Why I'm Quitting Most Social Media (Starting March 16th)

I’ve been wrestling with my relationship with social media for a while now, and I’ve finally made up my mind: I’m quitting most platforms starting March 16th. I’ll still be around on X (formerly Twitter), WhatsApp, Line (for my overseas crew), and right here on this website. If you’re in the US, you can still reach me with my phone number—I’m not vanishing into the void!!

I’m keeping X because it feels different to me. Thanks to Elon Musk’s influence, it’s turning into a space that’s less about polished perfection and more about real talk—free speech, unfiltered debates, voices that don’t always agree. That messiness keeps me engaged without drowning me in the curated flood I get elsewhere. It’s my way to stay tied to the bigger conversation without losing myself in the noise.

This isn’t some impulsive rant. It’s me choosing to take back my time and headspace. The other night, I caught myself scrolling Instagram for over an hour—Reels of random dances, ads for stuff I’d never buy, updates I didn’t even care about. I closed the app feeling empty, not connected. That hit me hard. The endless scroll, the algorithms—they’re built to keep individuals hooked, not to enrich my life. It’s exhausting, and honestly, it’s probably one of the reasons that caused my anxiety.

I’ve tried stepping away before. Removing the apps, ghosted for months. But the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) always drags me back—the itch to see what friends are posting, to swipe through stories, or laugh at some dumb reel. That pull is real, and that’s exactly why I’m done. Social media stopped being about people for me; it’s just a hamster wheel of consumption now.

Instagram especially bums me out these days. It used to feel personal—sharing life, swapping opinions, keeping it real. Then Reels showed up, and it’s like they decided to chase TikTok (which I’ve avoided from day one). Now it’s all short-form noise—trends, views, likes—and none of the heart it used to have. It’s not a scrapbook anymore; it’s an echo chamber.

I’m over being a zombie consumer. I’m sick of my attention getting hijacked by code that cares about “engagement” more than connection. I want to be here, really here—focusing on what matters, not what an algorithm shoves in my face. This isn’t me pointing fingers at anyone else’s scrolling habits. It’s just what I need for me. And yeah, it won’t be easy—FOMO might claw at me some days—but I’m ready to fight for something quieter, something mine.

I’m not cutting ties completely. X keeps me in the loop, WhatsApp and Line keep me close to my people, and this site’s always here. It’s about quality over quantity for me now. I’m excited to ditch the chaos and tune back into my life, my real relationships. I hope you get where I’m coming from. Have you ever felt like stepping away? What’s keeping you tethered—or nudging you to let go? Let’s see what happens when we stop scrolling and start living.