Generally, social media is great. Checking in on all our favourite celebs? Yes, please. Wholesome dog content? We’re there. Online activism? Sign us up.

Despite all of the fun and frivolities however, it’s no secret that all the time we spend online can very easily impact our mental health: it often has the capacity to warp how we perceive ourselves and those around us.

Studies conducted among University students, for example, have shown that those who limit their social media use feel better than those who don’t, resulting in reduced feelings of loneliness and anxiety. 

Unsurprisingly, as people like us, celebrities are not immune to the allure of social media. 

But is still something that is rarely spoken about openly and honestly by celebrities. Sharing the parts of your life that aren’t all fun and games can be hard, unappealing, and just downright exhausting for an individual.

Dove Cameron, former Disney actress and star of upcoming musical film Descendant 3, has done just this, however. On Twitter, the star spoke out about how taking a break from social media has positively impacted her mental health.

The actress revealed to fans back in December that she was struggling with anxiety and feeling like she hadn’t been the “best version” of herself. Cameron went on to say she was going to trial a social media break to see if this had a positive impact on her sense of self. 

This week, Cameron tweeted again to follow up with a very honest statement about how limiting her social media time has made her feel. 

Cameron’s positive progress shows that taking self-care breaks from apps and social is a-okay, and so too is prioritising your mental health. 

Another global superstar, Selena Gomez has similarly in the past openly discussed her conflicted relationship with social media platforms, and has actively taken breaks from sites to improve her mental and physical health.

The conversation about mental health is still not necessarily an easy one to have: there is still a lot of stigma around talking about mental health, and making the intimately private aspects of our minds public is not quite as easy as sharing a fierce selfie. That said, when celebrities opening up about these struggles and starting the conversation, it does everyone a world of good.

Fans of Cameron responded to her tweets in droves, offering support and sharing similar experiences with social media.

When role models like Cameron share their feelings, it reminds us that we are all just people and that highlight-reeling our lives on social media isn’t anyone’s actual reality. And that can only be a good thing. 

Images: Getty