I want to leave Social Media

[Pricelessadvice]

Any tips? Unfortunately I do use it for my business (advertising- showing customers results, which they love and look forward to seeing) so can’t just delete my personal account as I need it to have my business page.

But I am finding myself becoming frustratingly annoyed/angry with the mindless nonsense, Influencers, desperate posts for attention… yet I get into a rut of doom scrolling. I hate it. I’m frustrated with myself because I’m wasting my life on something that winds me up.

I only use FB and instagram (don’t have TikTok). I tried an app that locked the apps for a specified time, but I just ended up unlocking them.
I hate what these things are doing to my brain.

Anyone managed to do it? Help and solidarity needed!

I don't see MN as social media. On here, you don’t know who anyone is
I've never had any form of account (social media, or forum) linked to my personal name and identity.

I've been outed on here.
Xenia, Riven and Cod were outed on here. All against our will. It has happened. Some people even post(ed) on their actual names, eg. SofiaAmes.

Are the anon accounts on Twitter not using SM? Or, it's not SM just for them. Meanwhile, the anonyimity on MN just means people can get very inventive in their fantasy stories.

and nobody’s curating a personal identity.
(on Twitter) DevinNunes cow wasn't cultivating an identity, either, they were parody account that very much wanted no identity. There used to be a lot of deliberately anon accounts on Twitter (X). Is anonymity banned now on X?

I'm sorry to see you've been outed on here, that's really shit.

But it kind of supports my point - an assumption of anonymity on here (a forum where you are just a username) compared with what I would call 'social media' where your account is a 'real name' (even if its nit actually your real name), avatar/photo, updates, location etc.

But I really really don't have enough skin in the game to get into whether MN counts as social media or not 🫠

Haven't had anything for about 2 years and feel a lot better for it. I am probably on here more though.

Well, sure, you can. Or reprogramme your algorithm to show you less witless stuff? I only see gardening, languages, art and history stuff, and while I don’t spend much time on Instagram, it’s mildly enjoyable when I do. I don’t use FB or X.

I waste about a million times more hours on MN the I ever have on FB or Instagram.

I have no Facebook, no Instagram, no scrolling through TikTok, no LinkedIn pages at all. I regularly do a "digital detox" where I delete things I might have signed up for in the past and ask them to remove my data (eg. South West trains from when I used to live down south but haven't been for years, Vistaprint because I once bought business cards in 2018, an art shop because I bought my sister a voucher for her birthday). I always deny cookies and refuse to have a loyalty card (which collects data) and unsubscribe from emails that pop up because something manages to get through.

I do look at MumsNet (I have learned a great deal through reading MN), and I do order items through Amazon when I really can't get them in the shops, and I use limited WhatsApp for close family and friends just for meet up messages and the workplace updates. That's it.

I think you will find it harder if you have a business and need to promote that, however it is very freeing and liberating to come off all the rubbish which takes up so much time. I have no followers, no likes, no doom scrolling and don't get sucked into endless local gossip on local neighbourhood groups. I never feel I miss out on anything and I enjoy such positive mental wellbeing because of it.

I felt exactly the same as you did ! Not been on Facebook for over 10 years and was on Instagram and tiktok the wind up feelings I used to get have me the rage of the ridiculous of it all ! I pre warned my family I'm coming off and I did just before Xmas and it's the best thing I've ever done !
Now my husband keeps moaning about the shit he sees lol I said just come off it that's how I felt ! I sleep better now and when I see people I have really good social interactions cause they haven't seen me in ages !!! X

I deleted everything off my phone and only use social media from my computer. I do scroll every now and then but it’s easier to just walk away and not take my phone out at every opportunity!