Paige Spiranac Breaks Silence on Social Media Absence Amid Mental Health Challenges
Golf influencer Paige Spiranac has finally addressed her noticeable quiet period on social media in 2026, revealing that she has been grappling with anxiety and a personal funk. With over 5.5 million followers across platforms, including 4 million on Instagram alone, her absence had sparked curiosity among fans.
Opening Up About Anxiety and Overthinking
During a fan Q&A session on Tuesday, Spiranac candidly shared her struggles. She explained that she has been "in a bit of a funk" for some time, dealing with anxiety that has led to overthinking everything. "I feel like I've just been so in my head about everything, and I'm just trying to work through it," she said on her Instagram Story. "I think that's why I haven't been posting as much because I am just overthinking everything, and I just feel like my anxiety has taken control."
Spiranac emphasized that this is not a short-term issue but something she has been working through for a while. She expressed her intention to push past these challenges and return to more active posting, aiming to reconnect with her audience authentically.
Beyond Social Media: A Break from Golf and Personal Reflections
Her hiatus extends beyond social media; Spiranac also revealed that she has not been hitting the golf course much recently. When asked about the biggest misconception about her, she admitted feeling "really misunderstood" and discussed how she has built walls to protect herself in the public eye. "I think I put barriers up to protect myself and started to morph and change into a person that I didn't really recognize," she shared, per the New York Post. This year, she is focusing on showing more of her true self rather than explaining or defending her actions.
Posting Activity and Future Plans
So far in 2026, Spiranac's social media activity has been minimal, with just one post and three reels on her Instagram feed, along with occasional Stories. Looking ahead, she is channeling her energy into creative projects, including developing a "fun golf series" and potentially launching her own product line. These initiatives aim to blend her passion for golf with her personal brand, offering fans new content as she navigates her mental health journey.
Recalling Past Controversy and Online Hate
Spiranac's current struggles are not isolated from past experiences. In November 2025, she faced intense online backlash during the Barstool Internet Invitational golf tournament, where she was accused of cheating after a video showed her trampling grass to improve a ball's lie. Although the incident did not affect the game's outcome, it sparked a wave of hate, including tens of thousands of death threats. "The last week and a half is probably the worst hate I've ever received in the ten years of me doing this," she recalled during an Instagram Live session, highlighting the severe impact of online trolling on her mental well-being.
This controversy, which involved discussions with fellow golfer Peter Finch, underscored the pressures and scrutiny faced by public figures in the digital age. Spiranac's openness about these challenges sheds light on the broader issues of mental health and cyberbullying in the influencer community.
As Spiranac works through her anxiety, her story serves as a reminder of the importance of mental health awareness and resilience in the face of public scrutiny. Fans and followers are likely to support her as she embarks on this journey of self-discovery and recovery.
