Spider-Man Star Tom Holland Announces Social Media Break Citing Mental Health

Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: No Way Home star Tom Holland is no stranger to taking breaks from social media, having  removed himself from Instagram in the past. The Marvel actor has now taken to Instagram once again to announce that he’s stepping away from social media, deleting the Twitter and Instagram apps from his phone, and citing his mental health as the main reason.  “I find Instagram and Twitter to be overstimulating, to be overwhelming,” Holland said in a video online. “I get caught up and I spiral when I read things about me online and ultimately it’s very detrimental to my mental state.”

Holland spent most of the video speaking about a series of helpful apps from the charity stem4, a collective that he works with via his The Brothers Trust organization. He spoke specifically about the four different apps that stem4 offers and how his group helps to support them, directing fans to both the stem4 website as well as The Brothers Trust, which he runs alongside his three younger brothers. You can find a full transcript of Holland’s statement and the video itself below.

“Hi guys, so I’ve been trying to make this do an hour now, and for someone that has spent the last 13, 14 years, however long I’ve been acting, I cannot seem to say what I need to say without ‘umming’ and ‘arring’ every five minutes. So I’m going to try again. So I have taken a break from social media for my mental health, 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.”

“On this very, very brief return to Instagram, I thought it would be very important and a good idea to shed some light on a charity that we sponsor which is stem4. Stem4 is a wonderfully innovative education program. Its pioneering apps, clinically advised website, and its mental health conferences helped contribute towards helping young kids who were suffering.”

“There are four apps that they offer. They are all completely free. The first one is to Calm Harm and to help manage and reduce intense emotions such as the urge to self harm. The second is Clear Fear, to help manage and reduce the symptoms of anxiety. The third is Combined Minds, to help friends and family members support a young person’s mental health, and finally the fourth one is Move Mood, to increase motivation and lift low moods.”

“The Brothers Trust is supporting this charity because we think it’s a fantastic cause. There is an awful stigma against mental health 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. So hopefully these apps can be your first step towards being happier and healthier.”

“So thank you for listening, but something that’s also very important is that these charities also need help. The Brothers Trust is a fund raising vehicle to help raise money so these charities can continue to do the fantastic work that they’re doing. So if you feel so inclined to help us help them and in turn help others, go to our website, buy yourself a t-shirt, all of the money goes to all of the charities that we support. So we greatly appreciate your love and support.  Again, if you’re suffering, and you need help, download one of the apps that stem4 has to offer. I have all of them, I’ve tried them all, they’re all fantastic. They’re really helpful. So again thank you for listening. I’m going to disappear from Instagram again. And to everyone out there thanks for your love and support. I love you all, and I’ll speak to you soon.”

Holland can next be seen in the Apple TV+ series The Crowded Room, which is now filming in New York.