Photo: Netflix
Love Is BlindstarsDanielle RuhlandNick Thompsonare opening up about the mental health struggles they faced while filming the Netflix dating show.
The former couple — whomarried in the show’s second season(then laterdivorced) — took to social media and detailed how the show took a toll on their mental health, leaving them in a “dark place” when returning home.
Kinetic Content,Love Is Blind’s production company, has since responded to allegations from contestants that their mental health was disregarded during production.
“The wellbeing of our participants is of paramount importance to Kinetic,” the company said in a statement issued to PEOPLE. “We have rigorous protocols in place to care for each person before, during, and after filming.”
In a lengthyTikTokvideo, Ruhl, 29, explained that prior to filming the show she had a 30-minute screening with a psychologist where she discussed her entire mental health journey, including her past suicide attempts.
“During the show, the producers were constantly bringing up past traumas in order to break you down emotionally and get the reaction that they wanted,” she claimed. “I thought the things I disclosed in the psych eval were confidential. Reliving these things every single day was tough.”
Ruhl added that she also suffered a severe panic attack during filming, which she said left her hiding in a closet with suicidal thoughts. After sharing that she wanted to stop filming and go home because of the situation, she claimed producers stepped in to convince her to stay, but no therapist was provided to assist.
“After filming I was in such a dark place that it not only impacted Nick but every single person that cares about me,” she said, noting that when she finished filming she checked herself into an outpatient trauma therapy facility and is “still struggling” today from her experience on the show.
Thompson, 37, also shared aTikTokvideo claiming there was a lack of mental health care provided on theLove Is Blindset.
“I lost 15 pounds in the three weeks in the Pods and Mexico from limited access to food and water,” he shared. “Aside from the ‘psych evaluation,’ there was no mental health support before, during, or after. Thankfully I had the luxury of a therapist once we were back in Chicago and post-show.”
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“In Mexico, producers withheld [that] my partner experienced a panic attack and sent me into the hotel room to film anyway,” he continued. “If there were mental health professionals on set, as Kinetic claims, wouldn’t a person suffering from a panic attack be an appropriate time to utilize them.”
source: people.com
