MAFS star Domenica Calarco says she has PTSD from the show

Former MAFS contestant Domenica Calarco has gone public with a diagnosis she received following her tumultuous time in the experiment.

Married At First Sight star Domenica Calarco has revealed she was treated for PTSD following her time on the Channel 9 reality show.

Dom, 28, and close friend from the experiment Ella Ding, 27, have today launched the first episode of their podcast, Sit With Us, in which the pair discuss their reality TV stint and the media attention they’ve each received since.

Touching on her ongoing stoush with fellow bride Olivia Frazer, Dom said in the months after filming, she would panic any time she sat down with a group of people after suffering through multiple fiery dinner parties on the show, which her therapist described as PTSD.

Dom says the well-renowned MAFS dinner parties left a lasting impact. Picture: Supplied

Her revelation came during a segment on the podcast called “headline bingo” which saw the pair dissect articles written about them.

The headline in question was from a Daily Mail story, “Feuding Married At First Sight brides Domenica Calarco and Olivia Frazer offered big money to battle it out in the boxing ring”, which Dom quickly asserted was false.

“Number one, it says that we were offered $30,000,” she began, sledging her MAFS nemesis Olivia.

“Mate, you’d be needing way more for me to even consider taking one ounce of brain power to think about that, but that is absolutely false. I don’t want to be in the same room as her, let alone in a boxing ring.”

Ella chimed in, “Can you imagine? That’d be scary … She would give you the scary eyes,” to which Dom agreed that she was “scared” of Olivia.

“I actually get scared when I see a photo of her … It brings back PTSD of her sitting across from me.

“Like legitimately, for a while there after MAFS, sitting at any table that was like a dinner table or a table where I had to have a conversation, I’d legitimately freak out, ’cause I’d be like ‘Who’s going to start sh*t, who’s going to say something,’” she said, adding that her therapist told her it was a trauma response to the experience.

“I fully had PTSD, my therapist fully says I’m going through PTSD, so it’s real.”

Elsewhere in the first episode of Dom and Ella’s podcast, the pair discussed Ella and former “husband” Mitch Eynaud’s scandal-ridden split, which came amid rumours of a “couple swap” and questions about Mitch’s wandering eye during the show.

Ella was often the voice of reason during tense group arguments.

While Mitch and fellow MAFS star Tamara Djordjevic did hook up after filming, Ella shut down rumours she had coupled up with Brent Vitiello, admitting that while they entertained the idea in February, it hasn’t moved further than a friendship.

Fans have been eagerly awaiting the reality stars’ podcast, which promises to unpack the friends’ life after MAFS, covering everything from dating to daily life.

The pair became fast fan favourites of the latest season, with viewers impressed by Ella’s support of Dom during her clash with Olivia, which reached a crescendo when Dom smashed a wine glass against a table during the couple’s retreat. In a move which prompted viewer outrage, Olivia retaliated by sharing a nude photo of Dom behind her back.

Dom and Ella were arguably the strongest couple to come out of the experiment.

The besties received an outpouring of love from fans of the show.

Since the season aired, Dom has signed up with top celebrity agent SF Management, which represents top Aussie stars like Karl Stefanovic and Phoebe Burgess.

The reality TV star is also enjoying the successes of her recent partnership with Showpo, with influencers raving about the 50-piece collection.

Meanwhile, Olivia has been raking in cash from her new OnlyFans page, making $10,000 within the first 12 hours. Her TV husband Jackson Lonie has also joined the X-rated content platform, leaving fans suspicious about their recent cheating saga, calling it out as a “publicity stunt”.

Fans of Dom and Ella can listen to Sit With Us wherever they get their podcasts.

Originally published as MAFS star Domenica Calarco says she has PTSD from the show