I quit Instagram

I quit Instagram. My profile is still up and I'm still getting regular e-mails about the pictures I've missed, but I have no desire to be back.

This is not a post preaching about the ills of social media and I'm not discouraging anyone from using Instagram, Facebook, or any social media platform. My point is that we must use the tools best for what we need and enjoy, and not just sign up for the latest craze just because it's trending.

Many people say that social media often makes people depressed than happy. We just see the best versions of people we know and the highlights of their lives. Social media has trained us to respond to attention and grow addicted to them. They have their advantages, but everything has a dark side when we use it too much. Facebook has come under scrutiny lately because of privacy issues, and I think more and more people are also being wary. This has been the decade of social media, but I think many more people are questioning it too.

Back to the topic of why I quit Instagram. I know that Instagram can be enjoyable for a lot of people. Pictures can be a simple and effective way of showing yourself and your interests, and share pictures. Many people have met others with similar interests through Instagram. However, no other social media platform is used to showcase an airbrushed life than Instagram. It's very easy to get insecure when you look at the pictures of others, very easy to compare your lives to theirs and feel bad about yourself.

In my opinion, we should use social media platforms that have a benefit to us. Of course, Instagram might be the preferred social network of many people because it is useful for them. But for me, I found myself wasting too much time arranging stuff so it can be a neat Instagram picture, busy linking my blog posts but the engagement is low anyway, and then I wanted to focus more on my blog and a Facebook page was the best way to promote it. I waste more than enough time on Facebook anyway, and using more social media will suck out my time. I knew I had to quit Instagram when I found myself wasting so much time choosing the right filter, for what? A few likes?

Like most millennials, a day can't pass without me checking social media at least five times. I've just realized that most of the time I spent idle and scrolling through an infinite feed has taken a toll on my health, my relationships, and my mind. Social media is a great tool, but we should be more mindful of how we use it. I'm still trying to find a good balance.