Social media is a large part of a teenager's life. It's a way for teens to connect and express themselves. But do we really need it? How would we feel or even act without it?
I gave up social media for many different reasons, one being I felt drained and that I was wasting my life just sitting around. I had been experiencing a lot of drama in my personal life that was being expanded onto social media. This is what my experience was like.

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When I had social media, I was having trouble finding motivation for everyday tasks such as, folding laundry, making my bed, or just simply getting out of bed some days. I was not paying attention in class, not retaining any information, and always wanting to check my phone.

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The “Detox”
During the first week, having no socials was hard. I found myself opening up my phone to scroll but having nothing to scroll on. That's when I realized just how bad this “addiction” was.
Without social media, I felt disconnected from the world; I didn't know what was going on outside my own home. The second week, I felt more open to the idea of not having social media; this is when I really started to see benefits. The major turning point for me was day 9. I started to realize I didn't rely on social media as much as I thought I did. By day 15 I felt fine and normal. I didn't find it weird that I didn't have any socials. Instead I felt reconnected with myself and others.
Benefits I Saw
After not having social media for almost three weeks, these were the changes I saw in my life.
- I felt happier, less sluggish and more productive in my day-to-day life.
- I also found myself maintaining focus in class more, unlike before when I was zoning out and not retaining any information.
- I felt more connected to the world around me and less sucked into my phone.
- I spent more time with my family and friends.
- I started reading and writing a lot more, compared to earlier when scrolling was how I spent my free time.
- I was less stressed and found myself having more time to do things I actually wanted to do instead of sitting on my bed and doom scrolling.
- I also realised that I didn't want or like to be around most of the people I was surrounding myself with. I focused on myself more and became a better version of myself.
What If I Got It Back?
Finally, I had one question left. What if I got social media again? How would I feel?
So of course, I had to try it out. I only had social media again for about a week when I realised I really didn't want it. I found myself slipping back into my old habits, which I didn't like. Social media didn't serve a purpose to me anymore, and I was fine without it. So, I deleted it again and haven't had it since.

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You can start by deleting all your social media. For me it was Instagram and YouTube (the only socials I had). Of course, tell friends and family before deleting the apps.
If you need one to keep in contact with people, make sure you limit your usage time. It also helps to turn off notifications and set your phone to grayscale to limit your screen time. I recommend deleting social media for at least a month and seeing how you feel without it. It is fine if you still want social media after that month! You may find you don't need to rely on it as much as you thought you did.