To ask those who left social media...

[Emlou07]

Anyone who has taken a social media hiatus or permanent leave, how did you find it? What did you do to occupy your free time? Do you miss it? Do you feel better for it?

My Mumsnet and eBay usage have significantly increased since leaving Facebook!

Oh and watching Dr Pimple Popper on YouTube!

I took a month off Facebook and mumsnet earlier in the year. It was great. I had so much more time to do things and was more plugged into the world. Some day I'll do it permanently.

I'd like to but I'm too bloody nosy

Binning FB has been a joy! I use Twitter a bit, but mainly for work. Pregnant so gave cons back to mumsnet briefly, but I’ll bin it off soon.

Free time? I have 2 kids, nearly 3, I don’t have spare time. I’d love to go out, read books, watch a film late into the evening with my dh. I think it would be sorry cause of social media was the go-to for free time.

I deleted Facebook about 6 months ago but admittedly am still on instagram and Snapchat.
I haven't missed it once. I'm still on my phone quite a bit. But I read a lot of books, watch films, bake cakes and I'm still addicted to Pinterest.

I deleted Facebook 4 years ago... best thing I did I ever did online

I use Twitter and Snapchat but only have my husband and my kids on it boring I know lol but I prefer the speed and anonymity of Twitter to follow my interests...

Love Mumsnet ... you gals keep my brain working

I quit Facebook 4 months ago (my only social media apart from LinkedIn) and it's been fucking great.

The issues that sent me into counselling vanished (cyberstalking, feeling like shit, hating life after graduation and feeling shitter because everyone else seemed to love it, having no hobbies) - I also felt liberated that I could go on an exotic holiday across the world alone and not have to fucking broadcast it to anyone. I don't look at my friend's profiles for 6 hours a day feeling like shit that I don't go out for drinks in Central London every night.

I stopped filling my brain with memes and clickbait.

I stopped comparing myself to other people, bitching and judging them, and spending time staging "funny" statuses and cool photos. I don't give a shit now and enjoy my life.

I still get the urge to stalk odd people every now and then, but I don't. Or I ask my BF "can you check what so-and-so's new partner looks like?" but this has literally happened once.

I've got into painting, sewing and reading books on Chinese history. Signed up on Skillshare for painting classes. I also sit on MN a lot......that's the next one to cut down!

I must be in need of help.

Not on FB, never was, nor Insta, nor Twitter etc.

I think I can cope.

MN is fun, aggravating, interesting, maddening and all the rest of it.

No faux pix about the perfect life though, whew! Anonymity is the way to go.

Was on Facebook until 3 years ago. Deleted my account and don't miss it I fill my hour or so a day extra with house stuff exercise or if kids arnt in bed playing with them. I don't miss it at all and actually feel great for not being involved in the 'me me me' cycle of crap that fb is.

Social media is surely including of MN as well though? So all those saying you don't do it, yeah, you kind of do by talking on here.

In the beginning it felt almost similar to a smoker who has quit and needs something to do with their hands as I kept absent mindedly picking up phone to check social media even though it was deleted then a feeling of anxiety that I had nothing to check.

This however only reinforced that it was the right thing to do.

Its helped no end in that mentally Im much healthier, Im spending more time concentrating on my family and my real close friends in real life rather than frittering away hours "liking" posts etc of people Ive not seen for 20 years.

Ive rediscovered my love of reading books and enjoying things for the joy of the activity etc rather than always at the back of my head wanting to post it on social media to gain likes.

I don't think social media is bad unless it is badly affecting you if that makes sense. Its a great way for to keep in touch with friends and family you would not ordinarily see and to share photos etc. However for me taking time away from it was the right thing to do.

Some people who leave social media have a sense of superiority about it but its each to their own, whatever works for you best.

Ive rediscovered my love of reading books and enjoying things for the joy of the activity etc rather than always at the back of my head wanting to post it on social media to gain likes.

This!

How do you delete Facebook account?

Took Facebook off my phone and it does feel quite liberating! When I occasionally check it from my desktop (soooo 2010!!!) I realise the stuff people are posting isn’t important and I’m not really missing out. The downside of it is I suppose I was a bit miffed that no one has noticed (I used to be quite active on it) and therefore not had anyone contact me to ask if I’m alright or if we could meet up.

google Delete Facebook ...

it might have changed.. but it'll take you through a 28 day timer process... I marked it on my Whiteboard the 28 days.. and ticked off each day.. the final day was Fantastic..

it's quite hidden the Delete Facebook precedure.. they don't want you leaving... but deleting not deactivating.. destroys every post photo everything you ever posted online

Mumsnet IS social media. It might be anonymous, but it's social media in the same way Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and WhatsApp etc. are.

People who've genuinely quit social media won't even be aware that this thread exists

Two weeks away from FB and feeling better for it. Before that, I was spending too much time and energy on it. Already spending more effort on the people who really matter. It’s been liberating!

What is this thing called free time?

I quit FB 7 years ago and never looked back. I don't have any other social media either.
I use mn and pinterest for my enjoyment.
Too busy with my own life to care about the dramas on social media

Nah, social media is where you broadcast yourself and stay in touch with fake airbrushed versions of people you know.

Forums are where you're anonymous and talk to real 100% brutally honest versions of people you don't know.

I think they're completely different categories of the Internet, but yes it is easy to replace one with another.

Deleted Facebook over a year ago, best thing I ever did. I think it has a negative impact on your self esteem even without realising it. I wish my OH would delete it too, as he sometimes gets self conscious when he posts something and no one engages with it.

Got rid of Facebook about 1.5 years ago. Don’t miss it at all! I’m fact, it’s quite liberating.

Still on Instagram because I like following fashion bloggers and health/fitness models for inspiration but rarely post anything myself.

I feel like an echo to all the other posters on here but I quit Facebook about 4 years ago and haven't missed it one bit. It took away a lot of angst of being friends with people I really didn't like, and seeing pointless posts I had to show interest in etc. My logic for quitting was all Facebook did was stress me out, and my "real" friends would just get me on my mobile or visit.

*in fact

I still have an active Facebook account but find I'm checking it probably once a month at most (and I used to be very active). They now send me reminders to encourage me to use it but I don't get anything positive from it. I came to the realisation that I don't care about most of the updates on there and have no real interest in updating others on what I'm up to either.

I think Facebook use has peaked. It was a novelty at first but it's become insidious. The only reason I haven't deleted it is because it's got a lot of photos I want to keep on it but once I get around to copying them and storing them elsewhere I'll delete my account.