I Quit Instagram for Two Months. Here’s What I Discovered
Unexpected changes and how life feels offline
Last week, I discovered my beloved Kirkland peanut butter was gone from Costco.
After my breathing evened out, I Googled it and found a Reddit thread explaining there’s a Valencia peanut shortage and to check back in a month. Whew.
Then I made the mistake of scrolling a little further and saw an Instagram post that screamed, “BREAKING NEWS!!!! Costco peanut butter is GONE!!”
Wait, is this satire? Why on earth would ragebait be attached to peanut butter?
Sadly, it wasn’t. And just reading that headline spiked my anxiety. That’s when I realized my eight-week break had reset my nervous system. A few months ago, that post wouldn’t have even registered.
We’re flooded with alarmist content demanding we be scared of this and angry about that. If peanut butter can set people off, no wonder the daily news feels unbearable. But we’ve gotten so used to the noise, we hardly notice.
Since deleting Instagram and TikTok from my phone, my anxiety has plummeted. Not just because I’m no longer bathing my eyeballs in blue light, but because I’ve stopped feeling that constant pressure to perform—to post something new, interesting, or “on brand.”
No more videos about midlife or motherhood. No more updates about my workouts or chaotic dogs. And no more internal debate about whether I’m adding to the collective stress when I post about heavier topics. Without that constant pull to share, my brain finally feels quiet, and my attention’s back on my work and my life.
And I’m also noticing my anger toward the tech companies that profit off our anxiety and addiction, with zero regulation keeping them in check. They’ve hired teams of behavioral scientists to hack our attention—exploiting our basic need for connection and validation. The algorithms they’ve built reward whatever keeps us scrolling: sensational stories, misinformation, and content that quietly reinforces old biases. It’s changing how we think, shrinking our focus, and amplifying our fears.
We’re fighting instincts that have been deliberately manipulated. In almost every area of life, there are guardrails. Not here. And it’s infuriating.
If you feel overwhelmed by your social feeds but afraid of missing out, you’re not alone. That’s part of the design.
Here’s my suggestion: try stepping away. You can always reinstall the apps. Or limit yourself to desktop scrolling—it’s far less thrilling. Maybe even replace Instagram with something slower and saner, like BlueSky or Substack (my new, boring drug of choice).
A friend told me she deleted her apps last spring and replaced them with long-form documentaries and YouTube videos. She still feels a little out of the loop, but far happier.
Right now, I don’t miss social media. The only hesitation I have is about visibility for my work, but otherwise, the tradeoff is worth it.
If I want something funny, I’ll watch bloopers or stand-up on YouTube (no Shorts). If I feel disconnected, I’ll text a friend or talk to a stranger. If I want news, I’ll listen to Heather Cox Richardson or read The Atlantic.
For the first time since 2019, I feel in control of what I consume. My phone is still addictive, but I’m calmer.
And with the newly found free time and brain space, I’m better able to focus on the people right here: my husband, my kids, my friends. What do I want those relationships to look like? How can I nurture them in ways that support me, too?
It’s so important for us moms—especially as we enter the empty nest years—to build strong, real-world friendships. Online conversations can be enlightening, but they’ll never replace chatting with your neighbor or catching up with a friend in person.
Stepping back from social media was the first step in my analog experiment (read more about it here). And honestly? My days feel fuller, calmer, and more satisfying without the constant pull of my phone.
I’m not saying you should log off—but maybe ask yourself: What would fill the space left by social media’s absence?
✅ If you want to work with me or are curious about what I’ve got going on outside of Substack and these emails, check out my courses and my workshop.
🥂 With my new free time, I’m doubling down on consulting and helping moms ease into their emtpy nest (or not-so-empty nest), so look out for more content in the coming months.