TECHNOLOGY plays a large role in society as people are drawn to apps including Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.

However, apps can create societal pressures through the content prompting users to delete their accounts.

You can deactivate your Instagram account as a temporary alternative to deleting your account altogether.

By doing this, you will pause your account and take it off the platform indefinitely, and choose the allotted time you wish to keep it deactivated.

Through deactivating your account, you can log back in at any point, resulting in your account reactivating and you can continue using it where you left off.

It's important to note that deactivating your account can't be done through the app and that it needs to be done on a web browser.

Follow these steps to deactivate your account.

Step 1: Go to Instagram.com and log into your account.

Step 2: Click on your profile page and select to edit profile.

Step 3: Scroll to the bottom of the page where you will see an option that says: "temporarily disable my account."

Step 3: You will be prompted to provide the reason for disabling your account and can select the reason from the drop-down menu. 

Step 4: Re-enter your password and temporarily disable your account. 

Step 5: Success! Your account is now temporarily deactivated and it will be hidden from other users. Note: Instagram's policy states that you can only deactivate your account once a week.

If you know you want to delete your account for good as opposed to temporarily disabling it, similar steps can be taken.

As with deactivating your account, you can only delete your Instagram profile from the app's web browser.

Step 1: Log onto Instagram.com. 

Step 2: Go to Instagram's "delete your account" page.

Step 3: A drop-down menu will prompt you to choose a reason for leaving. Select which reason applies.

Step 3: To continue, re-enter your password.

Step 4: Scroll to the bottom of the page and click "permanently delete my account."

Step 5: Your Instagram account is now deleted.

Note: Once your account has been deleted, you will not be able to recover it.

Social media apps have been linked to an increased risk of depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts.

As with any vice, social media is addictive and can cause withdrawal symptoms in those who stop using it abruptly.

A study by Swansea University found people underwent physiological effects when they stopped using social media.

Study author Phil Reed said, “We have known for some time that people who are over-dependent on digital devices report feelings of anxiety when they are stopped from using them, but now we can see that these psychological effects are accompanied by actual physiological changes.”

Psychologists suggest taking intermittent breaks from social media because the comparison with others' lives can cause mental instability and depression.

A 2018 study found that reducing social media increased our own life satisfaction, makes people feel less lonely, and improved their overall well-being.

The results showed that those in the group who had limited access to social media saw a significant reduction in their level of loneliness and depression compared to those who spent more time on social media apps.

It's therefore suggested to take frequent breaks from social media and live your life through your own lens.

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