"If a post didn't get a like within two minutes, I'd delete it and try again, often asking friends to like it and comment just to keep up with appearances. When I lost a follower, I'd look at an app to see who it was. I was constantly refreshing, hoping to get more than 100 likes in an hour. I drove myself crazy."
"I try to set boundaries for my social media usage As social media has changed over the years and apps try to suck us in for longer and longer, I have to change, too. I've learned to try to resist the pressures these apps create. During the week, I carve out time away from the screen, focusing on things that make me feel good about myself."
Growing up with social media produced intense self-monitoring, obsessive attention to likes, followers, and appearances. Frequent refreshing, deleting posts, and soliciting friends' engagement created anxiety and constant comparison. Those pressures continued into adulthood, prompting self-doubt despite following a personal path. Boundaries were established through structured habits: limiting screen time during the week, turning off notifications, attending group exercise classes, walking in nature without scrolling, and blocking out phone-free writing time. Presence with family and friends replaced documenting for social platforms, emphasizing meaningful interactions and lasting memories over performative online validation.
Read at Business Insider
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