NW Magazine – June 03, 2019

FAMEIS

THEONLY

THINGTHAT

MAKESTHEM

FEELALIVE’

‘FAMEIS

rn

Closertohome,

formerMAFSstarClare

Verrall made the shock

admission last month that

she attempted suicide

twice after appearing

on Season Two of

the hit series.

Fellow bride

Tracey Jewel

DOVRVXɣHUHG

a mental

breakdown

and sought

psychiatric help

post-show. The

subsequent online trolling

she was subjected to also

saw her overdose last year.

“I wasn’t aware of what

ZDVKDSSHQLQJDW¿UVW

but I was on a complete

downward spiral,” Tracey

tells NW. “I’m not someone

who hasa histo

depressionbutI started

gettinghelpbecausethe

psychologist said I might

have post-traumatic

stress disorder,

because of

everything I’d

been through.”

Tracey was

spot-on seeking

professional

help. UK Grazia

magazinereports

there have

now been

38 suspected

suicides

linked

to reality

TV shows

worldwide

since 1986,

including

Sophie

Gradon,

a 2016 UK

Love Island

contestant.

lives

ManyofDrKarim’s

patients are so desperate

for recognition that it can

become a life or death

matter. “They’re either

addicted or obsessed with

fame and some will say it’s

the only thing that makes

them feel alive,” he reveals.

Dr Karim – who has

consulted producers of

realityshows in the US

over mental health

concerns in the

past – believes

the dramatic

nature of reality

TVisthekey

totheproblem.

“Let’ssaya

reality show wants to

have a ton of drama,” he

explains. “[Producers]

are going to search for

people that may have

more emotional instability.

But that drama and

emotional vulnerability

will often carry on once

WKHVKRZLV¿QLVKHG ́

Tully Smyth, 31, who

appeared on Big Brother

in 2013, says this is the

toughest time for a reality

star. “You struggle to slip

back into your old life,” she

tells. “You’re broke, you’re

exhausted. Emotionally,

physically, mentally.”

Not to mention desperate

to cling onto the rush of

being in the spotlight.

“If being famous is your

reason to live, you’re going

to chase that validation the

way an addict would chase

a drug,” says Dr Karim.

“And if that validation

isn’t there, you’re going

to start feeling bad about

yourself.”

A soberingrealityfor

usall. ■

media.Solet’slear

from this.”

RS

ab

L

CLARE

VERRALL

TRACEY

JEWEL

NWonline.com.au 37

ahist

l

c

L

c

L

hi torryofof

E

hi f