On May 9, international best-selling author Matt Haig announced his social media retirement to his followers on Instagram. In a post, the author, who has spoken out about addiction and mental health difficulties, announced his departure from social media because he found it to be highly addictive.

“As promised for a long time I am leaving social media now. It no longer adds more than it takes away. I stopped Facebook four years ago and stopped Twitter two years ago and both decisions were good for my mental health. So now it is the inevitable turn of Instagram.
“I find it ridiculously hard to leave. Which is precisely why I have to leave. I am an addict. And this place is addictive. I would never judge anyone else for being here. I know a lot of people love it here and for non-addicts I am sure it is a fun distraction,” Haig said in the post.

He said that he would rather to make better use of his time by writing, being a better father, and being a better husband and father than by idly browsing around social media.

“But when I saw I was spending hours a day on here I realised I had a problem. I have gripes about all the things I don’t like about social media elsewhere. So I will just say here that I have met some of the kindest and loveliest people here and I will miss all of you… I am not closing my account. It will still be here with info about the upcoming novel (details very soon) and extracts and some exciting film news and tour dates etc etc. I may even come back myself one day. But for now I need time away. I want to be a better human and writer and father and husband and I find all of that takes time and this place steals that,” the author said.
He added, “I really hope my decision to be raw about everything from addiction to anxiety to autism has helped some of you. I wish I could be of more help but I think I am of better use via books and real life. Hope to see you one day. I wish the absolute best for all of you. Stay well. Stay strong. Stay kind to each other. Goodbye my friends. I’ll miss you.”

In order to be sure he follows through on his commitment to stop using social media, the author also revealed that he made a public proclamation about it. The author had previously taken brief vacations from updating social media.
The Midnight Library and Reasons to Stay Alive are two of Haig’s best-selling books, among others. Meanwhile, actor Benedict Cumberbatch will star in the television adaptation of his book “How to Stop Time.”