I Reclaimed My Time and Energy — by Quitting Instagram
“I’m not addicted to Instagram.”
Instagram took a lot of my time and energy. If you have this app, chances are, it takes a lot of yours as well.
My toxic relationship with Instagram
When I was on Instagram, I found that I wasn’t comparing myself to others. But, I posted things that would make others envious of me.
I would spend 45 minutes to 1 hour to pick the “best” photo. Only to get the instant dopamine (the same hormone you get from eating delicious food) boosts from all the “likes”. Over time, this makes you want to do it over and over again. If you didn’t know, that’s also how addiction works.
I remember deleting a photo in the first minute of posting, and I didn’t get the number of likes I was expecting. I thought, “Oh, it’s probably not the best time to post this right now — let me repost it when people are more active.” Of course, at the time, I didn’t think much of it. I only care about getting “likes”.
When I was not posting photos, I was mindlessly scrolling and judging others. I kept thinking, “I’m better than this or that person.” Somehow that motivated me to reach my goals — travelling to many countries, spending money on activities, and going to fancy restaurants.
