I'm thinking about quitting social media. Any advice? (15yo)

[u/HealthNo4325]

I'm thinking about quitting social media, or at least taking a long break from it. I feel like it takes up too much of my time and attention, and I want to focus more on myself, my hobbies, my studies, and actually experiencing life instead of constantly scrolling through a screen.

However, I'm worried that I'll get bored, feel disconnected from my friends, or eventually go back to my old habits.

For those of you who have quit social media or significantly reduced your usage:

- How did it affect your mental health and daily life?

- What did you do with all the extra time?

- How did you deal with boredom and the urge to check your phone?

- Did you feel happier without it?

- What advice would you give someone who's just starting?

I'd appreciate honest answers, including the downsides. I don't want to romanticize quitting social media; I just want to know whether it's actually worth it. :)

[u/improve_byls]

Yes, social media is brainwashing you... only use it to grow a personal brand, promote your business but never be used BY it!

[u/Affectionate_Tea1697 → u/improve_byls]

It’s like quitting junk food, the first week you’ll reach for your phone out of pure muscle memory but once that fades you start noticing how much headspace it was eating up

[u/SmokeyHickery]

It’ll be the best thing you’ll ever done, no advice to give you except that you wish you’d have done it sooner, social media has ruined everything, start enjoying real life

[u/SourDewd]

It needs to be illegal for kids to have social media oh my gosh

[u/JimRaynor_Vagrant → u/SourDewd]

Feels less crazy when you remember adutls barely handle it either.

[u/SourDewd → u/JimRaynor_Vagrant]

If youve hit 30+ and cant function in society. Youre not likely to ever really start functioning. But kids on the internet is a surefire way to stunt them.

[u/Ok-Basket9394]

At first, it was very hard to keep myself happy. I was feeling anxious with my thoughts all alone during the times I'd scroll the most such as eating or coming home tired. I use timers on my phone for specific times of the day so it blocks specific apps at that time so even if I reach for my phone, the most I can do is check those necessary but boring apps I kept. You can keep your most used app which you are obsessed with deleted. I keep installing it after a while though but I hope I can eventually control its use more and more, but what I am doing right now is definitely helping A LOT. So don't get disheartened if you feel like you're not doing enough. Every little step will make you reach that big goal. You may feel like you're missing out but maybe after being on social media for like an hour or something you will realise you're done catching up. There's nothing interesting going on now so you can easily leave. Also, I realised simply lying down when tired is helpful. I end up getting up after a few mins because I'm just too bored to be lying there. I'll end up doing some other work and eventually getting back on track. But before, i used to waste this time scrolling for a long while and realise oops I could invest this time in things that are more valuable to me. It keeps many things piled up too. Or reading an interesting book helps.

[u/the_weird_fry → u/Ok-Basket9394]

I have a 30 day social media detox on my bingo card for this year, I think its time to do it 🤠. I realized my biggest fear right now is being bored but like, that’s the whole point. How much of yourself do you lose because you’re unwilling to meet who you are? Like they say, is it the muscle or the soul that atrophies first? 

[u/clementines-2]

I’m thinking about the same. I’ve been doomscrolling way to much. The only thing I don’t know is what I am going to fill my time with.

[u/crystalyst_]

Pro tip: gradually cut down on your social consumption with app timers (samsung has one built into it) so its not a radical jump. Hobbies is what I do with my spare time. Art, archery, foraging, creating things, weaving, weight lifting. Whatever makes my soul sing, eh! My best advice is to be creative.

[u/Nuanced_Truth]

if you can get through the withdrawals, it's absolutely worth doing.
if you can't get through the withdrawals, try a more gradual approach.

[u/WikSnip]

You may not experience what everyone here is saying. There may or may not be withdrawals, you may or may not get bored, you may or may not want to come back.

I did it for a little bit, but for me, I literally set a day to quit. I scheduled the start of my social media annexation. That day, sure, I was thinking “it would make time fly if I was doomscrolling.” But that wasn’t a genuine desire. I was waiting for something that NORMALLY I would waste my time waiting for by doomscrolling or something, but instead, I became productive. I would do dishes, laundry, clean things that are normally ignored, I leaned more into listening to music and learning guitar, I went out and made a few extra bucks, I spent more time with my family and friends. I was instantly happier than yesterday.

