As more and more jump ship: 11 celebrities who've quit social media to protect their mental health

As Tom Holland leaves social media, remember: self care is paramount.

Actor Tom Holland has today announced that he is taking an extended break from social media. He shared that he finds it "over-stimulating" and often "spirals" when he reads certain content.

If you've ever whiled away hours doomscrolling on Instagram, watching TikTok videos or scrolling a Twitter thread, you're not alone - even the celebrities do it.

For some, social media can be overarchingly positive and a source of inspiration, connecting them with like-minded individuals and communities, for others, it's a distraction that can negatively impact their outlook on the world.

How? Well, as the experts at mental health charity MIND detail, it can increase feelings of negativity, anxiety, depression, self comparison and more, with one Royal Society For Public Health survey finding 91% of those surveyed found using social media make their feelings of anxiety worse.

A whole host of celebrities, alongside Tom, who don't use social media at all or have taken a brief hiatus from online outlets for the sake of their mental health including Selena Gomez, Adele, Ed Sheeran, and more.

For those who are struggling with their mental health, Read our guides to how to talk about your mental health, mental health apps, and online therapy, while you're here. Knowing when it’s time to get mental health help and how to help someone who is suicidal are both paramount.

11 celebrities who don't use social media (or have deleted it in the past) for mental health reasons

1. Tom Holland

In a video posted on his Instagram account, which has racked up over 20 million views, he said: "I am taking a break from social media for my mental health, because I find Instagram and Twitter to be over stimulating, to be overwhelming, I get caught up and I spiral when I read things about me online, and ultimately it’s detrimental to my mental stats.  So I have decided to take a step back and delete the app."

Tom continued to recommend supportive charities and organisations to help those suffering too, which he detailed in the caption.

He wrote: "Hello and goodbye... I felt compelled to come on here to talk about @stem4org . Stem4 is one of the many charities @thebrotherstrust is extremely proud to support - and I’d like to take a moment to shine a light on their fantastic work."

"Please take the time to watch my video, and should you feel inclined to share it with anyone who it may resonate with - it would be greatly appreciated."

"Love to you all, and let’s get talking about mental health."

2. Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez has long been a vocal advocate for protecting your mental health and she's been through a social media journey of her own.

Back in 2017, she deleted her Instagram account after it had been hacked. Since then, Selena - who recently celebrated her 30th birthday - shares that she deletes the app from her phone once a week because she found she was "fixating" on negative comments.

Speaking previously to The New York Times, the Only Murders In The Building star said: "I delete the app from my phone at least once a week.

"You can't avoid it sometimes [reading hurtful remarks]. You fixate on the [negative] ones. They're not like, 'You're ugly.' It's like they want to cut to your soul. Imagine all the insecurities that you already feel about yourself and having someone write a paragraph pointing out every little thing — even if it's just physical."

3. Millie Bobby Brown

The Stranger Things star deleted her Twitter account in 2018, as she was targeted by trolls after photos of her alongside homophobic captions emerged on social media and became viral.

In 2022, Millie - who portrays Eleven in the hit Netflix series - also quit TikTok. It's thought this was because of the volume of alleged inappropriate and hateful messages she was receiving.

4. Lizzo

While the singer certainly has social media at current - she's always going viral for her body-positive videos and self-love-promoting captions that inspire fans to feel confident - she often deletes her apps to protect her mental health.

After being faced with "internet bullies" and "too many trolls," she quit social media in 2020.

Speaking in a Live Q&A on Instagram, the Juice hitmaker said: "Now I've gotten to a point where I'm not just dealing with internet bullies; I'm dealing with seeing a lot of negativity on the internet dealing with everyone."

One year later, in conjunction with the release of her track Rumors featuring Cardi B, Lizzo made her comeback in the best way.

She tweeted: "Hey y'all.. heard I was trending so I decided to come back on here.. what I miss?"

5. Kanye West

Kanye West has had an on-off romance with social media. He quit online platforms many years ago, but he regulatly seems to reactivate his Instagram, only for it to be deleted again.

Over the last year, he's been on and off Instagram, during which he commented on former partner Kim Kardashian's parenting skills.

However, Kanye has recently deleted every post on the photo-sharing site, except for one, which is a photo of a quote and reads: "Look to the children. Look to the homeless. As the biggest inspiration for all design."

6. Harry Styles

Harry Styles, as well as former One Direction band member Zayn Malik, have regularly taken breaks from social media over the years.

The As It Was hitmaker has described social media as "super dangerous" and shared in a conversation with Timothée Chalamet for i-D that he "dips" in and out of posting online for his mental health.

In the interview, he said: "Someone once described it to me like a house party, where there are three people who are great and 23 people who aren’t that nice. You just wouldn’t go to that party, would you? That kind of summarises my feelings about social media. I dip in. I see the friends I want to see and I dip out."

7. Daisy Ridley

Celebrities who don't use social media span Star Wars actors, too. Daisy Ridley deleted her Instagram in 2016 yet came out of "social media hibernation" in April this year after six years.

Ridley left the site after she coming under fire for a photo which appeared to support gun control.

Speaking in 2017 to Glamour about her decision to come off the site, she said: "It's not good for me, personally. I'm just not equipped for it. I'm super sensitive— not too sensitive— but I really feel things."

Years later and she is back on the 'Gram - she broke her hiatus with a photo of her wearing an LED eye mask and sipping a cup of tea. The post read: "Coming out of social media hibernation refreshed, recharged, and ready for what I'm calling my "Year of Yes". (And that's the tea.)"

8. Kendall Jenner

Similar to Selena, Kendall Jenner takes a brief hiatus from social media from time to time because she found she'd developed an unhealthy obsession with it.

Speaking about her Instagram detox to Ellen Degeneres in 2017, she said: "I just wanted a little bit of a break. I would wake up in the morning and look at it first thing, I would go to bed and it would be the last thing I looked at. I felt a little too dependent on it so I wanted to take a minute."

See - there are loads of celebrities who don't use social media..

9. Adele

Adele has long been quiet on social media - while she has an active account, she rarely posts or comments - despite having over 50 million followers on her Instagram platform alone.

That's probably because the account isn't even hers. She revealed in an interview with Elle that she doesn't actually have the password to her official Instagram account.

She did set up a secret Twitter account earlier this year to keep a check on things after she canceled her Vegas tour, but she admitted that this only upset her more. She said: "I was embarrassed. I went into hiding."

10. Justin Bieber

Another of the celebrities who don't use social media? Justin Bieber, who's also been on and off social media over the years.

Back in the summer of 2016, the Sorry hitmaker was overwhelmed by hateful comments about his former flame Sofia Richie and deleted his comments to protect his own mental wellbeing.

Justin - who is now happily married to Hailey Bieber - returned to Instagram in 2017.

11. Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran took a famously year-long break from social media, and the music business, back in 2015.

During this time he went travelling and enjoyed being off the radar where he was able to write and more music.

Speaking about his break he said: "I find myself seeing the world through a screen and not my eyes so I'm taking this opportunity of me not having to be anywhere or do anything to travel the world and see everything I missed."

Just a few years later and he also cut off his Twitter account to avoid the trolling. He told The Sun: "I go on it and there’s nothing but people saying mean things. Twitter’s a platform for that. The head-f*** for me has been trying to work out why people dislike me so much."

If you are struggling with your mental health or know someone who is, Samaritans is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Simply call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org. Whether you’re struggling or someone you know is, their experts are there to help.

Mind also has various outlets to reach out if you need help, you can email info@mind.org.uk, or call 0300 123 3393, as the textphone has closed.