“I left social networks for four years. And that has completely changed my life.” The phone posed in front of her, Quynhxvan returns to one of the most striking experiences of her life for her more than 19,000 subscribers in Tiktok. Yes, it is paradoxical.
“I eliminated everything in 2021. I became ‘the real self.’ “The best thing is that I stopped comparing myself with others.”
A habit of losing
Quynhxvan is far from an exception. For several months, users of generation Z (between 15 and 30 years) have more and more numerous to embark on a digital detoxification. Understand a break from social networks, even the smartphone. According to Insee, in 2023, half of the Internet users aged 15 to 24 declare that they have tried to limit their use of screens.
And 2025 confirms the trend. The hashtag of digital detoxification has more than 45,000 publications in Tiktok. Even the situations of the influencer Lena have begun there. At the end of November, the young woman shared, through a YouTube video, her experience “one month without screen” to “recover control over this addiction.”
An example that motivated Lena (not situations, therefore), 19, to do the same. “He is one of the creators that I am more,” admits the girl who specifies having realized, thanks to the video, which spent “too much time on her phone.” On average, she remained at 8:30 am there on her smartphone.
At first, Lena had problems. “I was bored. When I invented, I was in the bathroom or in transport, it was really difficult. I had really taken the reflection to get my phone with the slightest opportunity,” admits the student. But little by little, she gets used to it. “In the end, I was very good! I finally read my pile of books that had been hanging out for an eternity,” he exclaims. “My parents were delighted to see me get out of my room,” the student smiles in mode.
Get out of Instagram’s mandates
Like Lena, some make a radical choice and cut all platforms, for one or more months. “At first, I really were afraid of losing things, and I no longer know the issues of discussion ‘in fashion’ with my friends,” says Arthur, 17. This fear that the high school student has a name: the phomo (fear of getting lost), the fear of missing something.
The click comes when, to laugh, compare your screen time with your friends. There, the Cleaver falls: 9 hours a day, including 5 hours on social networks. “Then, I obtained violence and I challenged myself: eliminate all my applications for a month.”
Because most Internet users are aware of spending too much time on their smartphone. According to the fifth edition of digital uses, published by Arcep and Arcom on Monday, July 7, almost half of the French esteem too much time in front of the screens. You are more likely to recognize it: 34% of children aged 12 to 17 and 37% of young people aged 18-24 who spend more than three hours a day on screens consider this time excessive.
“Before I could stay for hours on my phone before bed. I saw nothing in particular, I moved indefinitely.” His digital rest allowed him to recover his sleep rhythm. “My friends told me it was much more pleasant in the morning,” he smiles.
Marie has also chosen to cut everything. “In social networks, I always found videos or photos of influence with perfect bodies. Even if I know that it is often unattainable, and that these photos are modified, but I had problems comparing myself and not feeling guilty for not having the same life,” recalls Marie, 21.
Sport, hook and reviews
Exasperated of all this pressure, the young woman has begun digital detoxification for three months. Eliminate all its applications and deactivate notifications. Marie then spends 7 hours of screen per day, at 2 hours. “It really was good for me to get away from all these mandates (…) I felt a little better, I have less the impression of having to continue with the standards of beauty or have to buy such or a fashion article that is presented.”
If some make radical decisions, others prefer to gradually limit social networks.
Then, “I preferred to cut gradually,” recalls Théophile, 25. For three weeks, the chemist has been trying to say goodbye to the networks. “At first, I limited the networks one hour a day. Now I only use them on weekends.” And the results felt quickly.
“I noticed that I was more involved in conversations with my friends or even when I saw a series,” admits Théophile, who tended to “take out his phone to scroll” in all circumstances. “Due to the networks, I was full of details in the intrigue of movies or my friends.”
All the questioned are unanimous: their “digital detoxification” allowed them to free themselves a lot of time. “I discovered a passion for the hook,” says Nathalie, 29. “I always wanted to try, when I cut the networks, I thought it was an opportunity to start.”
The same observation for Louise, 23 years old. The young woman was 9 hours of screen per day, at 2 o’clock. Result of the races: “I read more and above all, I leave much more. I put myself in the race with a friend. In short, I checked,” I smile at the medical student. Better yet, his notes have improved. “I realized that I was very distracted with my phone. As soon as I sent me messages on Instagram or that I saw a notification, I felt forced to respond immediately, even in the middle of the reviews. Today, I am much more concentrated and effective.”
“It almost made it mandatory”
If this broke away from the similar, comments and other addictive algorithms relieved those who tried, they all ended up reinstalling their applications. “It is still difficult to complete the networks,” says Julien, 25. “Only for work or to keep in touch with certain people, it has almost become mandatory.”
“Even if it did well, the networks really missed me,” Nathalie admits. “I learned many recipes thanks to Tiktok. And I love the videos of anecdotes or horror, it relaxes me.” This is also the case of Lena. After six months without any platform, the young woman ended up reinstalling Instagram. But this time, it is not about repeating your mistakes of the past. “Now, I won a limit of 30 minutes a day. Just to see some stories of friends,” he said. Marie, she resolved in her subscriptions.
On the other hand, out of discussion to reinstall Tiktok. “I tried to return by putting a time limit. But it still spends hours moving indefinitely. Therefore, even if some videos are missing, such as tutorials or film critics, it is better so.”
Source: BFM TV
