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Selena Gomez opened up about her on-again, off-again relationship with social media during a panel discussion at the 2024 TIME100 Summit in New York City on April 24. The singer and actress, who holds the title of the most-followed woman on Instagram with over 429 million followers, explained that taking a break from the constant stimulation of social media has been the "most rewarding gift."
"I took four years off of Instagram and I let my team post for me. I felt like it was the most rewarding gift I gave myself. I was more present. I was happier," she said.
The 31-year-old actress entered showbiz as a child and was propelled into fame overnight when she played the sardonic Alex Russo in Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place at the age of 15. The Single Soon singer has always been vocal about her mental health struggles and the impact of social media on her, often going on breaks for her well-being.
"I find it frustrating"— Selena Gomez on social media
Selena Gomez was one of the many guests at the 2024 TIME100 Summit, which included actor Elliot Page, Olympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad, WNBA champion A'ja Wilson, author Margaret Atwood, 68th Secretary of State John Kerry, and actor Jane Fonda, to name a few.
At the 2024 TIME100 Summit, Gomez took to the stage to talk about her cosmetics company, Rare Beauty, in a conversation centered around 'The Beauty of Impact.' The panel, moderated by TIME senior editor Lucy Feldman, also saw Elyse Cohen, Vice President of Social Impact and Inclusion at Rare Beauty, join Gomez on stage.
Addressing her ambivalent relationship with social media, Selena Gomez said that she found it "frustrating," adding:
“I find it frustrating. Then I get a little mouthy, and I want to defend the people I love.”
According to CNBC, she said that avoiding social media helped her feel "more human," reiterating the importance of taking breaks. The Only Murders In The Building actress also said that she liked hearing about her friends' lives' via phone calls instead of Instagram stories.
Selena Gomez also opened up about her struggles with mental health after she revealed that she'd been diagnosed with bipolar disorder in her 2020 documentary Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, a decision she claimed was "freeing."
“All these confusing things were happening. Once I finally found the answer, it wasn't ‘Oh, I have this problem.’ It actually made me feel better to know and understand what was happening in my mind,” she said in the panel.
As someone who attended various voluntary programs to learn to cope with depression, anxiety, and panic attacks, Gomez highlighted the importance of Rare Beauty's focus on creating a community that is open and supportive of mental health through the Rare Impact Fund.
In the panel, Selena Gomez also revealed that seeking out "alone time" vastly improved her mental health and how stepping away from social media has been a rewarding experience.
Selena Gomez is currently in New York City shooting the fourth season of her hit series Only Murders In The Building with Steve Martin and Martin Short. Her other projects include her movie Emilia Perez, slated for premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, and the Wizards of Waverly Place revival.
She has been dating singer and record producer Benny Blanco since June 2023 after being friends and collaborators for a decade.
