Growing up in front of millions of people is never easy. Especially when we talk about Millie Bobby Brown, fame arrived when she was just 12 after Stranger Things became a global hit.But success came with online bullying, scrutiny and harsh words. At an early age she faced unsolicited comments on her appearance. Social media has been tough on her that she candidly mentioned a few times. Millie was never a social butterfly. She navigated a number of issues while trying to socialise.Instead of allowing social media to dictate how she felt about herself, Brown made a bold decision. At the age of 18, she removed social media from her phone.At present, it is her team who continues to manage her official Instagram and Facebook accounts. She left them to restore her mental health in 2021 and never looked back. Although to connect with her friends she is the one who captions her pictures and posts.Her experience offers valuable lessons for anyone looking to build a healthier relationship with social media.
Protect your peace by setting boundaries
As Brown had revealed on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that she deleted social media from her phone because the constant comments made her feel “horrible.” We often see how social media gets very difficult for people, especially for women.So, Millie instead of choosing chaos, chose to make peace with her mental health.Rather than continuing to expose herself to negativity, she chose to create distance.The lesson is simple: you don’t have to be available online all the time when it is messing up your mental health.
Don’t let strangers define your self-worth
Brown once explained that online hate was painful, but it was more excruciating because she was still a girl who was discovering who she was.Her words will act as a reminder that any kind of anonymous opinions should never become the measure of your value.You should go against every odds, every criticism to shine through, no matter what.Confidence grows when you focus on your own journey instead of seeking validation from people you’ll never meet. That’s what Millie taught us.
Stop comparing yourself to unrealistic standards
Social media criticism often makes us feel very insecure about ourselves. We start to question every choice regarding what we eat, how we dress, talk etc.Bobbie referred to social media as “hell” for young women. This kind of response comes from the saddening fact that social media is not safe for women. It lowers one’s self-esteem and confidence to an extreme level.But, self love comes from acceptance. Not facing negative comments automatically restores your mental peace and you stop comparing yourself with other people you come across on social media.Taking a break from these comparisons can improve self-esteem. Instead of chasing perfection online, invest your energy in activities that make you feel confident in real life.
Choose real-life connections over endless scrolling
Although Brown still communicates with fans through official channels, she invests her valuable time in her work, family, animals and personal interests.This gives us another lesson that if you are extremely inclined towards your own interest, nothing can tear you apart.Being vested and dedicated towards fashions and hobbies that you love will automatically improve your quality as a person.She has often spoken about enjoying the quieter life she has built away from the constant noise of the internet.Her choice highlights an important truth: meaningful relationships and hobbies often provide far greater happiness than endlessly refreshing a social media feed.
Limiting your exposure to online hate
If a problem is recurring, what you do is first protect your sanity. Millie did that. The constant hateful messages, angry threatswere hard for her to ignore.But shutting them down was essential.As Allure magazine reported, ‘it’s hard to escape the fact that people are obsessed with everything Millie says and does.’The actor had been targeted by inappropriate sexual remarks, something she has tried her best to ignore, but the effects lingered.When you can’t change the people around you, you try to stop the source of your pain. Millie smartly did that. She deleted her social media which automatically stopped her exposure to online hate, bringing her mental sanity.
