Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat are great sources for self-expression, entertainment, and relaxation. They work as great tools to share thoughts and ideas. The purpose of this article is not to bash them. But, I can't help and notice that these platforms can cause anxiety and distress among young people, who may use them excessively, or who may not know how to efficiently step away from when it’s time for a break.

So, why is it necessary to step away from them from time to time?

Here are the changes I noticed in my life, after having gone weeks with my Instagram completely deactivated.

1. I learned to be alone with my thoughts at night, with no distractions.

I used to scroll through Instagram endlessly each night before going to bed. While it was a fun way to unwind and relax, it also was problematic in some ways. I realized that Instagram, as well as other social media platforms, quickly turned into sources of distraction that I relied on at night, in order to escape my own thoughts. I knew that once I lie my head on my pillow and close my eyes, my thoughts would go racing. I used to be scared of being alone with my thoughts. I didn’t want to go over all my mistakes that happened earlier that day, my anxieties, my fears, my bad memories from years ago, etc. I knew that once I left myself alone with my thoughts in my bedroom at night, I was probably going to drive myself into a hole of anxiety and frustration. Each time I tried to lie my head down to sleep, I noticed that as soon as a negative thought popped into my head, I’d grab my phone and scroll through a social media platform to distract myself. This is not healthy for a number of reasons. As humans, we are naturally going to be faced with unwanted, unpleasant thoughts. It is our job to train ourselves to look at them objectively, if we know those thoughts are unhealthy for us. An easy way to do this is to imagine your thoughts as clouds in the sky. As soon as one comes by, just let it go and pass through your mind without judgement. If we condition ourselves to do this instead of running away from them by excessively looking at our phones and everyone else’s lives, then we will may finally reach peace with ourselves.

2. I let go of my “fear of missing out”

When you are constantly refreshing your Instagram feed, it’s easy to immerse yourself in what everyone else is doing. But without social media to constantly distract you, I find it easier to be happy when I am not concerning myself with other people’s vacations, romantic relationships, and endlessly exciting weekend activities, 24-7.

We put so much pressure on ourselves to be happy all the time, or at least fill our lives with exciting news, accomplishments, romance, and friends all the time. But that is not reality. Reality, for most people, will not be exciting and romantic every day, all the time. That doesn’t mean reality has to “suck”, or be “boring”. It simply means finding joy in the little things in life- perhaps it’s finding joy or humor in the every-day things. For example, find joy in a long conversation you have with a close friend about life, in a morning cup of coffee, or a song that made you feel good.

3. I stopped comparing myself to others

Because there were no other lives or people to compare myself to on Instagram, I was left with no choice but to be fully immersed in my own life. Many benefits came from this. I started counting my blessings more. I felt thankful for my friends, family, and life everyday. There was no time to watch other people's happy, curated lives on social media. There was no time to think about how my life could be lacking something that everyone else had.

We can all agree that social media is a fun and entertaining way to express yourself to the world. But too much social media, like anything else in life, is never a good thing. So, if you find yourself jealous, frustrated, unhappy, or even lacking something in your life, take a step back from social media for a little bit. See how your life will change.