@wjmaggos
It's also a technological thing... if notifications are on then it can be too much for sure...
if you're only following 2 people hell it's doable.. with or without notifications

I also found the same I was unfollowing people but now put everyone on notification and undo that instead (so I put notifications on for everyone and then take them off if they get too much)... That means I follow people but don't actually follow them unless notification turned on by clicking the bell
And me following means I just have a "I like list" and I never look at the home tab for all those fragmented messages all piled under each other... I use notifications and a live feed comes in and interaction chosen on the spot (if you're computer) and comments are not piled up ever in the future! I just look at people's stuff on the fly and reply!... a lot more relative and focussed... helps if on desktop a lot

So follow with notifications means giving people a few days / a week then take off notifications and letting them have a follower count even though really by accident I'll ever see them again.

Follow is just a number it's not an active measured count, or relevant always. much like many counters which don't show how much of a video someone see, just counts you were there for a moment... so following with notifications is more actual following I think unless you can balance 50+ people you follow (sometimes hundred) all mixed in together in your home tabs (also being notified shows one chain of thought or project, not a mishmash later). This all helps with feeling ok about people and even ignoring posts that are not needed and wait for the good (it pops up on screen and unless it's long I can read it right away on screen thus saving another click....

well hope that helps and if not sure what notifications are then here's a visual of what it looks like
https://qoto.org/@freeschool/109031885713138221