For years, I’d spend several hours a day scrolling through social media on my phone — while lying in my bed, watching TV, commuting on the subway, waiting in supermarket lines, and pretty much any other chance I could. This ritual was negatively affecting my mental health, and I’d often experience feelings of jealousy, anxiety, inadequacy, and, most of all, depression. (And once I’d feel depressed, I’d crave a distraction, which created an endless cycle of scrolling.) This isn’t a far-off notion either, as studies have shown there’s a link between doomscrolling and anxiety, stress, and depression.
Because of how negatively this was affecting me, I’d take temporary social media breaks while on vacations (which always felt amazing) to allow me to fully disconnect and enjoy my trip. But about 10 months ago I decided to take a more drastic approach. I deleted my most addictive social media apps — TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly known as Twitter) — from my iPhone entirely. Deleting social media from my phone for almost a year was not without its challenges, but doing so has been such a benefit to my mental health. Here’s how I made it work for me.
How I Deleted Social Media from My Phone for 10 Months
It’s been 10 months without social media on my phone, and I’ve benefited in a number of ways: I feel noticeably less depressed; my sleep has improved because I’m not doomscrolling right before bed; and I have more time to spend on hobbies, reading, and even other phone apps that don’t make me feel so bad.
I’m no expert, but from my experience I learned that the best way to make this work is to be gentle on yourself when you feel the need to check social media (whether on the computer or temporarily downloading an app). I had to access social media for work purposes, and going completely cold turkey and deleting apps permanently felt intimidating (and frankly unsustainable in the long run). Below are five tips that have helped me keep off the apps for almost a year.
I put other just-for-fun apps on my phone to replace social media.
Research shows that spending time on social media releases dopamine (and the levels tend to plunge when you sign off, which is part of what makes opening those apps so appealing), so I knew I wanted to put some apps on my phone that could scratch the itch of playing around on my phone — without the troubling side effects I experience from social media. My favorite alternative apps are as follows:
I always carry a book with me.
It’s now second nature to always throw a book in my bag so I have something to keep me occupied other than my phone when I’m on the subway or in waiting rooms.
I picked up other crafts and hobbies.
I’ve picked up new crafts and hobbies, including sewing, watercolor painting, drawing, and playing chess. When I’m home and have the urge to scroll, I try to reach for one of these activities instead.
I re-download social media apps when needed, and then delete them immediately.
Occasionally, I re-download Instagram and delete it right after I’ve done whatever posting I need to do. This approach has come in handy plenty at work, and a handful of times for personal reasons. A recent example is when Taylor Swift announced her engagement on Instagram — that was a can’t-miss day on the app if I ever saw one!
I still check social media on the computer.
My social media dependency was at its worst when I was on my phone, so I still check it on the computer occasionally. When I open Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or X on my laptop, I usually get bored within a few minutes and close it. The scroll just isn’t as satisfying on desktop as it is on mobile, so whenever I want to peruse social media on my computer I don’t give myself a hard time.
The Benefits of Deleting Social Media from My Phone
Over the past 10 months, I’ve used the time that I used to spend scrolling social media on my phone to do so many other things: read tons of books (and log them on Goodreads), upcycle a few pieces of clothing with my sewing machine, and practice a lot chess. According to my stats on the Chess.com app, I’ve played 1,482 games in the past year, and my ratings (although still meager) have gone up in the three main game categories.
Compared to the many hours I used to spend scrolling through phone apps that left me feeling bad, my screen time has gone way down in the past year (the Peacock app skews the data a bit, because I fall asleep listening to sitcoms from Peacock every night, with my phone face down). Deleting social media from my phone has been great for my sleep, self-esteem, mood, and overall mental health, and I can’t see myself going back to my old routine anytime soon.
If you (or someone you know) are struggling with mental health and need support, visit one of the following websites below or call any of their helplines: