A former 'Spouse Swap' star mentioned her household was solid because the 'unhealthy household' earlier than filming even started: 'The director would put you into flight or flight so they may set off your trauma'

• TikToker Heidi Mae posted a video answering questions on being on “Spouse Swap” as a child on June 11.
• Mae mentioned that her household’s resolution to go on the present was “the worst mistake of their lives.”
• The present made each member of the family take a 700-question psychiatric analysis, mentioned Mae in her TikTok.

Heidi Mae appeared on “Spouse Swap” 13 years in the past. On Sunday, she posted a video on TikTok that addressed questions on her traumatic expertise on the fact present.  

In recent times, a number of folks have spoken up in regards to the exploitative nature of actuality reveals. In April, “Love Island” contestants mentioned producers disadvantaged them of meals and sleep. And final yr, these on “America’s Subsequent High Mannequin” mentioned the present was “psychological warfare.”

Mae, who goes by @heidimaetrix on TikTok, posted a video answering questions from her followers about her expertise on the present. Mae was on season six, episode 7, titled “Herrington/Trevino,” which was aired on Could 21 in 2010.

“Spouse Swap” is a actuality collection the place in every episode they present two households, usually from contrasting social lessons and existence, swap wives or moms for 2 weeks. The present was initially aired on ABC from 2004 to 2010, and was renewed in 2019 on Paramount for a 20-episode season, per IMDb. 

In her TikTok, Mae mentioned that whereas she was 20 on the time of filming, she had already had a troubled childhood and the present’s producers discovered a method to exploit that.

“I already had loads of childhood trauma from my dad and mom being in a cult once I was a toddler. The present, by their pysch eval, have been capable of finding these traumatic experiences and drive me to relive them on digital camera,” mentioned Mae in her TikTok video.

“The entire goal of the director was to place you into combat or flight in order that they will set off your trauma” mentioned Mae within the video.

Mae additionally shared that she felt immense strain to guard her household from the manufacturing staff’s manipulative techniques. “I used to be on to the sport fairly shortly, however that simply added to my stress and trauma, ” mentioned Mae within the video.

Because of modifications within the platform’s monetization insurance policies, the influencer mentioned she re-uploaded her very first video on the subject, which she first posted on TikTok in 2021.

Her re-upload detailed how her household’s resolution to be on the present was “the worst mistake of their lives,” it has shut to five million views as of June 16.

“To be on the present, you needed to take a 700-question psych eval, after which an hour-long interview with a psychologist,” mentioned Mae. In line with the TikToker, the producers’ reasoning for the psychiatric analysis processes was to make sure the solid was “mentally sound sufficient to be on the present.”

Throughout her interview with the psychologist, Mae mentioned she revealed that the one factor that makes her actually unhappy is feeling lonely, and she or he believes the present deliberately exploited the knowledge. 

“Within the combat, she appears to be like me lifeless within the eye, and she or he says: ‘you’re alone, no person cares about you, you haven’t any associates, I do not care about you,” mentioned Mae within the TikTok, describing the very first altercation she had with the opposite mom on the present.

“As a result of they’d already determined going into filming that my household was the ‘unhealthy household,’ and the opposite woman’s household was the ‘good household,’ and they’d do no matter it took to make that time,” mentioned Mae within the TikTok. 

Each Heidi Mae and the American Broadcasting Firm didn’t instantly reply to Insider’s request for remark.