A few days ago, I made a decision that felt both scary and freeing: I deleted all of my social media accounts.

Instagram. Facebook. Twitter. Reddit. Bluesky. Mastodon… all gone.

I didn’t do it because I “hate” social media or because I think everyone should quit. I did it because I noticed something simple and uncomfortable: I wasn’t feeling good when I used them. And that was enough.

Instagram: the invisible script I never agreed to

Instagram was the biggest one for me.

Whenever I opened the app, I felt like I was supposed to behave in a certain way, like there was a social script I had to follow:

• Post photos constantly;
• Share everything in Stories;
• Post what music I’m listening to;
• Get more followers;
• Like generic things so I stay “present”.

Even when I wasn’t doing any of that, the pressure was still there. It felt like the platform was quietly pushing me toward performance.

And honestly, Instagram seems designed to highlight only the best parts of life. People post vacations, achievements, beautiful moments, perfect angles, perfect smiles. After a while, it creates this fake atmosphere where everyone’s life looks flawless.

Mine isn’t flawless. It’s not supposed to be. And pretending it is—either by posting or by comparing—just didn’t feel healthy.

Looking at other people’s lives often made me feel worse. Not because of them, but because of the constant comparison. It’s hard to stay grounded when your brain is being fed a never-ending stream of “look how great this is.”

On top of all that, it’s pretty clear these platforms use mechanisms to keep us scrolling for as long as possible, that’s how they make money, btw. And I could feel it working on me.

Reddit: organic, anonymous… and addictive

Reddit was different.

It’s a curious case because it promotes anonymity and organic interaction. In theory, it’s less about image and more about communities. And that’s exactly what made it dangerous for me.

The subreddits I followed were genuinely good. I learned a lot. I laughed a lot. I found tutorials, stories, discussions, and niche topics I truly enjoy.

But that’s the problem: it became too easy to get hooked.

I would check it constantly. A quick look would turn into another post, then another, then another. It stole my focus in a way that didn’t look toxic at first—but it definitely was draining my attention over time.

The only “social” platforms I still keep

Right now, I only kept a few—and with clear boundaries:

• LinkedIn: I only log in to update my professional information;
• GitHub (for now): it has some social mechanics, but I use it to contribute to open source and publish my projects;
• YouTube: I follow creators I consider more organic. Videos take longer to come out, but they’re usually higher quality and a good starting point to learn something new;

The result: less anxiety, more peace

After deleting everything, something changed almost immediately.

I started feeling less worried about missing out, less concerned about engagement, less mentally tied to what other people might be posting or thinking.

It wasn’t like my life suddenly became perfect. It just became quieter. More mine.

And honestly? It feels like a one-way door.

I don’t see myself going back.