Former Big Brother Naija housemate Erica Nlewedim has revealed that she sought therapy after her experience on the reality TV show, saying the criticism she faced for years took a toll on her mental health.
Erica made this known during an interview with media personality Toke Makinwa, where she reflected on her time on BBNaija and its impact on her life after leaving the show.
“I’ll never go to a show like Big Brother Naija again in my life. I’m happy I did it because, of course, it changed my life money-wise, but I’m never doing it again if I’m given the opportunity. I was getting like 3 years of back-to-back insults. I had to see a therapist because of that show,” she said.
The actress and entrepreneur said the online criticism continued for about three years after her exit from the show. She said the experience was traumatic and that she eventually sought professional help in 2024.
Erica was one of the housemates in the 2020 BBNaija Lockdown season. She was disqualified on September 6, 2020, after receiving her third strike for breaking several house rules. Her disqualification followed a confrontation with fellow housemate Laycon and other incidents in the house.
A year after her disqualification, Erica spoke about dealing with the emotional impact of her experience on the show. In September 2021, she said she had been working and focusing on her goals as she moved on from the incident.
Since leaving the reality TV show, she has continued to work as an actress and has also pursued business interests, including skincare.
BBNaija’s fifth season, tagged Lockdown, premiered in July 2020 and ended in September of the same year, with Laycon emerging as the winner.