Life after ‘weaning’ social networks

When Twitter announced that it would sell the platform back to billionaire Elon Musk, many people announced that they would lock their accounts. The same thing happened in the past when a lot of users claimed to give up Facebook and Instagram whenever a scandal related to these social networks occurs.

However, few people really “cope” social networks. About 70% of Americans use social media in 2021 and this percentage has not changed over the past 5 years, according to a survey by Pew Research. Facebook first recorded a decline in daily users in the fourth quarter of 2021, but the number has increased again in the last quarter.

Some studies show that the brain produces dopamine when users see other people “lile” an article. Many people refer to dopamine as the “happy hormone” because of its beneficial effects on the mind and body. But this is not a good thing if it happens too often.

“Feelings like this motivate users to increase the time they spend on social media,” says Kate Rosenblatt, director at online therapy company Talkspace.

Those who got rid of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter said they felt happier, but also lacked some elements in their lives. Previously, they could open apps and scroll through news feeds mindlessly.

“I was so caught up in the negative and controversial posts on Twitter that I regularly opened the app and started surfing. I overcame that feeling by putting my phone away. After a week, The urge to surf social media quickly disappears,” said Kimberly Katiti, a 28-year-old artist from California, who quit using Twitter in April 2021.

Without using social networks, you can still connect with the world

The starting point of social networks is the connection between friends. However, the platforms quickly turned into news sharing and controversies. With that comes an increase in fake news and a host of other problems. Leaving social media drives users to seek out new sources of news, which means they still don’t miss important trends and moments if they’re not surfing social media.

“I joined Twitter in 2008 because it was a new and different way of communicating. At that time, I was afraid of becoming an outsider of the mainstream and unrelated to the online world,” said Christopher Britton, business owner in Florida, recall.

He deleted his account in 2011 and now often reads news via Reddit and other sources. “My messaging apps work as well as social networks when it comes to staying in touch with people I know,” Britton said.

Facebook and Twitter are filled with hate posts, as well as heated controversies that are hard to see in real life. When they stop surfing social media and interact with real people, their perspective can change completely.

“Posting shocking articles is easy sitting in front of the keyboard. But when you meet face-to-face, the other person seems to think less about mentioning such topics. You can play with them more comfortably when you meet them face-to-face. don’t read their opinions online,” commented JJ Garcia, a 54-year-old business analyst in Texas.

No one remembers the person who left

Kristen Womack used to be active on Facebook and Instagram. She runs multiple groups and manages a small business account across platforms. But no one seemed to notice when Womack quit Facebook in 2016 and Instagram four years later.

“No one said ‘I don’t see you on Facebook or Instagram anymore’ or ‘I miss you.’ When you leave, absolutely no one remembers you,” Womack said.

Happy birthday messages and posts on Facebook have also disappeared, but this is not a bad thing. “On my birthday, about 300 people will share their wishes and I have to respond to comments from people I don’t know very well. Now, such interactions are more genuine. Only about 20 people text on birthdays. I’m happy with that,” said Verlin Campbell, 42-year-old IT project manager in Los Angeles.

Leaving social media also provides a lot of free time, allowing users to do things they least think about. “I was surprised when I realized how much time I wasted surfing social media. You write articles on your computer and it’s easy to lose focus. After disconnecting from social media, I often take time off between work to Read a book, spend time with family or cook without touching your phone,” says Lindsey Zitzmann, a 39-year-old writer in Minnesota.

However, there are also people who are disappointed because relationships fade when they leave the social networking platform. “It’s sad to think about,” says Oliver Murray, an 18-year-old digital artist in Arkansas. He lost touch with some of his online friends after deleting his 2019 Instagram account. Now the artist shares his work on Tumblr and Twitter, where there’s no pressure to post often.

“I get annoyed with posts that look frivolous. The only thing that will keep me coming back to Instagram is if Elon Musk ruins Twitter,” Murray said.

Diep Anh (according to Wall Street Journal)