Tom Holland Explained His Social Media Break & Shared Mental Health Resources

Over the last year, Tom Holland’s Instagram has given us such hits as “My MJ” (the first official nod to his relationship with Zendaya), adorable puppies, and behind-the-scenes snaps with his fellow Spider-Man alums Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. But you may have noticed that the Crowded Room star hasn’t been quite as active on social media recently — and on Aug. 13, he hopped on Instagram for one more post to explain why.

“I have taken a break from social media for my mental health,” Holland said in the new video — his first post since July 1, “because I find Instagram and Twitter to be overstimulating, to be overwhelming. I get caught up and I spiral when I read things about me online. And ultimately it’s very detrimental to my mental state, so I decided to take a step back and delete the app.”

Holland wasn’t only logging on to update his fans, though. On his “very, very brief return to Instagram,” as he called it, he took a moment to advocate for mental health charity stem4, which he’s supporting via his family’s Brothers Trust organization.

As Holland explained, stem4 provides mental health resources geared toward teenagers — including four free apps: Calm Harm, “to help manage and reduce intense emotions such as the urge to self-harm”; Clear Fear, “to help manage and reduce symptoms of anxiety”; Combined Minds, “to help friends and family members support a young person’s mental health”; and Move Mood, “to increase motivation and lift low moods.” Holland said he’s downloaded and tried all four — and encouraged his followers to do the same, if they need support.

“There is an awful stigma against mental health,” Holland explained. “And I know that asking for help and seeking help isn’t something that we should be ashamed of. But it is something that is much easier said than done.”

This isn’t the first time Holland has taken a social media break. In 2020, he told E! News that he was stepping away from Instagram after becoming “obsessed” with the platform. “It was taking over my life ... I think you use it as a distraction to distract yourself from things you don’t want to face in life, so when you step up and face them, you can get over them and you become happier.”

If you or someone you know is seeking help for mental health concerns, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website, or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264). For confidential treatment referrals, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website, or call the National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). In an emergency, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or call 911.