So, you want to be on Alone? 

Sorry for your struggles Joe. Yes, being "out there" changes you. I suffered with depression for years after I completed my 2013 Sierra hike (271 miles over 21 days). Only this year have started to feel better. My advice to anyone planning a thru hike, or something similar such as an extended survival course, is to have a re-entry plan.

Good talk! I have watched it a few times, but I hate to watch these folks suffer starvation and isolation. I don't have anywhere near that level of skills, and even if I did, I wouldn't do it. Your health is worth more than money and *fame*. There was a gal on Naked and Afraid that got dengue fever. Yes, she got some fame/recognition, but was MONTHS recovering her health. Thanks for sharing this important insight.

The "comedown" or "decompression" from intense periods of living in isolation from mainstream society is SO glossed-over for most folks who haven't done it. Sometimes, it's voluntary, seemingly positive stuff that's just as jarring, like going to a rendezvous or a burning man event or Rainbow gathering, and/or, as in my case, a year living in the forests of the Berkshires with between 15 and 27 other people, in an intentional community environment, where our focus was ecology, land management, and environmental Ed, or perhaps another intentional community, or even a cult. Sometimes medium stuff like this, or military service.... Voluntary but genuinely traumatic. The trauma is real for a body whether the mind registers it as such or not, and as we now know, the body absolutely keeps the score. Sometimes involuntary, like prison or illegal detention. Regardless, coming back to society from an experience outside of it should always be treated with respect and patience and time and kindness, to ourselves and from others. It often is not, and that's a shame. It's its own trauma, the return.

One thing I would hate to experience is starvation. That (and my lack of skills) is why you'd never catch me on a show like this. Stories of people surviving a starvation scenarios are all similar, when the person returns they stock up on food. They never want to experience it again. I never really put much thought into the after effects some of the Alone contestants have to deal with, so thank you for that insight.

Survival Lilly was a mess after going on Naked and Afraid, she posted photos of her skin/back, and she looked very thin. I doubt any of these reality shows care much about supporting the cast afterwards ... its roll onto the next season.

dude, yeah,, I trained sam larson in Maine and Arizona before he went on season 1, and his experience left him with a little PTSD, that is why he went back to Mongolia. In addition, I trained other cast members for "Forged in fire", "Mountain men", "No mans land" and a few others. Im well acquainted with TV productions and I can assure you that being on a TV show blows. First of all, the production people know absolutely nothing about the survival, fieldcraft, or the outdoors in general. I cannot tell you the number of times I was asked to do something stupid on camera because the producer thought it might look good on camera...... Personally, I was on a 7 episode series with a multi "expert" cast back in 2013. I did it for the $$, and the possibility of gaining a platform to sell a book , Im not interested in "glory" or "fame" my motivation is money, period. The first thing I found out is that honesty, truth and reality go right out the window. If you are not the chosen one to be promoted, you are kicked to the curb immediately and ignored by both the production company and the network. I have not heard a single word from anyone I worked with on the cast for 11 years. Not 1 word. However if you are willing to kiss a lot of ass, drink the potion from geronimos skull and screw a goat then you are "in" , promoted, offered book deals, other shows , etc. etc. In summation, for me, it was not a good experience and I would go as far as to say it was horrible, I firmly believe - but cant prove - that some how, some way, the network Blacklisted me for future endeavors. I would not recommend anyone do a TV show for these network assholes.