How to Shut Down Online Trolls Without Losing Your Mind, According to Caroline Stanbury

Attention isn’t always applause. On Uncut & Uncensored, Caroline Stanbury strips away the gloss of being online, revealing what visibility really draws in when the pile-on starts. Stanbury’s insight is clear: Trolls are predictable, temporary, and far less powerful than they appear.

Stanbury speaks to the panic spiral that hits when your name trends for the wrong reasons. “You feel like the whole world is talking about you,” she says, “And I want to say they’re really not.”

Perspective is the power move here. She describes waking up to headlines and the stomach drop that follows, then reminds herself—and anyone with a public profile—how fast the cycle turns. “And then two days later, it’s over,” she muses. “No one gives two fucking hoots.” If a Real Housewives of Dubai star can handle the troll onslaught, you can, too.

Why trolls show up when you get visible

Trolls orbit attention, not truth. The more visible your goals, work, and wins become, the more likely a few bored spectators will try to grab your focus. To paraphrase Stanbury, it helps to remind yourself that the whole world is not, in fact, talking about you. When you internalize that frame, you stop handing strangers the steering wheel.

How trolls try to get under your skin (and how to resist)

Trolls aim for a reaction, and understanding their motivation—disruption, not dialogue—helps you stop taking the bait personally. They go for looks, family, age, or work because they want the click and the sweat. Stanbury flips that pressure back with a sharp gut check to her friends: “Have you ever written to another person and said, you look like shit, your family’s awful, your mother should die, your kids are this? Because I haven’t.” Once you see the difference between legitimate criticism (“I didn’t like your article”) and unwarranted cruelty (“you’re fat, ugly, and your mother sucks”), you can see what is, and isn’t, worthy of your energy.

Edit access aggressively. Tighten filters. Decide which topics you’ll discuss and which ones won’t get oxygen. When performative outrage appears, keep it moving. As Stanbury shrugs about the dramatic exit messages, “’I’m unfollowing you’? Well, fuck off then.”

Trolls feed on two things: your attention and your anxiety. Withhold both. Stanbury uses the internet’s short memory as a calming tool, knowing that “two days later, it’s over” reduces the urge to clap back immediately. If a comment is not made in good faith, don’t engage. Instead, put your energy where it counts: reply to your genuine community, pin supportive notes, and create content that resonates with the people who show up respectfully. Your real audience doesn’t need you to perform outrage or defend every criticism.

That mindset extends to metrics as well. You can care about growth without letting daily dips dictate your mood. When the conversation turns to fluctuating views, lead with consistency, not compulsion.

Keeping your peace while trolls rage online

Your nervous system deserves protection as much as your feed. Stanbury treats the mental health piece as non-negotiable. “The most important thing is to know what you can and cannot cope with and not allow it to affect you,” she advises.

She also leans on a simple, repeatable practice—choice. “Once you make that decision, it is easy to block out the noise,” she says, and that line doubles as a daily ritual. Curate inputs, shorten scroll sessions, and switch to real-life anchors when your pulse starts racing.

And when the line gets crossed—threats, doxxing, harassment—don’t debate. Document everything. Report through the platform, escalate if needed, and step back. None of that requires a public essay. It requires a paper trail and a calm refusal to wrestle with people who are only there to pull you off course.

Trolls will always exist, but they don’t get to narrate your story. Stanbury’s stance is your anchor: expect the noise, refuse the bait, and remember how quickly the storm passes. “And the louder you are, the more people will come for you,” she says—and that’s fine. You’re not here for universal approval. You’re here to pursue your purpose and protect your peace.

Let the trolls yell into the void while you keep moving. Two days from now, they won’t even remember why they were yelling. And you’ll still be building the work that matters.

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