When my mental health was suffering earlier this year, I decided to delete the Facebook app off my phone. Though it was one of the many times I had done it before and I knew I’d eventually reinstall the app, reading Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport convinced me that I should never put the app back on my phone. Before long, I had also deleted my rarely used Threads account and announced that I was stepping back from posting on my author account on Instagram.

The question is, were any of these changes worth it in the long run?

Change 1: Deleting Facebook off my Phone

Facebook was the first big social media website I ever signed up for at age sixteen and as of next year, I will have had a personal account there for half my life.

That’s a terrifying thought.

Anyway, because it’s been in my life for so long and I’ve used it the most, Facebook has always been the most toxic social media site for me. What used to be a fun website where I could play PetVille or Cafe World and see posts from people I genuinely cared about over time turned into an online, interactive yearbook of everyone I knew, from all stages of my life, that made me realize, You know what? I actually don’t want to know what’s on y’all’s minds. And anyone who doesn’t have my phone number certainly doesn’t need 24/7 access to me via Messenger. That, along with suggested posts that only encouraged my mental health spiral and ads that made it obvious the app was listening to every word I said, even with Siri’s listening capabilities turned off, had me deleting the app off my phone for a few weeks every now and then just to get a break.

But addictions are hard to break. Before Cal Newport reminded me via Digital Minimalism that I could, in fact, revert back to how I first used Facebook in the early 2010s on my laptop, I would always end up reinstalling the app on my phone only to regret how much time I wasted on it and how horrible it made me feel when I used it. Why? Because I was afraid I’d miss something. That I wouldn’t see an event invitation until it was too late to respond. That someone I care about would announce a big life event and I’d miss it.

That was dumb, y’all. Because now that a few months have passed and I’m only checking Facebook on my computer once a week, I can assure you I haven’t missed anything of value. My husband still has the app on his phone, so if I get invited to something, most likely he’s invited too and will let me know if there’s a pending invitation. He also lets me know if something important is posted, like if one of our friends has a death in the family or if any concerts/events are announced for our local area.

So, was the change I made to the way I use Facebook worth it? Wholeheartedly. I recommend that others who also have an unhealthy relationship with the app to try the computer-only method for themselves. I’m on Facebook maybe 10 minutes a week and no longer spend time doomscrolling there.

Change 2: Deleting My Threads Account

As I said in the introduction, I didn’t post on Threads much anyway, but I did use it for one thing: keeping up with drama in the bookish/author space. Not that I contributed anything to the drama; I just wanted to know what was going on. I realize now that this was not a good choice, and I regret doing it, but I wanted to tell y’all to be transparent. Before I made my account, Instagram actively encouraged those type of posts by pushing popular drama threads onto the Instagram homepage. I’m not sure if Instagram does that anymore, but it was true for summer/fall of 2024 and that’s what eventually convinced me to create an account, as I could only read small snippets of the Threads on Instagram itself. Part of me also wondered if this could be the app where I could “make it big” as an Indie author, so that made me more willing to give it a shot.

I didn’t post on Threads much because it reminded me of Twitter/X, and I’ve never really liked the short-post style of social media. When I did post, it seemed like my posts reached everyone but my intended niche, so I eventually just used the app to see other people’s content. Even though I found some encouraging posts for Christians and authors from time to time, the majority of the posts that were pushed to me were fellow authors talking about their sales numbers or, like I mentioned before, drama within the bookish/author space. After a while, I reached the point where I’d open the app, read a couple things, and then ask myself why I was wasting my time on that mess. The sales posts bred comparison. Many of the drama posts were mean-spirited and petty, which are not things I should be as a Christian. Filling my mind with those things was not only a waste of time, but harmful for my mind. So, a few months ago, out it went. I deactivated my account and deleted the app.

Was deleting my Threads account worth it? Absolutely. If I had known it was like that when I first saw it advertised on Instagram, I would’ve never created an account.

Change 3: Stepping Back from Instagram

Not long ago, Instagram was my main focus for building a readership for my books. In 2022 I started filming Reels regularly to reach a wider audience. I had some do well (as a smaller account) and eventually grew my following to around 1,700. I don’t consider that to be a large following by any means, but it is still the biggest reach I have out of all my author accounts.

In mid-2024, I began to notice that no matter what posting styles I tried (Reels, single picture posts, carousels) that my audience was no longer growing. In fact, my follower count on Instagram has been stuck between 1,720 to 1,740 followers for the better part of a year, whether I post or not. A few months ago, content creation started feeling like a chore for me, and since my mental health was at a low point, I posted less and less. Back in July, I also realized that every time I checked Instagram I’d make it about five posts down my home feed before falling into a comparison trap (a terrible thing to allow myself to do when my mental health hasn’t been great), so I made the decision to announce that I’d be stepping back from posting on the app. While I still have the app on my phone and scroll from time to time, I usually only open Instagram to post or to check for likes/comments, so stepping back from posting has given me less reason to visit the app.

Was stepping back from Instagram worth it? If you had asked me when Reels were in their heyday, I would’ve argued against stepping back, but in 2025? No regrets. I still intend to post bookish announcements there in the future, like cover reveals or publishing dates, but I’ve pivoted my book marketing strategies to other areas and I’m content with those methods.

Do Authors Need Social Media to Thrive?

While social media can be a useful tool for authors to reach their existing readers and potentially meet new ones, as the years go by and I’m seeing more and more young people take steps to distance themselves from social media and smartphones, I’m beginning to think that authors don’t really need a social media presence to succeed as much as we’ve been led to believe. Again, I’m not a “big” author by any means, but over the past few months of distancing myself from social media, my sales numbers have pretty much stayed the same as they did when I was posting regularly. So, if you’re an author who is also considering taking a step back from social media, give it a shot! It may be the break you need to refill your creative well and focus more on your craft.

Talk to Me, Arrowheads!

Have you ever taken a step back from social media? Did you find the break to be worth it, or do you think it adds too much value to your life to give up completely? Drop your thoughts in the comments!

Aim high, stay strong, and always hit your mark.

-Allyson 😀