I didn’t delete Instagram to be “that person.”
No digital detox announcement. No holier-than-thou energy.
I just… stopped opening the apps one day.
And then I didn’t go back.
For 72 days.
No scrolling.
No liking.
No lurking.
No pretending.
If you’ve ever wondered what life would feel like without the noise, the newsfeeds, the notifications—
Here’s exactly what happened 👇
📱 Days 1–7: Withdrawal Is Real. Like, Really Real.
I kept grabbing my phone like a nervous tick.
My thumb literally tried to open the ghost of Instagram. It wasn’t even there anymore.
I felt twitchy. Uncomfortable.
Like I was missing something important—even though I wasn’t.
But somewhere around Day 4, I heard something I hadn’t heard in forever: my own thoughts.
Not TikTok audios. Not someone else’s voiceover wisdom.
Just… me.
🧠 Days 8–21: The Emotions Hit (Hard)
When you stop drowning yourself in everyone else’s lives, you suddenly have to look at your own.
I felt lonely.
I questioned my worth.
I noticed how often I’d used social media to distract from real feelings.
But then something wild happened…
I started texting people. Calling friends. Going outside.
Like, actually talking—not reacting to their Stories.
It felt… real. Intimate. Slower. Better.
📚 Days 22–45: My Brain Started Coming Back Online
No joke—I started reading books again.
Not TikTok summaries. Not 2-minute productivity hacks.
Real books. With chapters.
I could sit through a full movie without reaching for my phone.
My focus stopped feeling broken.
And the pressure to “be seen” or “stay relevant”?
Gone.
💭 Days 46–65: The Big Questions Showed Up
Once the noise quieted, the real questions started getting louder:
Who am I when I’m not being watched?
What do I create when no one’s clapping?
What am I chasing, and why?
I started journaling again. Dreaming again.
Even getting bored—and guess what?
Boredom breeds creativity.
🌱 Day 66–72: I Didn’t Miss It. Not Really.
The funny thing?
I didn’t feel “disconnected” anymore.
I felt reconnected.
To my thoughts. To my time. To my people. To the present moment.
When I finally redownloaded Instagram, it felt… small.
Loud, yes. But kind of empty.
So now?
I’m back.
But not the same.
I don’t scroll first thing in the morning.
I don’t post unless I have something real to say.
And I definitely don’t measure my worth in likes or reach.
🧍♀️ The Truth?
You don’t realize how much social media shapes you…
Until you step away and remember who you were before the algorithm started curating your identity.
You’re not behind.
You’re not boring.
You’re not missing out.
You’re just buried under a thousand voices that aren’t yours.
And once those voices fade, yours gets loud again.
TL;DR – What 72 Days Off Social Media Looked Like:
Day 1: Withdrawal
Day 12: Loneliness + clarity
Day 30: Mental stillness
Day 50: Creativity returns
Day 72: Peace
Would I do it again?
Yes. In a heartbeat.
💬 Thinking of Taking a Break?
You don’t need to disappear for 72 days.
Try 2. Or even just one.
Let yourself feel awkward. Let your brain breathe.
Because you?
You’re so much more than a highlight reel.
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