A reformed internet troll who spent 12,000 hours bullying strangers from her basement has admitted that she is 'haunted' by the horrible words she once posted while sharing a heartfelt video apology to her victims.

Landon Eason, 61, logged onto the computer every night for five years and downed cans of beer while unleashing a torrent of cruel insults on random people.

The former medical interpreter would lurk on chess forums and chatrooms and befriend fellow web users before bombarding them with abuse.

Bully: Landon Eason, 61, is a reformed internet troll who would chug alcohol from her basement while harassing people online (pictured in 2018 after trolling)

Guilt: Landon from St. Louis, Missouri insulted strangers for five hours everyday to help cope with her childhood suffering (pictured September 2004 in the middle of her internet trolling)

In total, she estimates she spent 12,000 hours telling other users they were worthless, valueless and invisible - things that had been said to her as a little girl.

Landon, who was known online as Funnychickfromstlouis and CBSmudge, says the pizza and booze-fueled tirades helped her cope with the cruelty she suffered as a child.

Now sober ten years, Landon says her trolling days are over but said she remains haunted by guilt and wants to apologize to her victims.

The divorcee from St. Louis, Missouri said, 'When I first started interacting with people online it was positive and I would go onto MSN groups and chess websites to try and make friends, but it turned negative.

'Because of what I learned from my family, I was burdened with deeply rooted self-loathing, shame, disgust, terror and embarrassment.

'So, when I encountered some unsuspecting soul online who did not know who I was, rage and hatred burst out of my mouth.

'I would see someone make a rude comment and just lash out at them. I would say the most atrocious shameful things.

'Looking back, I was saying the things that I wanted to say to my family and everyone who had hurt me.

Horrible: In total she estimates she spent 12,000 hours telling other users they were worthless, valueless and invisible - things that had been said to her as a little girl (pictured after trolling)

Comments: She said she was repeatedly kicked out of chatrooms for her hateful behavior because she was unloading the hate from her family on strangers(pictured during trolling)

Alcoholism: Landon's net addiction went hand in hand with alcoholism, which she battled for more than 30 years and resulted in her losing her house (pictured as a younger woman)

'When I was little my family would say things like, "You are invisible," "Nothing you have to say is of any value," "You will never amount to anything."'

'I say the same cruel things to people in chatrooms, but with toxic language too. I would call people c***s and tell people to f**k off.

'I was repeatedly bounced out of chatrooms for my hateful behavior because I would just unload everything on these strangers.'

Landon's net addiction went hand in hand with alcoholism, which she battled for more than 30 years and resulted in her losing her house.

She said each night she would gorge on a large pizza washed down with two tall cans of beer as well as several rum and cokes and margaritas.

Her tirades would last five hours every day after work and on weekends, she would barely leave her basement at all.

In 2007, she finally realized she was 'worn out' so she began attending AA meetings and undergoing psychotherapy in a bid to escape her vices and has been sober for over a decade, admitting she's in a much happier place but revealed her trolling days haunt her.

Landon, who has fibromyalgia, which causes chronic pain and fatigue said: 'My family was monstrously abusive and it almost destroyed me. It was horrible. I never felt safe, I never felt good enough.

Growing up: Landon said: 'My family was monstrously abusive and it almost destroyed me - it was horrible - I never felt safe or felt good enough' (pictured as a younger woman)

Scene of the crime: Pictured is Landon's old basement apartment where she used to troll for five hours every day

Done: In 2007, she finally realized she was 'worn out' and began attending AA meetings and undergoing psychotherapy in a bid to escape her vices (Landon's old basement pictured)

'My family was never proud of me and I never felt loved. They didn't go to my high school graduation, they didn't go to my wedding.

'In my early 20s, I fell into alcoholism to cope. I didn't know how to problem solve or cope with my emotions so it was a way to sedate myself and I began trolling in my forties.

'When I think about how I used to treat people online I feel so ashamed. I would give anything to be able to contact the people I hurt and tell them how sorry I am. It was a horrible thing and I have so much regret.

'Unfortunately, it was my way to cope with everything I had been through, which doesn't make it acceptable either,' she continued.

Landon now pens personal essays to try and help other people struggling with the weight of their abusive childhoods and writes a blog, Recovery in Balance.

She still uses online platforms to communicate but said her interactions with other people are completely positive now, helping her make friends all over the world.

Landon admitted, 'I still go online a lot because I'm disabled but I have such a positive experience now and I've made a lot of friends from all over the USA and in places like Australia and Germany.

'When I see people trolling online now, I feel really sorry for them because I know the person behind that computer screen isn't happy because I have been in that situation where I had never had the experience of feeling positive or happy.

'My advice to anyone in that situation is to stop because It's not productive and it's not making you happy. I would encourage them to get the help they need. They don't have to live that way.'