The actress says three years of online insults left her anxious and led her to seek therapy before taking a year-long break from acting
Former Big Brother Naija housemate and actress Erica Nlewedim has opened up about the painful emotional toll of her 2020 reality television experience, revealing that three years of persistent online insults left her anxious and eventually prompted her to seek therapy.
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Erica made the disclosure during an interview on Toke Moments, as reported by Cable Lifestyle on Sunday, August 16, 2026, while reflecting on life after her controversial appearance on Big Brother Naija and the lasting impact of public scrutiny.
The actress said she initially underestimated how deeply the constant criticism was affecting her until the anxiety became difficult to ignore.
“I was getting like three years of back-to-back insults. I had to see a therapist because of that show,” Erica said.
For the actress, social media became particularly difficult because of the sheer volume of notifications and comments confronting her whenever she opened Instagram.
“At first, I didn’t know that it was getting to me. It was like after three years of back-to-back insults,” she said. “When I open Instagram, I just see notifications. I was always anxious, and I don’t like that.”
Erica’s experience illustrates a less visible side of reality television fame. While programmes such as BBNaija can provide contestants with significant exposure, commercial opportunities and large followings, the attention can also continue long after the cameras stop rolling.
The actress said she eventually sought professional help in 2024, deliberately stepping away from acting to concentrate on herself.
“I went to therapy in 2024. 2024 was my quiet time. I didn’t act in any movie,” she said.
The decision to pause her career gave Erica an opportunity to confront difficulties she said she had not fully recognised while remaining active in the entertainment industry.
“I just decided to take a break in 2024. It was just last year I decided to start coming back. I’m happy I did that because there were a lot of things that I didn’t even realise were affecting me,” she said.
The break marked a significant moment in the actress’s post-BBNaija journey.
Rather than viewing the pause solely as a career interruption, Erica described it as a period in which she could regain perspective and address the effects of years of public criticism.
Her reflections also carry an important qualification. Despite the emotional difficulties associated with the experience, Erica said she remained grateful for the financial opportunities created by her participation in the reality 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,” she said.
Erica participated in the 2020 edition of BBNaija, where she became one of the season’s most talked-about contestants.
Her time on the programme ended with a disqualification after she breached the show’s house rules during a confrontation with fellow housemate Laycon.
Her exit from the show did not end the public attention surrounding her. Instead, Erica built a career in acting, modelling and brand endorsements while continuing to attract substantial interest from fans and critics online.
The latest disclosure is not the first time Erica has spoken about the psychological consequences of her reality television experience.
In 2021, she disclosed that she had experienced what she described as “full-blown anxiety” following her time on the programme, suggesting that the emotional consequences of the experience had persisted beyond her immediate departure from the house.
Her latest account adds greater detail to that earlier disclosure, particularly her decision to seek therapy and temporarily step away from professional acting.
The conversation also comes amid wider reflections from former BBNaija contestants about the rewards and pressures associated with reality television fame.
Mercy Eke, winner of the 2019 edition, has similarly reflected on aspects of her participation and acknowledged that while the show brought significant opportunities, the experience also came with challenges.
For Erica, however, the central lesson appears to be one of balance.
The show gave her visibility and financial opportunities that helped reshape her career, but the prolonged criticism that followed also came at an emotional cost.
Her decision to speak openly about therapy and taking time away from work offers a more personal perspective on what happens after reality television contestants leave the carefully controlled environment of the house.
The experience can create opportunities almost overnight, but the accompanying scrutiny can remain for years, particularly when social media ensures that criticism, commentary and old controversies can follow public figures long after a programme has ended.
Erica’s account is therefore less about rejecting the success that BBNaija brought her than acknowledging the price that accompanied it.
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She may not return to the reality television format, but her experience has become part of the wider conversation about the responsibilities of audiences, the pressures placed on young public figures and the importance of protecting personal wellbeing in an entertainment culture driven by constant online engagement.
Victory Emmanuel is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
