The App That Gave Me Everything—and Took Something Too

At first, social media felt like a window to a bigger world.
I could talk to people I had never met, discover new ideas, learn things in seconds, find opportunities, and express thoughts I was too shy to say out loud. Some days, a simple post from a stranger made me feel understood. A tutorial taught me something useful. A message from a friend could turn a terrible day around.
For someone who felt stuck in their little world, the internet made everything feel possible.
But slowly, that same window became a mirror.
I started checking how everyone else was living. Someone was travelling. Someone got selected for something. Someone looked happier. Someone seemed more successful. I knew those were only moments from their lives, but somehow, I started comparing them with my entire life.
I would open my phone for five minutes and disappear for an hour.
The worst part wasn't even the scrolling.
It was the silence after I put my phone down.
I had hundreds of followers, countless posts to see, and people constantly online—but sometimes I still felt strangely alone.
That's when I realised social media wasn't the villain.
It had given me friendships, knowledge, inspiration, opportunities and a voice.
But I had forgotten that it was supposed to be a part of my life, not become my entire life.
Maybe the real problem isn't having a screen.
Maybe it's forgetting when to look away from it.