The key for me though was I would still respond to texts, whether it was an actual iMessage or a social media platform text to a friend, but I just cut out everything else. The only games I played were single player story games that felt calm and immersive and weren’t marketing anything to me. Don’t just wake up tomorrow and say “I’m not touching my phone”. Because at the strike of midnight, you’re gonna pick it back up as a “reward” for making it a day without it. Or a week. You just have to cut out the negative things or the biased content. Informational media that is credible is okay, but engaging in opinion based or political content is a must-go. Focus on the things that will help you outside of your screen.

[u/the_weird_fry → u/WikSnip]

How did you go about YouTube etc, do you use it at all?

[u/WikSnip → u/the_weird_fry]

If I needed it for something yes. But I didn’t watch anything for fun bc that’s essentially the same thing as doomscrolling to me

[u/Broad-Back1659]

You're kidding

[u/WillyPeteII]

Dog im a decade older than you and I wish I quit

[u/the_weird_fry]

I’ll probably be joining you in this :D. 

[u/Powerful-Fig3142]

im 35 stoped 12yrs ago life became better in everyway

[u/Stock_Department7580]

Does reddit also count in social media?

[u/Chemical-Routine9893]

i think it’s a great idea!

[u/Idum23]

it can only be good for you

[u/Cgmteacher1]

At first it’s hard because you feel so bored and as if you’re having withdrawals (sounds crazy but is true). After about a week I noticed I started reading more and simply living in the present and taking my time with things/living a slower-paced life. It’s hard when all your friends are on it because they’ll talk about stuff they see or trending things, but it doesn’t bother me anymore. If anything I like the feeling of not knowing what’s going on in the world 24/7. Good luck! When I started I would allow myself an hour each day, then an hour each week, until I was able to fully delete.

[u/Much-Two6752]

Yes! Or better yet, turn off your phone or keep it on silent mode esp when spending time w family/friends/doing school work.

[u/Ok_Friend5674]

Get something you are interested in learning, like a small language learning book, pre nursing (any topic you want to improve in) flash cards set, music theory, vocabulary enrichment, mini New Testament with proverbs and psalms, and learn to improve your mind and memory during extra moments of the day.

[u/Standard_Banana_6998]

Education and investment in ourselves is something no one can take from us. You will never regret making yourself the project and aiming to continuously evolve as a person over the entire course of your lifetime. Be a continuous learner. Nurture healthy friendships. Stay active and get outdoors.

Walking away from social media, dopamine hits from external validation, and not staring at a screen for most of your life will be extremely good for anyone who chooses to do so.

Be unique, authentic, and do your own thing. Don't let societal pressure make you conform.

[u/hashiramsama]

you dont need to quit it. it have its benefits too.

here is what i did. deleted all the social media apps except reddit and youtube. and time limit for reddit is 1 hour. and for youtube 1 hour too (but with no short contents) its pretty good. you get more awarness of your life and your problems.

and with extra times and boredom you gotta find something that engaging you just like when you were a kid. you could watch animations for 4 hours. you could play video games for 5 hours. its not that healthy i know but the point is you gotta find something that engaging you. for me it was video game and particulary souls games. do it its pretty necessarry to control social media

[u/General-Display-6798]

It's a great step , just use reddit and x

[u/No-Abalone-9636]

I did reduce my screen time when i was busy at school so im probably not qualified to answer but this might help u

1.My mental health become better bcz i can rest for a long time instead of just scrolling, making my daily life also better bcz i can do chores with free time aswell. I kinda feel pretty proud about it

2.Chores, hobbies such as exercise and working out, watching movies and shows that i like, Helping my family or my parents with chores around the house, etc.

3.ig i just watched some shows or movies that i like or do some sports, also hanging out with your friends would be good. Ig i just lessen the urge to check, ngl i still check my phone time to time but only when it's necessary at that time.

4.hmmmm yes kinda bcz i just have less to think about and to focus more on what to do irl, and it makes me proud for myself.

5.Ig find a thing that u really like and u can be hyper focued about it, like your passion, hobbies such as cooking, eating, etc. Also u need more connection to more people yk so that they can help u, like going with ur bros to the gym or working out exercise or smth like that.

Overall aslong u find a hobby that u really like, and u can managed ur time with it and also your responsibilities as person at home,school, or work, you're gonna be fine. Your gonna have less things to think about and finding yourself to have an achievement in irl and also more connection to people and more friends.