Married At First Sight star Tracey Jewel says she’s copped relentless backlash since appearing on the hit reality series earlier this year, complaining that the trolling has become so bad it led to an “overdose” while she was holidaying in Europe in July.
Speaking to New Idea magazine, 35-year-old Jewel — who split with first MAFS “husband” Dean Wells in the season finale on the show before a brief romance with fellow cast member Sean Thomsen — says that while in Berlin, she became overwhelmed and went into a “head spin”.
I’ve been bullied and cyber-trolled relentlessly, pretty much all year… I’m not someone who has a history of depression, but I started getting help in April because the psychologist said I might have post-traumatic stress disorder because of everything I’d been through.
Jewel was in Europe with ex Patrick Kedemos, who she dated before MAFS and reunited with after her split from Thomsen. Kedemos invited her to join him in an effort to get away from the negative attention in Australia, but as Jewel tells New Idea, the distance didn’t help.
Once we were away, it became very evident that he thought I would just go back to my normal bubbly self. I’ve been very emotionally withdrawn because of the stress from the trolls and the bullying and he thought that would magically disappear.
Jewel says at one point she “went into a head spin and I overdosed…I just didn’t see a way out of the current situation”. New Idea reports that a doctor was called, and that Jewel eventually recovered. In August 3, she posted the following message to Instagram, aimed squarely at her trolls.
She tells the publication that Kedemos gave her money for a flight home, and that back in Australia she was admitted to a mental health clinic to get the help and support she needed.
Jewel says she felt compelled to share her story to help others, and to set an example for her eight-year-old daughter, Grace.
She doesn’t need to know all the ins and outs, because I don’t want to scare or upset her [but] I want her to know that it’s OK not to feel well – and when you’re not well you get help.
Jewel ended her relationship with Kedemos after the European trip, and is focusing on her recovery.
