"Don't do it! - Life passes by too fast" - Scarborough woman speaks out about what it's really like to share content online

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In a candid interview with the Scarborough News, she opens up about life after leaving the social media platform.

Michaela Ogilvie, 34, grew up in Scarborough.

She endured a turbulent childhood, and after being diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 13, ended up in the care system and expelled from school.

But a social worker helped put her on the right path and Michaela went on to further her education.

She got a degree, and then took up a job in social care. But she grew disillusioned with the system.

After leaving her job and moving away, she got drawn into the online world and was convinced by others to start uploading content on Tik Tok.

“I was told I was the most beautiful thing they had seen on the internet - and like a fool, I believed it,” she said.

“I was cashing out £3,000 a week.

“Then one day, while I was drunk, I was encouraged to open my robe and get into more sexy clothing. I didn’t even think about being screenshot.

“That’s how I ended up doing OnlyFans. I’d already been exploited so I thought I might as well put it out there online.

“It’s one thing to take intimate photos and send them to your partner, but I didn’t think about the people on the other side of the screen.

“I was sucked in by the money. I was love-bombed and made to feel people really loved me, then trolled and my private contact details were leaked on Tik Tok multiple times.

“I tried to report it, but I was told it comes with the job. In that line of work, rights don’t matter. They basically say you’ve exploited yourself for these people.

“There are, of course, a lot of kind people too. A lot of people protected me and sent treats for the dog and stuff.

“But in the end. I just wanted to be away from that world.”

Michaela decided to make the break and returned home to Scarborough.

She said: “At the time I thought that I was living this amazing life, but it’s not like that.

“I’ve stepped away from online and I’m getting back to real life and making real memories.

“Here people know me for me, they know the real Kayla - I feel one million per cent safer here.

“It’s good to be home, it’s much safer here. It’s good in North Yorkshire

“My family has been amazing.

“I’m not going live on OnlyFans any more.”

Michaela is now fully committed to moving forwards and is focusing on recovering from her experiences.

She said: “I don’t have a massive circle of friends. I had all the privacy in the world and I never realised.

“My body is private - I don’t want to do that any more.

“All I can do is put right what I did.

“I am seeking support for ADHD treatment, mental health support for PTSD and I have had PTSD counselling.

“I’m meditating and focusing on mindfulness and I am completely focused on the gym and building myself to be strong for me and my dog, Bambi.

“All of my energy is now going into real life and I am writing a book about a 100 day detox from social media ‘lives’.

“I was struggling to stay off ‘lives’, so I thought if I wrote a self-help book that would motivate me and also might help someone else too.

“I'm now being much more reflective and I'm thinking before I share my thoughts.

“The most important part is I am not leaving myself open for trolls to criticise me and chip away at my self-esteem.

“I feel much more content and confident and I am looking forward to having a normal life again.

“I’ve been completely honest with my new employers and they’ve been really understanding.”

Michaela offered advice to anyone thinking about entering the online world.

She said: “Don’t do it - life passes by too fast.

“There is a lot of happiness to be found by going outside

“It’s better to be happy with your feet on the ground.

“There are too many people willing to throw you under the bus and there’s more to life than earning fast money.

“Once you go live, you can’t take that back.

“People should remember what they wanted to be before social media existed.

“I wanted to be a writer – I wanted to be a police officer.

“I never wanted to be a porn star.

“Be different. Be unique.”

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