I Quit Social Media for 365 Days To Improve My Mental Health — Here’s What Happened

A comprehensive overview of my journey, lessons learned, and best practices

One of the perks of deleting Instagram was eliminating the desperate need to ‘capture’ moments so I could share them. Photo by Jeremy Levin on Pexels

One year ago, I quit social media.

I was tired of wasting so much time, mental space, and energy. Tired of how inadequate and isolated it made me feel.

Whenever I logged on to Twitter (now X), someone announced a book deal. On LinkedIn, acquaintances got promotions. On Instagram, friends posted pictures of their parties without me, a painful consequence of living abroad.

As an aspiring author, I felt unsuccessful. As someone who traded a high-paying corporate job for solopreneurship, I felt lost. As a human living thousands of miles away from my childhood home, I felt lonely.

The worst part, though, was that I felt guilty for feeling crappy. For comparing. For having bad days when everyone seemed to be so happy and successful.

It was exhausting.

And I’m not alone. Multiple studies have found a link between social media and an increased risk for mental health issues. Why? For three main reasons:

1. Social comparison: A 2014 study concluded that people’s self-esteem lowers when exposed to posts showing…