Selena Gomez, who is the most-followed woman on Instagram, has dished on why leaving the social media platform was the best decision she’s made for her mental health
Selena Gomez, who used to be the number one most-followed user on Instagram, says that quitting the social media platform was “the most rewarding gift” as she “felt more human” since leaving.
The Only Murders in the Building star took a step away from social media and she claims that it is one of the best things she could’ve done for her mental health. She said that she has had a social media team running her account for four years and the lengthy break has greatly contributed to her overall happiness.
During a recent appearance at the 2024 TIME 100 Summit, Selena revealed: “I took four years off of Instagram and I let my team post for me,” and added: “I felt like it was the most rewarding gift I gave myself. I was more present. I was happier.”
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The 31-year-old singer says that instead of endlessly scrolling and interacting with friends over social media, she prefers to pick up the phone and have a real conversation to catch up. And although not everyone can have a team run their accounts, Selena urged that it is “important to take breaks.”
The former Spring Breakers star said that leaving social media gave her the time and energy to focus on other aspects of her life and make her feel more present on a day-to-day basis. She explained: “You get the chance to actually engage with the world a little bit better,” she said, adding, “You get the chance to spend your energy in other places.”
Just last year, Selena was crowned the most-followed woman on the social media platform with a whopping 429 million followers after passing famous model and reality star Kylie Jenner. And while some were shocked by this feat, others thought it made perfect sense as Selena has maintained an unproblematic presence in the public eye and has a likeable down-to-earth personality. Overall, she is the third most-followed user on Instagram, falling behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
In a Reddit thread, users discussed why they believed the former Wizards of Waverly Place star was able to pull off the impressive stat. One user wrote: “She’s hits all the demographics. Kids love her, millennials grew up with her and the boomers think she’s lovely. Hit all marks and you’re golden.” And another added: “My parents love her because they love Only Murders In The Building. I love Rare Beauty. So she reaches a broad audience.” And a third wrote: “My mother, who is in the boomer demographic, said to me one day that she’s different from most of the Disney girls and she’s very likable and real.”
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