Unplugged: a 21-day social media fast changed my life

Not to be dramatic, but I think I have accomplished one of the hardest undertakings in my life: I gave up social media for three weeks.

My absence from social media was inspired by my church’s collective effort in 21 days of prayer and fasting. At church, the pastor explained that fasting could be traditional, like abstaining from food, but it could also involve giving up something else based on personal convictions. I realized I had become too attached to browsing Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok after work, sometimes spending hours a day mindlessly scrolling.

So, I decided to completely abstain, besides when absolutely necessary for work. For the sake of connectivity, I kept apps like Messenger, Snapchat and Discord, but I cut out Facebook, Instagram and TikTok for 21 days.

I had no idea what to expect. Disconnecting from the lifeline to my friends’ lives was daunting. I knew I’d have withdrawls, but the idea of having something more fun to do with my time was even more intriguing.

My first few days were difficult. I look to Facebook and Instagram for inspiration and motivation. TikTok was a source of entertainment. Without them it felt like vital parts of my day were gone. My phone bombarded me with notifications and it took everything in me not to tap them.

The notifications were my biggest challenge. They demand attention; they’re designed that way to entice users to open the app. I eventually got to a point where I moved them to my phone’s scheduled summary.

The TikTok “ban” didn’t help things. I had an intense fear of missing out and desperately wanted one last “hurrah” of scrolling. I didn’t cave, but was devastated thinking that I wouldn’t be able to return to TikTok after the fast.

Changing my daily routine was also a challenge. Typically, I would scroll when I wake up in the morning, before I go to bed, and when I find myself bored—which was quite often normally and even more so during the fast. I still needed something mindless to help me wind down for the night, so I initally chose video games. 

I’m normally not a heavy gamer, but I found out quickly that both social media and video games are designed to keep the user hooked. I found myself spending hours gaming and wondering where the time went. That didn’t feel healthy either, so I scaled back on gaming as well.

By far, though, I think the biggest challenge was a sense of disconnection from my friends and family. I’m not the most active when it comes to posting, but I do like to keep up with my friends. Not being able to do that made me feel like I didn’t care, even though I care deeply about my friends.

Challenges aside, being without social media came with tremendous benefits. I noticed an overall boost in my mental health. Comparison is the thief of joy and seeing everybody’s highlight reels on social media can wear on me, so it was refreshing not to worry about keeping up appearances.

Once I settled into a better nighttime routine, I found my sleep improved significantly. There were several times I slept through the night, something that never happened when I scrolled before bed. I’m not saying social media was the direct cause of my insomnia, but I’m certain it contributed.

Ironically, I also felt more creative when I wasn’t on social media. Losing my usual sources of inspiration forced me to look within, leading me to come up with several painting ideas. Being without didn’t stifle my creativity; it motivated me to make more art instead of passively consuming it.

I also felt more spiritually connected. As part of the 21 days of prayer and fasting, I challenged myself to pray more when I found myself wanting to scroll. Talking to God helped me practice my self-control and draw closer to Him. 

This fast changed my perspective on social media. I knew from studying it in college that it was designed to be addictive, but when I was hooked, I was in denial—I didn’t think I had a problem. Realizing my addiction was a crucial first step for me in using social media responsibly and using my time more intentionally. Moving forward, I feel like my interactions will be all the more meaningful and I don’t feel like I’ll fall back into old habits. But if I do, I’ll just do another social media fast.