# Understanding the Five Stages of a Social Media Hiatus
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Chapter 1: The Unplanned Break
Recently, I found myself on an unintended social media hiatus that lasted over a week. During this time, I posted just four times: twice on TikTok to showcase the latest Samsung devices, and twice on Instagram to share a delightful French toast experience and stunning drone imagery of the Newport coastline. Remarkably, I didn’t post anything on Twitter, which is surprising given my usual activity on that platform.
For those familiar with my social media habits, my absence on Twitter might be the most shocking. I typically engage on Twitter between 5 to 25 times daily, sometimes even more. Not sharing my vacation moments on Instagram, despite the picturesque backdrop, was equally challenging.
Although I relished my time away, I must admit I felt a strong sense of detachment. This break revealed five distinct stages in my emotional journey as I disconnected from platforms that have become deeply woven into my identity.
Section 1.1: Confusion and Disorientation
Opening Twitter has become an automatic action for me over the past 15 years. On my iPhone, it appears in my Siri suggestions, alongside other frequently used apps like Slack, TikTok, Chess, and Notes.
Twitter has always been my go-to for gathering and sharing information. It's where I learn current events and spot trends. Without it, I felt disconnected from the world. Sure, I kept up with Google News daily, but it often lagged behind the real-time updates I relied on from Twitter.
One instance highlighted this gap: a reporter from a television network reached out for my take on a significant Apple security issue, and I found myself out of the loop, armed only with a headline from Google News.
In those first few days, I felt lost. It wasn’t just about the lack of news; my mind had been conditioned since 2007 to think in tweets. Now, I could only share my witty remarks with my wife or myself, neither of whom found it particularly entertaining.
Section 1.2: The Weight of Sadness
The absence of Twitter's news updates was challenging, but I found myself mourning the ability to comment on them even more.
Over the years, I had cultivated a habit of sub-tweeting significant events or noteworthy tweets, thriving on the feedback loop and the thrill of garnering likes. Without that connection to my Twitter friends, I felt an emptiness. I missed those small yet significant interactions and the creative outlet that Instagram provided for my photography.
There were countless experiences I wished to share but couldn’t:
- A striking caterpillar
- My thoughts on the incredible film "Prey"
- A delightful 9-inch lobster roll
- The marvel of using a flexible display to navigate a new city
Section 1.3: Panic and Fear
As hours turned into days, I felt increasingly unmoored. “Who am I without these social media connections?” I pondered. Days without posting left me feeling like a character from "Back to the Future," sensing my digital presence fading away.
The loneliness of being offline was palpable. I observed people around me glued to their phones, crafting selfies for Instagram. Even my wife was actively sharing our vacation moments on Facebook.
When I overheard a group discussing the app BeReal, which had just prompted me to share a photo of my current activities, I realized that I was choosing to be “real” by not posting anything at all. It struck me that, while I missed Twitter and Instagram, perhaps no one missed me in return. The thought of disappearing from the online world was both frightening and liberating.
Section 1.4: Finding Relief
Upon reflection, much of my social media presence wasn't a true reflection of my reality. It was a form of performance art that I had been curating for nearly two decades. My online persona—witty, humorous, and balanced—was a crafted version of myself. This endeavor was exhausting, as I constantly analyzed the impact of every tweet, Instagram post, and TikTok video.
With the pressure lifted, I felt an incredible relief in letting go of that performance. It was like finally unclenching fists that had been tightly held for years.
Section 1.5: The Path to Acceptance
I must admit, I never completely embraced my social media break. I found myself opening Twitter out of habit, only to close it before the feed could load. To combat this reflex, I kept my phone tucked away unless I was receiving a message.
During this period, I did check my email and noted the tweet summaries that arrived in my inbox several times a day. I glanced at them but refrained from diving deeper, much like browsing book titles without pulling any from the shelves.
By the end of my vacation, I realized I had survived without social media, and I even contemplated the possibility of never returning. The idea of quitting Twitter altogether felt empowering.
Postscript: The Return
In conclusion, my experience showed me that if I decided to re-engage with social media, it would be from a place of choice rather than compulsion. I would seek out the benefits it could offer without allowing it to negatively impact my well-being.
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