If you feel as though you’ve become addicted to social media, you’re not alone. Experts agree that social media works like a drug, with likes and comments providing the same dopamine spikes as cigarettes or other addictive substances.

If you're addicted to something, it's a good idea to quit. So maybe now is the time to quit social media. The question is, how? In this article we tell you how to quit social media for good, with tips to help you leave Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter behind once and for all.

Cutting Back or Preparing to Quit

Quitting social media cold-turkey isn’t for everyone, so here are some strategies for weaning yourself off of social media gradually. Or for simply cutting back to a more reasonable amount of social media usage.

1. Temporarily Uninstall Social Media Apps

person holding smartphone outside

Try uninstalling your social media apps for 12 hours at a time, and see if you can gradually increase the amount of time you go without using them. You can uninstall the apps without deactivating your accounts, which should help alleviate some of your anxiety.

2. Set Time Limits

You can use built-in screen time and app limits to remind you when to log off, and there are dedicated apps that help with screen time management. Set reasonable goals for your screen time and gradually decrease them over time.

3. Put Your Apps in Folders

Instead of leaving your social media icons on your home screen where they can tempt you to open them, put them in a folder so you can use your phone without the constant reminder that you haven’t checked your feed in a while.

4. Turn Off Notifications

Part of the reason why it’s so hard to stay off social media is because of push notifications constantly interrupting us and reminding us to check our feed. If you’re worried that turning off notifications entirely will cause you to miss important information, try using email notifications instead and just check them once or twice a day.

5. Check-In With Family

Talk to your family and close friends and ask them how your social media addiction has affected them. Use that as motivation to change your habits, and keep checking in with them as you quit or cut back to get some positive reinforcement.

Quitting Social Media Completely

Here are some tips for quitting social media when you’re finally ready to cut the cord completely.

1. Make a Final Post

While it can feel dramatic to make a big final statement on social media, it’s a good way to provide yourself with closure, as well as make you feel more accountable. After all, you’ll feel a little sheepish coming back to Facebook after telling everyone you’re leaving for good!

2. Save Your Information

Before deactivating your accounts, download any photos you want to keep and make sure your contacts are saved somewhere. This will keep you from needing to reactivate your accounts to access that information.

3. Give Yourself a Treat

Promise yourself some sort of treat for quitting, and continue treating yourself as you hit milestones.

4. Quit With a Buddy

friends with arms around each other

If you have any close friends who are also interested in quitting social media, try going through the process together. Not only will you feel more accountable, but you’ll also have extra support.

5. Prepare for Withdrawal

Social media is an addiction, and quitting will lead to withdrawal symptoms similar to quitting a drug. Prepare for irritability, boredom, and anxiety so that you aren't taken by surprise and have strategies in place to cope with these feelings.

6. Provide Physical Reminders

If you find yourself constantly picking up your phone and wanting to check social media on impulse, try putting a rubber band around your phone as a reminder not to open those apps. You can also use stickers, or even change your lock screen to a motivational message reminding you of what you’re doing and why.

7. Give Your Phone a Bedtime

person holding smartphone at night

Many people feel lonelier and sadder at night, and find themselves turning to social media to assuage these negative feelings. To help resist the urge to sign in, choose a time to turn your phone off for the night, and stick to it. Make sure you’re giving yourself at least an hour of screen-free time before bed.

8. Get a Real Alarm

Using your phone’s alarm may be convenient, but it also puts you in the habit of checking your phone as soon as you wake up in the morning. Buy a real alarm clock for your nightstand to reduce that temptation.

9. Find Other News Sources

Rather than getting all of your news from social media, try signing up for newsletters and RSS feeds from your favorite news sources to keep yourself up to date on current events.

Long-Term Strategies

After the initial quitting period, it’s important to develop long-term strategies for staying off of social media.

1. Understand FOMO and What Drives It

One of the top reasons people say they can’t quit social media is that they’re afraid of missing out on things. FOMO literally meaning Fear of Missing Out.

FOMO is an unavoidable part of life because we can’t do everything all of the time, and it doesn’t go away just because you have an active social media presence. Understanding that will help you cope with the fear of missing out.

2. Remind Yourself of the Benefits

There are plenty of benefits of quitting social media, many backed up by science. And reminding yourself of them will keep you from logging back in.

For example, without the constant interruptions caused by social media notifications, people tend to be up to 40 percent more productive during the day. You’ll also find yourself with more to talk about with your friends now that you’re not being constantly updated on their day-to-day life through social media apps.

3. Embrace the Present

person smiling with balloon

Most people who are active on social media find themselves constantly thinking about how their current experience could be best posted and shared on the internet, rather than being present in the moment and enjoying the activity for what it is. Now that you’ve quit social media, make sure you focus on your experiences as they’re happening and try to enjoy living in the moment more.

4. Practice Self-Care

Make sure you’re taking care of yourself and finding healthy ways to cope with any fear or anxiety you experience as you detox from social media. Therapy, meditation, and mindfulness exercises can be extremely helpful for any recovering addict, including people who were addicted to social media.

5. Take Advantage of Your New Free Time

Now that you’re not spending hours every day scrolling through social media feeds, you’re going to have a lot more time on your hands!

Use that extra time to explore hobbies you’ve been interested in, get through your reading list, volunteer for causes you’re passionate about, or start an exercise routine. You’ll be amazed by how much you can accomplish.

Quitting Social Media for Good

Leaving social media can feel like an impossible task, so you must give yourself a lot of compassion as you go through the process. Preparation is key, so having a plan for quitting and a list of coping strategies to deal with withdrawal will ensure you’re able to quit social media for good.