On Sunday, 26-year-old actor Tom Holland announced he had taken a social media break as social media apps had become ‘detrimental’ to him as he would continue to read things about himself online and ‘spiral’.

Tom Holland highlights impact of social media on mental health

The Spider-Man actor explained, ‘There is an awful stigma against mental health and I know that asking for help and seeking help isn’t something we should be ashamed of.’

In his video, Tom then went on to say he felt compelled to come on [social media] to talk about @stem4org, one of the many charities @thebrotherstrust is extremely proud to support. ‘I’d like to take a moment to shine a light on their fantastic work … Love to you all, and let’s get talking about mental health.’

We are incredibly grateful to Tom for taking a few moments to record a video and talk authentically about the importance of protecting your mental health; that it’s important to speak out even if it’s difficult; and that there are alternatives, such as our evidence-based apps, that you can use to start the journey towards feeling better.

stem4 research on male mental health

Last year, stem4’s Movember research on male mental health found that more than one third* of boys and young men said they were currently experiencing mental health difficulties. Many also found social media stressful but found it hard to reach out and ask for help in real life, for fear of not being believed.

As Tom Holland (aka Spider-Man) has shown, it is in fact a superpower to ask for support to improve your mental health.

Be a superhero and support a friend’s mental health

Why not be a superhero and support a friend’s mental health with stem4’s free Combined Minds app?

Combined Minds is an app developed for teenage mental health charity stem4 by Dr. Nihara Krause, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, to help families and friends support young people with their mental health.

The Combined Minds app helps families and friends to find ways to provide the right environment to help the individuals they support affect their own change. As important influencers in the lives of young people, this provides positive impact on their mental health. Download for free on iOS and Android.

Want to read more?

Read about stem4’s findings on the impact of social media on mental health in the full press release.

*[Source: UK-wide survey of 1,068 boys and young men (801 aged 14–18 and 267 aged 19–21) carried out by Survey Goo, October 2021)