While McCary’s account still exists, no posts remain, and Stone not only doesn’t have Instagram, she doesn’t even possess a computer (though she has a full-service smart phone).
“I’m not outwardly on social media,” she told Fresh Air host Terry Gross on NPR in January. “I look at things on social media…I see it but I don’t have any desire to have a social media presence myself or have my own account. It’s not for me, it’s not for my brain.”
Stone, who’s spoken frankly about her struggles with anxiety and panic attacks, explained that the pressure to engage would be too great, and the inevitable regrets wouldn’t be worth it.
“I think it would make me spiral,” she said. “I think any time any event occurred anywhere in the world I would be afraid that I need to write something, and then I would be afraid I wrote the wrong thing and that I’m being reactive and that I’m not thinking enough. I think I would see too much targeted… stuff. I just don’t think it’s good for me, mentally.”