This is something we have always wondered about when it comes to Big Brother. How can you go from living in one house with the same people for up to two months - with cameras on you the whole time and no contact with the outside world - and well, not be completely messed up afterwards?
Even those moments when they walk out the door and there is a crowd of people waiting to boo/cheer/judge them... we know they willingly put themselves into this position, but it must take its toll on even the strongest of psyches.
Former Big Brother contestant and 2007 winner Brian Belo has come out and pretty much confirmed our thoughts, telling The Sun that not enough is done to help former housemates.
Brian went back into the house last summer for the Time Warp series, but ended up leaving after a dispute with fellow housemate Helen Wood, who called him a 'rapist' and 'murderer'. (None of which are true and Helen said afterwards they were said in the heat of the moment).
Brian said; "Everyone I've spoken to on the show has had issues with anxiety when leaving,
"My issue is I don't think we get good care after we leave - I've done it twice now - and after being called a murderer and rapist, how am I meant to go down the supermarket?
"We need to be properly looked after. I've been massively affected since. It's been the hardest year of my life."
Brian went on to say: "I’m just a normal boy from a council estate, not Justin Bieber, and I’ve been on one of the biggest shows and then just have to go back to real life?
"We're not given the resources of the presenters - we're just normal people and then expected to navigate back in real life. I didn't audition last year, they came to me.
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"People are having anxiety and panic attacks. All BB housemates suffer from panic attacks and this is something that needs dealing with."
"You can chat to one therapist initially after leaving, but then you are on your own.
"I don’t want in another 10 years’ time another bunch of teenagers to go through what we went through."
Hopefully Big Brother sits up and listens as other former housemates have backed Brian's statements, according to The Sun. Although interestingly, recent Celebrity Big Brother housemates Renee Graziano and Ricky Norwood have admitted they were given counselling in the house to help them through by a 'Dr Gareth'.
Renee told Digital Spy: "If it wasn't for the doctor I probably wouldn't have gotten through or I would have been thrown out.
"I had to leave the room and speak to the doctor several times to calm me down. And I did it without being medicated so I am truly the winner."
While Ricky said; "It was just a bit crazy. and it started getting to me and I didn't know what was going on, so yeah, I spoke to him a couple of times and he again just reassured me and put me back on track.
"There was a couple of words that he turned and said to me that helped me through that journey, yeah, absolutely.
"I've got so much love for Gareth, he's the man. He's a great lad and he's got one of the best hugs in that house. Just that alone - just somebody being real and straight with me in the house of madness was the best thing for me."
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Reality TV wha'? Not worth it.
