Zac Efron forced to leave Twitter and Instagram over trolls: 'I lost my mind because of the internet'

The actor says he harboured negative comments even when they were outnumbered by positive responses

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Zac Efron has had to hand over control of his social media accounts because of criticism on the internet.

In an experience that is being increasingly described by those trying to navigate social media with high profiles, Efron said he hired a person to run his Twitter and Instagram accounts because his depression was worsened by comments he received at a time when he was also struggling with drug and alcohol abuse.

“I lost my mind because of the internet,” he told The Times. “I’d read 30 positive things and one bad thing, then I’d harbour that bad thing. It drove me crazy.”

Despite the distance, Efron still managed to err on social media earlier this year with a “completely insensitive” post marking Martin Luther King day which also celebrated his own burgeoning Instagram following. The post was quickly deleted and replaced with an apology.

The 28-year-old just is one of a number of actors and singers forced off Twitter and Instagram by commenters. Lena Dunham still devises her own tweets but has someone to post them for her in order to create a distance between her and trolls.

As someone who is vocal about politics and feminism, Dunham was a target for misogynistic trolls. She explained: ”I think that even if you think you can separate yourself from the verbal violence that is being directed at you, it creates some really cancerous stuff inside you, even if you think 'Oh I can read 10 mentions that say I should be stoned to death, and laugh and move on', those aren't words that should be directed at you. For me, personally, it was safer to stop.“

The Girls creator still posts herself on her Instagram account, which she describes as a “safer” space.