Something that has helped me that may help you.
My Facebook account got hacked into. It was a particularly malicious hacking incident as they locked me out of my account and tapped into my connected Instagram account and decided to send everyone I know messages trying to dupe them into giving up their bank details.
This became very stressful. I repeatedly tried to access my accounts and failed as the hacker continued to harass my contacts.
I also saw this a long-time-a-coming message from the universe (the non-meta one) as the need to delete my social media accounts and finally take steps to finalise that divorce.
I rarely post things on my Facebook account. I keep it so that I can see what my cousins in America are up to.
I doom-scroll on instagram constantly seeing images I cannot unsee and then agonise over the state of the world. I feel the need to look because looking away carries a guilt with it which makes my soul sadder than it already can be at times.
Instagram is also incredibly …. what’s the word for it …. surreal. At one moment I can be looking at images of death and destruction which makes me rub the fingers of my free hand into my scalp as I cannot comprehend the scale of human misery in our world today and then the next post will suck me in with a make-up tutorial where some influencer will take fifteen minutes to pack infinite layers of skincare and make up products which is exhausting to watch but weirdly addictive at the same time.
To one minute be sad about human suffering to the next second considering buying £75 retail priced eye shadow palette can leave me feeling morally discombobulated and at times confused with myself.
So, my hacked accounts gave me an opportunity to take a break from Facebook and Instagram and it has been great.
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t experiencing FOMO but the benefits have greatly outweighed the costs.
I have felt the temperature of my brain cool down. I have felt calmer. I am experiencing better night’s sleep. I am more present with my family and friends.
My intake of news is a bit more limited and controlled. I am still keeping myself informed but with less scrolling.
The scrolling was making my eyes sore which has notably gone away now.
In the morning when I would wake up I would automatically reach for my phone and seek out the headlines on instagram but now I just woozily make myself a cup of tea and soothingly wake myself up properly. If my brain is engaged enough then during the tea-wake-up-routine I set an intention for myself for the day.
Getting off social media has been a great thing for me. So will you consider giving it a go as well? If going cold turkey is too much then perhaps set periods or time-slots during which you go on your social media, why not try ‘social media free Sundays’.
Not going on social media gives you back time and head space. It opens up many doors to do other things. So why not give it a go.
If you are already ahead of the game on this and have given up social media a while ago then do share your experience with others.
Rezina Malik Moran
Finance Manager
Women Children & Cancer Service Division
Royal Free London NHS FT