Spider-Man star Tom Holland taking a break from social media for his mental health

Spider-Man star Tom Holland reportedly took time off from social media last week after he was seen struggling with depression. In recent months Holland has been open about how much he relies on social media for his personal well-being and what he calls a “crutch”. He said at the beginning of 2019 that he was feeling anxious and had lost hope in his career. He said he felt “depressed” and “unmotivated”. In February he revealed that he had turned down movie roles for financial reasons and for fear of becoming typecast as another superhero. He told GQ magazine: “I don’t want to do it forever.”

Tom Holland’s father Peter confirmed that his son was suffering from anxiety and depression. His mother Julia added that they were trying to help him cope with his problems but that it was hard work. She told the Mail On Sunday newspaper: “His social media use is a crutch for him. That’s not what we want for him.”

“It’s really difficult,” she added. “He’s got to look after himself. But I’m proud of him for doing it. He does have anxiety and depression.”

Peter said that his son was dealing with the pressure of being famous and having fans following him around. He added: “The paparazzi and people stalking him are something we’ve never dealt with before. And it’s just getting worse.”

Tom Holland has continued to tweet regularly since he left social media last week. He has posted several videos for his fans to enjoy including clips from Marvel movies. One video showed him playing guitar and singing along to Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off.

Many stars, including Tom Cruise and Oprah Winfrey, have spoken out about their struggles with depression. Last year Tom Cruise opened up about his battle with depression and admitted that he had considered suicide. He wrote on Instagram: “Depression is no joke. If you feel depressed, please reach out. You’re not alone. There is always hope.” Others who suffer from depression include Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Mariah Carey.

Mariah wrote in her blog post: “You’re not alone. Depression doesn’t discriminate.”

Tom Holland may be taking some time away from social media but he did tweet last night saying he was going out to eat with friends.

Tom Holland’s mom Julia said that she hoped he would return to Twitter soon and give his fans some updates. She said: “We love him so much. We hope he comes back soon.”

Despite all the talk about his mental health and how much he relies on his followers, Tom Holland only has 10 million followers on Twitter.

Tom Holland first became known for playing Spider-Man in the blockbuster film series Spider-Man (2002).

He went on to play Tony Stark/Iron Man in Iron Man 2 (2008), Captain America in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and Civil War (2016).

He starred alongside Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo and Chris Hemsworth in Avengers: Infinity War (2018).

After filming finished, Tom Holland returned to New York City where he lives with his parents. He was spotted leaving his house wearing a black T-shirt and jeans while carrying two bags.