Embarking on a 30 Day Instagram Detox

Day Four of the Detox: What I've learned so far.

When I announced the 30-Day Social Media Detox, I had no idea what I was doing. It wasn’t like my Sober Girls Yoga 30-Day Challenge, which was rooted in my sobriety journey, a proven framework, and the guidance I’d received from a program to quit alcohol. For the social media detox, I couldn’t find an existing blueprint to follow—I was stepping into unknown territory.

The Unexpected Origin of the Detox

It all began with a story I shared on Instagram. When I launched my book Sober Yoga Girl back in September, I found myself posting vulnerable content, including reflections on a pivotal moment in my life—getting married at 25 and later leaving that marriage.
Though my ex-husband had been incredibly supportive of my book, I noticed he wasn’t engaging with my posts. Concerned, I reached out to check if my content was triggering for him. His response surprised me but also inspired me: he wasn’t avoiding my posts; he simply didn’t use Instagram much anymore. He believed Instagram had caused more harm than good and chose to limit his time on the platform.

That moment sparked reflection for me. What would it be like to live blissfully unaware of what others, including exes, were posting? In contrast, I felt hyper-attuned to every notification and interaction. I shared this story on Instagram, wondering aloud if I needed a social media detox. The response was immediate—five people said they wanted to join me. Within days, that number grew to eighty, and the detox challenge was born.

instagram addiction

Drawing Parallels: Sobriety and Social Media Detox

As I’ve progressed through this journey, I’ve realized how deeply my struggles with Instagram mirror my sobriety journey with alcohol. In both cases, I was seeking something external to fill an internal void—a pattern that resonates with the 12 steps, but also the ancient teachings of the Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita and the Buddha Dharma - three texts I’ve spent the last year studying.

The Search for Fulfillment

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras teach us about avidya (spiritual ignorance) and our tendency to seek happiness in external objects rather than within. This feeds asmita which is essentially our sense of “I-ness.” Similarly, the Bhagavad Gita emphasizes detachment and performing one’s duty without attachment to the results. My attachment to Instagram mirrors the same issue I had with alcohol—I thought it would bring joy, connection, or validation, but instead, it left me empty and distracted from my true purpose.

The Role of Sangha and Recovery Communities

In Buddha Dharma, the concept of sangha—a supportive community—is critical to transformation. The 12 Steps also stress the importance of surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals on the same path of recovery, which is why they say “90 in 90” which refers to attending 90 meetings in 90 days, and “it works if you work it” which means you have to keep showing up to meetings in order to get the benefit of the program. Through the Instagram detox, I’ve realized that my past failed attempts to quit Instagram lacked this essential support. I tried to do it without a community - something I’d never recommend to someone on a sober journey from alcohol. To people on a sober journey from alcohol, my number one tip is always to get into community. I don’t know why I couldn’t apply this advice to myself regarding Instagram (it seems so obvious now!) Leading the Instagram detox meetings (which are all free and you can book them here!) and connecting with others on the same journey has been transformative.

Facing Discomfort Without Numbing

Both sobriety and detoxing from social media have forced me to confront the feelings we’ve been numbing—loneliness, anxiety, or boredom. What I’ve realized within four days of my Instagram detox is that I am really lonely. I’ve spent the last five years building an online community and building my online presence - yet in my daily life I am pretty lonely. I’ve started to think a lot about what this means for me and what next steps are right for me. I want to continue to learn how to exist in the world as it is, instead of separating from it. I want to learn how to live with spiritual practice as a consistent cornerstone to my life and become disciplined in it. Patanjali calls this practice tapas, or disciplined effort, which is required to transcend the mind’s habitual patterns. Similarly, the 12 Steps emphasize taking an honest inventory of ourselves and facing our emotions rather than masking them.

Lessons from Four Days of Social Media Sobriety

Though I’m only four days into this detox, some patterns are already clear:

1. Seeking Solutions in the Wrong Places
   Just as I turned to alcohol to solve my problems, I’ve turned to Instagram as a distraction. The cycle of scrolling mirrors the cycle of drinking—one minute turns into hours, just as one drink turns into many.

2. The Importance of Community
   Leading the Social Media detox meetings has been as essential as recovery meetings were in my sobriety journey. These gatherings provide accountability and connection, reminding me I’m not alone in this.

3. Pushback from Others
   When I quit alcohol, people often asked, “Can’t you just cut back?” or “Why quit completely?” I’ve encountered the same resistance with Instagram: “Why not just use it mindfully?” These reactions are often projections of others’ discomfort with their habits, and recognizing this helps me stay grounded in my choices.

Building a Framework for the Detox

Reflecting on the similarities with my Sober Girls Yoga Challenge, I’ve realized this detox needs structure. Quitting social media, like quitting alcohol, isn’t a simple flip of a switch. It requires:

• Daily Practices: The Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga Sutras emphasizes steady, disciplined action (abhyasa). For this detox, that might include journaling, meditation, exercise like going for walks, and mindful activities to replace scrolling. We need a practice to turn to when we’re experiencing difficult emotions.

• Supportive Conversations: Engaging with others on the same path provides strength and accountability. Join us for a Social Media Detox Meeting. Right now we’re running them daily on Zoom in many different timezones. If the attendance is good we will keep running them.

• Tools for Inner Work: Exploring the feelings and triggers that lead to excessive Instagram use is key. As the Yoga Sutras suggest, we must cultivate svadhyaya (self-study) to understand the root of our behaviors. I am continuing to do this in meetings and also discussing with my teachers my addictive tendencies around Instagram and how harmful it is to my life.

Moving Forward

While I’m still making this up as I go, this experience has shown me the power of surrender and adaptability—qualities emphasized in both the Bhagavad Gita and Buddha Dharma. I’m not an expert, but I’m committed to being in service and also learning alongside all of you.

If you’re part of this journey, I’d love to hear from you. What’s coming up for you? What kind of support would help you most? Let’s create this experience together.

And if you haven’t joined yet, it’s not too late. The door is always open! Join us here.