Voices: I was a social media addict in my 40s – this is what happened when I gave it up
I am a 42-year-old woman, and I am addicted to social media.
It feels so embarrassing to write that, but it’s true. Social media addiction is a reality that many people face, and has become a hot topic of debate at the moment as calls are made to ban children from using their phones in school to help protect them from online harm. But it isn’t just kids who need to keep their social media use in check – even I, as an adult woman, was not immune to the siren song of TikTok and Instagram – and it was having a very negative impact on my mental health.
On 31 December, I hit a wall. I could feel myself spiralling as and reels of people’s highlights of their year. People “bossing” it at work, “finding balance” in their homes, and totally and utterly “living their best lives”. I could feel a tightness in my chest, and a bilious feeling in my throat.
