These Celebs Took a Social Media Break—And Maybe You Should, Too
Updated: Nov. 19, 2019
Is it time for a social media break like these celebs? Find out why these A-listers pushed pause on their Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Who couldn’t use a social media break? Turns out, celebs—like Gigi Hadid—are just like us
Model Gigi Hadid announced that she was taking a week-long social media break, because, she said, “it’s good for the soulll.”
Not only is social media incredibly addictive (you’ve probably been on at least one network in the past 30 minutes), but science says it can make us feel inadequate, sad, jealous and more isolated. (Plus, it can affect our sleep.) What’s more, users can mistake social interaction on a network for real-life interaction, making time alone feel more satisfying.
Being in the limelight, whether you’re an actress, model, singer or professional athlete, can weigh heavily on the human psyche. Some have said it’s made them feel like they’re being constantly judged (which they are) and like they have no privacy. Social media just adds another layer, with fans and trolls able to communicate with stars whenever they feel like it—and not always in a positive manner.
Daisy Ridley has decided to do a social media break for her mental health
Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley agrees. In an interview with BBC’s Radio Times, she said she thinks social media is “highly unhealthy for people’s mental health” and that she took herself off last year and “will never get back on.”
While Ridley’s absence seems to be permanent so far, most celebrities (like Hadid) take breaks every now and then, citing their mental health. (Psst: Did you know social media has the power to harm your self-worth?)
Tay-Tay says “Look what you made me do!”
Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian West and her hubby, Kanye, have all taken breaks from their social accounts for various reasons.
Taylor famously went silent on social media following a feud with Kim and Kanye. While she didn’t make a formal announcement, she stopped posting, only breaking it to promote friends’ album releases or send birthday wishes to someone in her famous squad. She eventually returned after a year-long hiatus to promote her new album, but what she shares and how often she shares now is definitely different than it was before. (See the surprising way social media is promoting social isolation.)
Selena Gomez didn’t mind going on-again, off-again with Insta
Selena Gomez also took a break after she became the most-followed person on Instagram. In an interview with Vogue, she said she “kind of freaked out” when it happened, and that she always ended up feeling like sh*t when she would look at Instagram.
A couple who takes a social media break together, stays together
Kim Kardashian West, who at one point would have been classified as an oversharer on social media, took a three-month break from all her networks after she was robbed in Paris. In interviews, she revealed that she had thought the terrifying incident may have been caused by her need to share all details of her life on social media. Her sister Khloe told Ellen DeGeneres that Kim took the break, “just [to] make sure [she’s] protected as well as possible.”
Kim’s husband Kanye didn’t cite any reasons for his social media hiatus, but his strange behaviour over the years (rants at concerts, skipping the MET gala) indicates it was probably a decision that was made to benefit his mental health. The only social media platform you’ll find him active on these days is Twitter.
Is it time for you to take a social media break?
As Ferris Bueller once famously said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it,” and life certainly doesn’t happen on our phones.
Now that you’ve learned which celebs have taken a social media break, next check out the sign that you’re oversharing on social media.
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