The new survival show Castaways is different from Survivor in many ways. The most noticeable is that the 12 individuals dropped onto deserted islands in Indonesia are left alone. It’s not about tribes and idols and manipulation. It’s more like a psychological test, one that tests the human need for companionship. One of the 12 individuals is Krichelle Kerbow, a 25-year-old from Haiku, Hawaii. Krichelle’s journey of survival will resonate for many viewers who either suffer from depression or anxiety, or have a loved one who suffers from mental illness.
On her blog You Beautiful Woman You, Krichelle writes very candidly about her struggles with anxiety and depression and how she treats her symptoms with nature. Sometimes, being alone in nature is the antidote. Sometimes, nature itself gives her “mass anxiety” which is “truly heartbreaking.” Krichelle also writes about her family. She grew up with six brothers. One of her younger brothers, who is 22, was diagnosed with schizophrenia. She writes about his struggle and his being homeless for a while. And how his life has affected her family. Krichelle writes that “he has encountered the darkest side of humanity” and is shocked with people’s “lack of compassion for the mentally ill and homeless people.” Castaways airs Tuesdays at 10pm on ABC.
