These celebs have made a really good case for taking a mental health break from social media
Obviously, these tools allow celebs to connect with their fans in real-time, sharing personal moments and promoting their work while regaining some narrative control that surrounds their stories. It’s become the place where marriage and baby news is shared (Beyoncé and the twins, anyone?!) and where rumours are confirmed or denied.
While this connection can be gratifying for celebs and their fans, social media has a dark side. Not only are there trolls to contend with, the sensation associated with receiving “likes” has been found to be addictive and excessive social media use has been linked to depression, anxiety, lower self-esteem and reduced sleep quality.
According to Psychology Today, it can also contribute to eating disorders and self-harm behaviours, which make these stars who have shut down social media for their mental health all the more inspirational.
Lizzo
Known for her fierce confidence, inspirational messages and body positivity as well as her stunning vocals, Lizzo comes off as pretty unflappable—but even queens can get worn down by the Twitter machine. In January 2020, the Truth Hurts singer sent out a simple message: “Yeah I can’t do this Twitter sh-t no more.. too many trolls. I’ll be back when I feel like it.”
Shortly after her initial split with Twitter, the singer took to Stories to admit, “I be waking up feeling bad as hell, I be waking up in my feelings, and I know that my mental [health], my emotional health, and my social health already affects me in positive and negative ways. But you add the internet to that sh-t, boy; the internet will have you depressed as f--k."
She's since returned to the bird app but she's far more active on TikTok now. A lot of the time she uses her social media to call out how toxic it can be and share positivity. Like when she said social media comments should cost money or when she shared this calming video and mantra: “This is my life. I have done nothing wrong. I forgive myself for thinking I was wrong in the first place. I deserve to be happy.”
Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez isn’t afraid to be real and show off her more vulnerable side, but with 372 million Instagram followers (among the highest follower counts ever on the app), it’s hard to avoid the haters. The pop star has quit social media several times, once telling W Magazine that she deletes the app from her phone “at least once a week” and sharing that she no longer has the password to her account (her assistant posts photos on her behalf). In fact, as of this writing Selena just returned from one of her signature IG hiatuses.
It’s no surprise that Gomez takes steps to protect her mental health—the "Lose You to Love Me" singer has frequently spoken out about her anxiety and how it is exacerbated by social media.
Ed Sheeran
Some celebs take a few days or weeks away from social media but Ed Sheeran is known for taking a break and never coming back. In December 2015, the singer-songwriter announced that he’d be taking a break from social media and email in order to stop seeing life “through a screen.” A full 12 months later, he was back—sort of. He's returned briefly a few times, but in general, the singer only posts promotional material on his accounts and consistently shares his aversion to social media in interviews.
Sheeran has also worked with the mental health charity Heads Together -- a patronage of the Royal Family -- and was part of a video in 2019 where he teamed up with another famous (ginger) mental health advocate, Prince Harry.
Pete Davidson
When Pete Davidson was engaged to Ariana Grande waaay back in the summer of 2018 and the attention around their fast-burning romance hit a fever-pitch, he abruptly deleted all of his Instagram posts after facing harassment from trolls on the platform.
“I just don't wanna be on Instagram anymore. Or on any social media platform,” Davidson shared at the time. “The internet is an evil place and it doesn't make me feel good." He reactivated his account several months later only to step back again in December of the same year, first posting a cryptic message that implied he might self-harm and friends and family rallied around him letting him know he was supported.
A few weeks after the incident, the SNL star, who has been open about his Borderline Personality Disorder diagnosis and management, confirmed that he was no longer using social media, telling Variety, “It doesn’t make me very happy.” He has largely stayed off of social media ever since. Since then, Pete will appear very rarely on his friend's social media.
How to maintain mental wellness on social media
So how can celebs, and everyday people, stay healthy while using social media since it's not always possible to take a break for career, family or myriad other reasons? Psychology Today has a few worthy recommendations.
Try putting your phone down, somewhere out of reach on a regular basis, creating time where you won’t be tempted to check it repeatedly. Use an app to track and limit your social media use if you find it hard to be disciplined about cutting back. Turn off social media notifications and consider setting “phone free days” in your calendar. Additionally, Shape Magazine suggests actively engaging in offline hobbies and buying an alarm clock so you don’t have to look at your phone as soon as you wake up.
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