Madison Beer Opens Up About Social Media Anxiety and Past Trauma
Global pop sensation Madison Beer, who commands an audience of over 60 million followers across social media platforms, has candidly revealed her deeply troubled relationship with the online world. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the 26-year-old singer confessed that social media leaves her feeling "constantly anxious" and triggers weekly impulses to abandon her accounts entirely.
The Weekly Struggle with Digital Participation
"My relationship with social media is really poor. I feel like I'm constantly anxious and feeling like I want to delete all my social media," Beer disclosed. "It's something I actually struggle with weekly, where I will have a thought: I don't want to participate in any of that stuff anymore."
The singer, known for hits like "Make You Mine," described how positive fan interactions occasionally provide temporary relief from her digital distress. "Then I'll go on TikTok, and I'll see someone post a video crying about how much they love me and how excited they are for my tour. OK, obviously this is what I would love to only ever see, positive, nice things like that."
The Reality of Online Hate and Unfair Restrictions
However, Beer quickly acknowledged the darker reality of her online experience. "The reality is that's not the truth, and I will always see a video that's a hate video or some nasty tweet or whatever it is." She expressed frustration about the unfairness of her situation compared to peers. "[It's] not fair that I don't get to be on [social media]. I'm a 26-year-old girl. Most girls my age are on TikTok and able to scroll and [have] it not be an issue."
"I have to sit and be worried that I'm going to see a mean video about myself," Beer continued. "Obviously, it's not the biggest issue in the world, but it still is something that's hard, and it's upsetting."
Early Trauma from Online Bullying
The singer, who was discovered at age 12 when Justin Bieber tweeted a link to her YouTube cover of Etta James' "At Last," revealed how negative attention profoundly affected her during her vulnerable teenage years. In a separate interview with The Guardian, Beer recalled, "People are so quick to be like: 'This is what's wrong with this person,' and attack someone's character."
She specifically referenced the intense online harassment she received from fans of her first boyfriend, Jack Gilinsky of the pop-rap duo Jack & Jack. "The first boyfriend I had... I got so much hate from his fanbase and all of these people online. I learned, very early, that people can be quite cruel."
Beer was just 15 when she began dating the 18-year-old Gilinsky in 2015, with their relationship ending two years later after a recording allegedly capturing Gilinsky verbally abusing her was leaked. Reflecting on that period, Beer noted, "I would hope that people are now like, 'Bullying a 15-year-old is unacceptable,' whereas when I was 15, that wasn't really a conversation. I didn't really feel very protected."
Healing Through Therapy and Moving Forward
The "Good in Goodbye" hitmaker has made significant efforts to overcome these negative experiences through professional help and personal growth. "I feel like I'm just at a point in my life where I'm doing my thing, and I'm focusing on my music and my career," Beer explained. "I've done a lot of therapy, especially regarding those early years, and I've really tried to let go of it all."
She emphasized the importance of releasing negativity. "Holding animosity, hatred and negativity towards things like that [doesn't] do me any good. I've completely let go of it, and I don't care. That's not my issue, not my circus."
Current Relationship and Personal Support System
For the past six months, Beer has been in a relationship with Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, 27. She spoke glowingly about her partner during an appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast with host Alex Cooper in December. "I feel, like, taken care of in a way that I can break down and like I have someone to lean on, and I think it's important," Beer shared.
The singer continues to balance her high-profile career with personal challenges, having recently walked the runway and performed at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York last October, while also making a striking appearance at the Grammy Awards in February wearing a dramatic cut-out gown.
