[Anonymous]

I did for a while but then got sucked in. I like sharing photos with my small list of followers who are friends and family. But then I get pulled by the undertow of design accounts and cute animal videos, which I spam the family text chat with. Le sigh.

[Anonymous]

Yes

[Anonymous]

I had the same experience with Facebook so I stopped looking. My mental health improved a lot, and now I only check in every couple months.

I was in college when Facebook rolled out and was working by the time Instagram launched so I think that influenced who I follow and how I used each app. Instagram is a much better place for me.

[Anonymous]

Only started using Instagram when my teens’ sports team posts schedule on Instagram. I only use it for one team.
I have zero need to look at anything else on that platform.

So just don’t use it anymore, unless you have to.

[Anonymous]

I'm on a lot of art sites and generally there's been an overall net benefit. I've learned a lot, actually took mini classes, found a community of shared work, and of course the inspiration.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Instagram is terrible.

[Anonymous]

I never joined Facebook or Instagram for this very reason. I knew it would affect my mental health negatively. I’m 45.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Drop it.

[Anonymous]

Yes. It’s so addicting

I use both but only to follow my wacky family members and see my nieces and nephews

[Anonymous]

I’m obsessed with dogs, so my feed is mostly cute dog videos and silly animals of penguins slipping on ice and seals sticking out their tongues.

Your feed is based on what you look at and who you follow, so you could try and follow more wholesome pages and then the few people you care to follow.

Or take a 30 day break and see how you feel.

[Anonymous]

I have a time limit and don’t know my password. Works like a charm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m obsessed with dogs, so my feed is mostly cute dog videos and silly animals of penguins slipping on ice and seals sticking out their tongues.

Your feed is based on what you look at and who you follow, so you could try and follow more wholesome pages and then the few people you care to follow.

Or take a 30 day break and see how you feel.

This is the same for me. Time suck for sure but it’s almost all cute animal videos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a time limit and don’t know my password. Works like a charm.

Agree. I don't have Facebook on my phone. On my computer I haven't saved the password and the password is so hard that I have to look it up each time in my password book. I only look every two weeks or so.

I don't use Instagram, but the OP could do the same thing - set a very hard password and only look it up on the computer every so often.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I hate all the “get ready with me” posts and ads for this or that miracle cream, because there are like a zillion steps/routines in my own youth (and even today) I used like one moisturizing cream and called it a day. But when I look at these videos I can’t help but wonder if I need 12 more steps, ha. It’s all very youth-obsessed and while I’m vulnerable to it, I have zero intention of spending additional time, money or energy in this stuff. Life is too short and my husband is not complaining!