Domenica Calarco begs for critics to ‘give me a break’ as MAFS star reveals the NSFW art she made while in a mental health ward
Domenica Calarco has sent a very clear message to her critics after revealing that she has recently been released from a mental institution.
The 31-year-old bride from Married At First Sight shared artworks on Instagram on Sunday that she made during her stay in a Sydney institution.
One of the paintings featured the text “Give me a break, c**ts,” painted above an image of a dog.
Calarco captioned the post: “During my 21-day stay in a mental health unit, art became my favorite form of self-expression.
‘When I started using color, words and drawings to express my feelings, the real healing began.
‘Art is used as a healing strategy that emerged in the 1940s when doctors noticed that people with mental illness began to express themselves through drawings and other works of art.
“Have you used #ARTTHERAPY?,” the reality star concluded.
The accompanying images showed Domenica displaying her artwork in the ward, alongside photographs of paintings by other patients.
Domenica Calarco (pictured) has delivered a very sharp message to her critics after revealing she had recently been discharged from a mental health unit
The Married At First Sight bride, 31, took to Instagram on Sunday to share artwork she created during her stay at a Sydney facility
The update comes just days after Calarco revealed that she has stopped taking her antidepressants for the first time in 15 years.
Last Thursday, she shared on Instagram a video of herself during her 21-day stay at a private mental health facility in New South Wales.
Dom has spoken openly about her mental health struggles in recent weeks, after suffering a ‘severe depressive episode’. She also detailed her medication changes.
In her latest video, Dom gave insight into her ‘tough’ drug journey and shared how she came off sertraline after feeling like the antidepressant was no longer working.
Sertraline is an antidepressant that belongs to a group of medicines called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These medicines increase the amount of serotonin in the brain.
Dom explained that her doctor took her off sertraline for the first time in 15 years with the plan to switch to a new antidepressant – which she has since started.
“So this is the reality of changing medications,” she said. ‘Last night we had a meeting with my doctor and we wanted to see if my old medication that I was taking was actually working.
“I’ve been feeling like it’s not working for a while now, so I thought we should move on to something new. So that’s what we’re doing.”
Domenica admitted herself to a mental health facility after spiraling into depression following her time at MAFS.
The update comes just days after Calarco revealed she has stopped taking her antidepressants for the first time in 15 years
Calarco reactivated her Instagram page last week and gave a lengthy explanation of what she experienced in a video taken from the facility on the day of her discharge.
“It’s safe to say it’s been a while. I wanted to take this moment to have an honest and heartfelt conversation with all of you who have stuck by me through thick and thin,” she began.
“As many of you know, I have been taking a break for the past month to focus on my mental health. This journey has been incredibly challenging, but also deeply transformative for me.”
Domenica seen here during her time on Married At First Sight
Dom said she needed time to “heal, reflect and gain a better understanding of herself” and thanked fans for their support during the difficult time.
The reality star explained that she had “fallen into a deep depression” over a month ago and “couldn’t see a way out.”
“I had a lot of trauma from my childhood that I didn’t process and I know that now. And then I went through a divorce in my 20s and then MAFS, which was an incredible experience in itself but also quite traumatic,” she says.
“I didn’t want to deal with my mental illness in that way. When I thought about it, I realized I was putting my happiness in the hands of others.”
Dom disappeared from the spotlight after criticism from Bachelor star and podcast star Abbie Chatfield (pictured) about her podcast with controversial groom Jack Dunkley
Dom said she had “reached a point where I didn’t want to suffer anymore” and that she started her journey to happiness again with her stay in the mental institution.
“I am responsible for my own happiness and it is time for me to enjoy life again. Realizing that I am happy with the person I am becoming is a huge life changer,” she added.
Dom disappeared from the spotlight after criticism from Bachelor star and podcaster Abbie Chatfield.
The backlash came after she and fellow MAFS bride Ella Ding hosted controversial groom Jack Dunkley on their podcast, Sit With Us.
If you have been touched by this story, call Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14 or visit their website lifeline.org.au.