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Liam O'Dell
Jan 30, 2022
Actress Joanna Lumley says ‘everyone’ is claiming the mental illness bandwagon
GB News
Actress Joanna Lumley has attracted criticism online after she said everyone is “claiming the mental illness bandwagon”, telling people to “just get a grip” instead.
Speaking to Isabelle Oakeshott, the 75-year-old Absolutely Fabulous star said it is “awful” to those with mental illnesses for “everyone to say they’ve got to have some sort of special treatment”.
“When somebody dies and you grieve, that’s what being a human is. You’re not mentally ill.
“Everybody’s claiming the mental illness bandwagon and I think that’s wrong."
The performer has spoken candidly about her own mental health issues in the past, including when she reportedly hallucinated “snipers” were pointing guns at her in London’s Garrick Theatre in 1971.
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She told The Times at the time: “It was six months. It was a complete nervous breakdown.
“I was pretty badly shaken up. My nerves were gone. I didn’t dare go to the shops.
“I had a really ropey old time. I was spending all day thinking, ‘How will I get through the day?’
“I had those panic attacks when you think, ‘Breathe in, breathe out, just keep breathing in. Study the flowers. What colour are the flowers?’
“Anything to stop your mind going mad. And I thought, ‘I’ve got to get out of this, how do I?’”
Ms Lumley, who also spoke about animal rights issues during the interview, then went on to cite a short poem, reportedly by Adam Lindsay Gordon.
“Life is mostly froth and bubble / Two things stand like stone / Kindness in another’s trouble / Courage in your own,” it reads.
“And if you think of that, just, get a grip! Do you know what I mean?
“Of course, some of you are going to feel bloody awful, and some of you may well be suicidal or mentally depressed – that’s a different thing – but anybody who just goes, ‘oh, burr’, you just go, ‘get over it’,” the personality added.
The comments, aired on Friday, have since divided the Internet, with some praising the star’s remarks:
LOVE this\u2026 \nOf course, when I\u2019ve regularly said similar stuff, I\u2019ve been branded a heartless monster. \nPerhaps now a national treasure like Dame Joanna\u2019s said it, people may understand it\u2019s actually a good thing to show mental resilience & a bit of \u2018stiff upper lip.\u2019 https://twitter.com/isabeloakeshott/status/1486995523219427334\u00a0\u2026— Piers Morgan (@Piers Morgan) 1643363066
Poor Joanna Lumley getting so much stick from the woke brigade but actually she does have a point talkRADIO Monday night what are your thoughts call me after 10 pm— James Whale (@James Whale) 1643454958
Got sick of saying this especially as a Cop. Bereavement, relationship problems, not getting promotion, your own way or the job you wanted etc are life issues. "Man the **** up." indeed. BZ Joanna Lumley.\n https://uk.news.yahoo.com/joanna-lumley-mental-health-bandwagon-142244866.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=tw&tsrc=twtr\u00a0\u2026 via @Yahoo— Stu Hamilton (@Stu Hamilton) 1643389747
Others, meanwhile, were more critical:
Whilst there is a distinction between the two, it\u2019s really not for Joanna Lumley to determine or make sweeping pronouncements about who is \u2018clinically ill\u2019 and who is \u2018remotely sad\u2019, esp as most experts agree #MentalHealth issues exist on a complex & subtle spectrum.https://twitter.com/mhmediacharter/status/1487386715581042691\u00a0\u2026— Natasha Devon \ud83c\udf08\ud83d\udc99 (@Natasha Devon \ud83c\udf08\ud83d\udc99) 1643455652
Done with Dame Joanna Lumley.\n\nMental illness is more prevalent in people with harder lives. As they're more often stretched to breaking point. Working class people tend to have harder lives than people with Dame in their title.\n\nSo this attitude to those with less is just gross.pic.twitter.com/wvf8nmWLP3— Femi (@Femi) 1643397354
Love Joanna Lumley but do not agree at all. It\u2019s quite easy to sit and tell people to \u201cget a grip\u201d when you come from Lumley\u2019s position. People with financial struggles, nurses, single parents, immigrants etc., I don\u2019t think they need someone tell them to \u201cget over it\u201d— Lucy (@Lucy) 1643387312
Joanna Lumley is increasingly a national laughing stock— oldcornishbloke \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 (@oldcornishbloke \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7) 1643444692
I used to really like Joanna Lumley. https://twitter.com/MHMediaCharter/status/1487386715581042691\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/iN1gVP5ldi— Miffy\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Miffy\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1643455759
I don't think Joanna Lumley is suffering from a lot of the external pressures other people are. Which lead to feelings of helplessness and hopelessness into depression.— David Woods (@David Woods) 1643388623
On this occasion, we think Ms Lumley’s opinions are far from Ab Fab…
If you have been affected by this article, you can contact the following organisations for support: actiononaddiction.org.uk, mind.org.uk, nhs.uk/livewell/mentalhealth, mentalhealth.org.uk.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.orgto find a helpline near you.