A few years ago, I quietly unfollowed a handful of people on Instagram. They weren’t strangers. Some were colleagues. Others were friends-of-friends, people I genuinely liked in real life. But online? Their content left me feeling less-than. I didn’t realize it right away—it wasn’t jealousy, exactly. It was more subtle: comparison hangovers, the weight of constantly evaluating my own life, a growing sense of not-enoughness that I couldn’t shake.
So I unfollowed. No announcement. No drama. Just a simple decision to clean up my digital space. And something shifted. My mental load lightened. I stopped scrolling with that tight feeling in my chest. I reclaimed a tiny, but powerful, part of my peace.
Turns out, I wasn’t alone. A growing number of people are quietly realizing that what you consume online consumes you back*. And while we’ve heard about digital detoxes and screen time limits, there’s one boundary that’s surprisingly effective and rarely discussed: the unfollow.
The Hidden Mental Cost of “Following Everyone”
We’ve normalized collecting content the way we collect contact lenses in our nightstand drawer—half the people we follow, we don’t even remember why. Over time, our social feeds become a noisy hallway of voices, opinions, bodies, products, and lifestyles that are no longer aligned with who we are—or never were to begin with.
And we scroll through it all without questioning it. But that passive exposure? It’s shaping our thoughts, behaviors, and self-image more than we realize.
According to HelpGuide.org, heavy social media use is strongly linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts. It can also become a way to avoid difficult emotions. When people scroll more during moments of stress, sadness, or boredom, social media can start acting as a quick distraction rather than a healthy coping tool.
In other words, the wrong feed is a quiet thief of joy.
The Psychology Behind the Scroll
Social media isn’t inherently harmful. The issue isn’t the platforms—it’s how they’re designed to work on us. Algorithms prioritize engagement, not well-being. That means content that sparks a reaction (even if it’s envy, outrage, or insecurity) is more likely to show up on your feed.
Every scroll is a subconscious comparison:
- They’re traveling more.
- They’re more consistent with workouts.
- Their house is cleaner. Their kids are better dressed. Their job looks cooler.
Even when we know social media is curated, our brains don’t always interpret it that way. And when the feed becomes a constant highlight reel, it warps our baseline for what’s normal or good enough.
The result?
- Low-level anxiety that simmers under the surface.
- Imposter syndrome, even when you're doing just fine.
- A distracted mind that’s less focused, less creative, and more reactive.
Why Unfollowing Feels So Personal (Even When It’s Not)
If you’ve ever hesitated to unfollow someone because you didn’t want to hurt their feelings, you’re not alone. The guilt is real. For many, social media follows are tied to social dynamics: Will they notice? Will they think I’m mad? Are we still friends if I don’t follow them?
But here’s the truth: your mental health is more important than a digital politeness contract.
Unfollowing someone doesn’t mean you dislike them. It means you’re creating space for what you actually need. And honestly, if someone takes offense to you curating your space for peace? That’s about their boundaries, not yours.
Pro tip: If it helps, use “mute” as a soft step. It lets you filter without severing visible ties—and can be a bridge to bigger boundaries later.
10 Types of Accounts That May Be Quietly Draining You
Not all “bad” content is toxic. Sometimes it’s beautiful, well-intentioned, and still… not right for you anymore. Here are a few common types of accounts that could be quietly contributing to travel fatigue, imposter syndrome, or emotional exhaustion:
1. The Comparison Trigger
You don’t even dislike them—but their content consistently makes you feel behind, less attractive, or not enough. It’s not about them. It’s about how your nervous system reacts.
2. The Performative Positivity Page
There’s a big difference between inspiration and pressure. If their “good vibes only” feed makes you feel like you can’t have a bad day, it’s okay to opt out.
3. The Lifestyle You Don’t Actually Want
Maybe it looked appealing at one point—but now it feels irrelevant or untrue to your current season. You’re allowed to let it go.
4. The Friend Whose Content Feels Off
We all have someone whose posts just… rub us the wrong way. That doesn’t mean you don’t like them. It just means the digital version of them isn’t what you need.
5. Accounts That Feed Doomscrolling
Constant crisis, sensationalism, or negativity—even if it’s fact-based—can overload your emotional bandwidth. You’re allowed to step back.
6. Influencers Selling the “Fix” to Your Life
If every post leads to a product, course, or lifestyle hack you “need,” you might be stuck in a loop of self-optimization. Spoiler: you don’t need more fixing.
7. Old Connections You’ve Outgrown
Just because you went to high school together doesn’t mean you owe each other a digital seat in your life 15 years later.
8. Overly Filtered “Realness”
Authenticity sells now—but you can tell when it’s manufactured. Trust your gut.
9. Content That Hijacks Your Mood
If you consistently leave someone’s page feeling worse—emotionally, mentally, physically—it’s a red flag.
10. Your Own “Aspirational Self” Pages
Sometimes we follow accounts that reflect who we wish we were—fitter, wealthier, more disciplined. If it’s inspiring, great. If it’s shaming you? That’s a no.
The Mental Health Benefits of Curating Your Feed
This isn’t about escaping reality or only seeing what makes you feel good. It’s about creating a digital environment that reflects your values, priorities, and needs.
When you curate your feed intentionally, here’s what can shift:
- Better self-esteem (because you’re not constantly comparing yourself to filtered versions of others)
- Less anxiety (fewer emotional triggers in your daily scroll)
- More focus and attention span (you’re not bouncing between stimulus overload)
- Increased creativity and motivation (because you’re consuming content that sparks ideas, not self-doubt)
A study found that limiting social media use to 30 minutes per day led to significant reductions in loneliness and depression—and that effect increased when users curated their feeds.
How to Do a Healthy, Drama-Free Digital Cleanse
You don’t have to go nuclear. A healthy social media reset can be subtle, smart, and drama-free. Here’s how to start:
1. Audit Your Feed
Spend 10 minutes scrolling. Every time you feel a pang of comparison, tension, irritation, or pressure—pause. Ask yourself: Is this serving me, or just showing up?
2. Create a “Mute List” First
If you’re not ready to unfollow someone, mute them for now. You can always come back later with more clarity.
3. Follow More Voices That Nourish You
Curate your feed like a garden. Who inspires you in a grounded, not flashy, way? Who teaches you something new? Who makes you feel safe or seen?
4. Let Your Feed Reflect Your Real Life Values
If you’re working on rest, recovery, creativity, or boundaries—let your content reflect that. You don’t need more hustle if you’re healing.
5. Don’t Make It Personal (Even If They Do)
This is your space. You are not responsible for managing other people’s reactions to your boundaries. Period.
Insider’s Edge
Want to make this easier? On Instagram, go to “Settings” → “Your Activity” → “Interactions” → “Follows.” From there, you can sort accounts by “Least Interacted With.” It’s a quick way to identify which relationships you’ve already naturally disengaged from—without judgment.
A Clean Feed Is a Clear Mind
Unfollowing someone—or multiple someones—isn’t a betrayal. It’s a boundary. A tiny one, yes, but a powerful one. Because what you consume shapes how you feel. And how you feel shapes how you live.
In a world where we’re constantly encouraged to do more—connect more, follow more, share more—there’s something deeply radical about choosing less. Less noise. Less pressure. Less performance.
So if you’ve been feeling heavy every time you scroll, consider this your permission slip: unfollow for your peace. Curate for your clarity. Mute for your mental health.
Your feed is not a museum. It’s not a loyalty list. It’s a space you engage with every day. Make it one that honors the version of you you’re becoming—not the one you’re constantly trying to compete with.
And when in doubt? Close the app. Come back when it feels like a place worth visiting again.
