Amble TikTok star raises awareness of online bullying and mental health after social media comeback
An Amble TikTok star is raising awareness of online abuse and mental health after being tormented for his social media presence.
Ryan Mossman, 26, has opened up about the bullying and threats which led him to quit social media.
Now, with 213,000 followers and over 4 million likes on TikTok, Ryan is using his experience to help others.
Ryan said: “I remember being 14 and excited to put myself out there on YouTube. I made a video and I was met with ridicule at school. It shattered my self-esteem.
“It was incredibly frustrating. The whole school started imitating a silly sound from my video. I thought, ‘This is it. I’ll never have friends again.’ That consumed me, and I came off social media altogether.”
When the COVID-19 lockdown hit, Ryan explained he decided to pursue his social media dream again by joining TikTok: “With us all being locked away in our own homes, I felt an element of being protected at home to try going for it on social media again.
"I managed to gain 1,000 followers in just six days, and surpassed 100,000 in another three months. It just spiraled from there.”
Despite Ryan’s TikTok success, the bullying and harassment began happening again: "That opened up a whole new chapter of torment. I received prank calls every day for six months. Someone said they were going ‘to jump me’ in the street if I kept making videos.
“I made a post on Facebook calling out those who were harassing me. Instead of them stopping, it just led to more bullying. My mum got really worried, she thought I should come off TikTok for my own safety and mental health.”
However this time, Ryan was determined not to be bullied off social media: “I had to learn the hard way that self-worth cannot be dictated by other people’s opinions. I still have moments of anxiety from what I went through, but I found purpose in using my platform to make a difference.
"I hosted a 12-hour livestream to raise awareness and funds for MIND, the mental health charity. That brought me so much clarity and purpose, I realised I wasn’t alone If I can be a voice for someone who feels lost or bullied, then I have succeeded.”