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Instagram Star Breaks Down Following Overwhelming Reaction To Her Posts

Aussie online sensation Essena O'Neill made global headlines when she decided to quit social media and expose the stark reality of what goes into being an Instagram star.

O'Neill went back and edited her Instagram posts to reveal what went into achieving these 'perfect' posts, including how many shots she took and the money she was paid to pose with items by advertisers.

The 18-year-old has posting a new video in which she breaks down and thanks people for the overwhelming support.

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Aussie Insta-star Essena O'Neil has posted a tearful follow-up thanking people for the outpouring of support. Photo: Vimeo

"Never did I think this would be shared so globally. I have so much I want to say and talk about," she says.

"I am so so so grateful. I'm crying because I needed to hear this when I was younger. Heck, anyone who spends hours and hours on a screen wishing they could have a 'perfect' life, this is for you."

"I am just so grateful to think of how many young men and women might see this movement and stop limiting themselves to artificial ideas of happiness online."

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However the O'Neill also opened up about coming to terms with the reality of what she has done, admitting that by cutting off her main source of income, she is now struggling to make ends meet.

"What I’m doing scares the absolute f*ck out of me,” she says in the video. "I don’t know where I’m going, I don’t know what’s going to happen next, I have no idea how I’m going to make money."

"I can’t afford rent right now," she said. "It’s like I’m just embarrassed to admit that I need help ... if you like my videos or like any of my posts or you like this website, if this is of value to you, then yeah, please support me because I can’t afford my own real life."

O'Neil, who had a following of over half a million people on Instagram, 200,000 on YouTube and Tumblr and 60,000 on her Snapchat, went viral after she deleted all her social media accounts.

She however didn't delete Instagram, instead decididing to change the name to "Social Media Is Not Real Life" and edit the captions on her photos to reflect the 'reality' behind them.

"Without realising, I've spent majority of my teenage life being addicted to social media, social approval, social status and my physical appearance," she writes.

"Social media, especially how I used it, isn't real. It's contrived images and edited clips ranked against each other. It's a system based on social approval, likes, validation in views, success in followers. It's perfectly orchestrated self absorbed judgement. I was consumed by it. I spent majority of my day aimlessly scrolling, hours on YouTube... "

"How can we see ourselves and our true purpose/talents if we are constantly viewing others? Many of us are in so deep we don't realise it's delusional powers and the impact it has on our lives. There's a select few photos I left here, half are original captions that I believe to be educational, the other half are photos that deluded you."