Why I Walked Away from Instagram and What I’ve Learned | Reasons to Deactivate Your Instagram Account
- DaMarcus Nelson
- Aug 26, 2025
- 4 min read
After waiting and contemplating during the 30-day temporary deletion period, July 11, 2025 marked my final day of having an active Instagram account.
This might have been one of the hardest marketing decisions I’ve ever made.
You’re probably thinking one of three things:
“Congratulations!”
I’ve been considering doing the same thing.”
“Why would he do such a thing? Isn’t he a creative? Aren’t all creatives supposed to be Instagram?"
Let’s start with number three and work our way up.
First things first: Instagram is NOT just social media—at least not entirely. Yes, it’s a social media platform, but it’s only one of many. You’re likely reading this article on LinkedIn, which is also a social media platform, one catered more toward professionals and people in the workforce.
I’ve been on Instagram since about 2012, two years after its launch. I was a sophomore in high school and back then it was mainly a platform for sharing photos with friends—not for business marketing or 'content creation' as we know it today. I was casually introduced to this seemingly low-pressure app, and that set the tone for my user journey moving forward.
So much has changed in the past decade. Over the last three years especially, I found myself conflicted—torn between using Instagram for personal life updates or going all-in as a marketing channel for my freelance design and creative work.
Ultimately, I had a few well-rounded reasons why leaving was in my best interest:
Capacity
Content creation demands time, energy, and creative bandwidth—often more than people realize. Producing, editing, and strategizing for Instagram was draining me.
Conversion
In my experience, clients I’ve picked up from Instagram have had significantly less budget and personal investment in the projects they inquired about.
The Algorithm
The leads I received through Instagram were often low-budget and high-effort. They lacked alignment with the type of work I wanted to do.
Faith
As my faith continues to grow and I seek to not only be a hearer of the word of God, but a doer, I felt convicted about my Instagram usage. Despite my best efforts to curate a Godly feed, the platform still exposed me to content that distracted and tempted me. Conviction, not condemnation, led me to step away.
Addiction
The app became an instinct. I’d check it first thing in the morning, even when I didn’t want to. That quiet compulsion told me something needed to change.
Most of us have been on social media platforms for close to two decades now! And the number of platforms only continues to grow—demanding more time, more content, and more energy just to keep up. It’s overwhelming.
I wanted to deactivate my account for a long time, but it was hard. Especially when it feels like “everyone is doing it.” And being a creative entrepreneur? You feel like you have to be there to be seen and gain clientele.
I’ve watched a lot of YouTube videos where people talk about feeling socially disconnected, even though we’re digitally more connected than ever. They describe the unhealthy habit of doomscrolling and speak to the benefits of living a slower life—one that prioritizes in-person relationships with family and community.
Here are a few of the videos for you to check out:
All of that perspective was extremely helpful in making me feel like I wasn't alone, but there is a bible verse that sticks out and has given me full confidence that leaving Instagram was the right decision for me.
Romans 8:28—"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."
God has called me away from Instagram for a couple years now, but to be honest I did not want to adhere. This verse has helped me gain full confidence in following through in what God has called me to do. While I'm still only about a month in to not accessing the app and a few days into my account being completely non-restorable, I've already seen things work together for good. Outside of my full-time role as a designer at a non-profit organization, freelance work has been rolling in and I haven't been aggressive with marketing by any means or stretch. Relationship building, in-person connections and referrals have trumped digital-first connections.
I’ve also always wondered:
What determines if a new platform becomes a standard or just another fad?
What makes it worth shifting your creativity and marketing strategy toward a new app or content channel?
Is the decision based on risk-taking and FOMO with the hope of a high return?
Are we really heading toward a future where we need to be on 30 different platforms just to feel relevant?
I can’t say I’ll be the one to chase every trend, but I do believe a future platform will eventually combine the best—and worst—of the ones we use today.
If you’ve been considering a move like this, my suggestion is simple: pray about it.
Seriously think about what your life might look like without Instagram. Examine your motivations and goals.
Has Instagram helped you reach those goals—or hindered them?
Are you operating out of a FOMO mindset or trying to keep up with what social media “gurus” say you should do?
Are you really using it for business... or are you telling yourself that while scrolling endlessly?
Social media can be a great tool. But don’t fool yourself into thinking it's a business strategy if it’s not actually bringing sales, growth, or clarity to your life.
So, how do I feel about this new decision?
I feel good.
I appreciate all the indirect encouragement I’ve received from people on YouTube and in life who’ve been navigating this same dilemma. This move has brought me one step closer to something else I’ve been contemplating—downgrading my iPhone to a “dumb phone.” But that’s a conversation for another day.
If you’ve got thoughts, perspective, or encouragement to share, drop a comment or reach out to me directly via messages or at damarcusnelson.com.
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