Here’s How Selena Gomez Protects Her Mental Health on Social Media

The singer-actress has taken measures to create ‘boundaries’ on Instagram.
Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez / Dan MacMedan/USA TODAY NETWORK

Falling within the top five public figures with the most followers on Instagram, Selena Gomez has 428 million dedicated fans who regularly consume her content in their feeds. She often shares work updates, lifestyle snaps and, since they went public with their relationship late last year, sweet pics with her boyfriend, 36-year-old producer Benny Blanco, on the platform.

In recent years, the Only Murders in the Building star has been outspoken about her frustration with social media in general, and has taken a break from her accounts on more than one occasion in order to protect her mental health.

In a new interview with TODAY, the 31-year-old Rare Beauty founder opened up about the measures she’s taken of late to continue to use social platforms like Instagram while prioritizing her emotional well-being.

“I disabled all my comments on my photos on Instagram for only my friends,” she told the outlet of her new social media habits. “So I think I’ve created boundaries to help me.”

With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, Gomez’s advice where boundaries are concerned comes at a time that could be useful to any of us who are likewise suffering from burnout online. The “Love On” singer noted that, of course, limiting comments on her posts hasn’t come without some backlash from critics.

"People fussed about it,” she added of the move, which automatically helps filter out negativity. “They fuss about everything. I felt empowered by doing that, by saying, ‘This is just for me.’”


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Cara O’Bleness
CARA O’BLENESS

Cara is a trending news writer/editor for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. A passionate writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience in print and online media, she loves storytelling and believes that words have the power to change the world. Prior to joining the team, Cara worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, Cara loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University's School of Journalism.