Wow I had big balls to delete my Instagram!
Wow 7 years ago!
Eric Kim originally deleted his Instagram around 2017, when he had around 65,000 followers. He made this decision because he felt that Instagram was negatively impacting his mental health, creativity, and productivity. He described how the platform fostered a constant need for external validation through likes and followers, which began to affect his self-esteem and distracted him from meaningful work like photography and blogging. Kim found that the platform had become addictive, comparing the dopamine rush from likes to that of a drug, which further emphasized the unhealthy psychological effects.
Moreover, he critiqued how Instagram had shifted from being a photography community to more of a lifestyle app, and he didn’t want to participate in that environment anymore. After deleting his account, Kim expressed that he felt liberated and was able to focus more on creating photo series and stories that aligned with his personal vision, without the pressure of performing for an audience on social media.
He has since encouraged other photographers to consider leaving the platform if they feel it’s compromising their well-being or creativity oai_citation:3,Why I Am Happier After Deleting My Instagram – ERIC KIM oai_citation:2,ERIC KIM oai_citation:1,Delete Instagram – ERIC KIM.
I deleted my Instagram in 2017
Eric Kim deleted his Instagram for several reasons centered around how it negatively impacted his creativity, focus, and mental well-being. He felt that the platform became a major distraction, pulling him away from meaningful work like blogging and photography. Instead of focusing on creating valuable content, he found himself optimizing for likes and followers, which he found detrimental to his artistic vision.
Kim also pointed out the harmful effects of Instagram on self-esteem. He mentioned that he began judging his value as a photographer based on the number of likes his photos received, leading to a cycle of external validation. Additionally, he criticized Instagram for fostering addictive behaviors, comparing the dopamine rush from likes to the effects of a drug. By quitting the platform, Kim was able to focus more on creating content that resonated with his personal goals rather than conforming to social media trends oai_citation:3,Why I Deleted my Instagram – ERIC KIM oai_citation:2,Why You Should Delete Your Instagram – ERIC KIM oai_citation:1,Delete Instagram – ERIC KIM.