Joanna Lumley health: Star was on ‘brink of utter insanity’ after nervous breakdown
Joanna Lumley says we cannot 'second guess the future' for Royals
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Having been a high-profile figure in the public eye for the past 40 or so years, one would assume that Joanna has gotten used to the life of fame her multiple TV credentials and campaign work has provided her with. Yet away from iconic characters such as Patsy Stone in the BBC’s Absolutely Fabulous, Joanna has spoken more seriously about her mental health.
In her mid-twenties, Joanna was appearing in a West End play, as well as being a single-mum to her young son Jamie. But on one particular performance Joanna suffered what she described as a “bit of a wobbler”.
In a conversation with broadcaster Lord Bragg, for a Sky Arts show, Joanna said: “I was on stage and I began to see people levelling guns at me out of the boxes.
“I’d see the glint of a rifle, I’d see it levelling down and I used to work out how I could throw myself in front of this actor so I could protect them but also bring us both down to the ground.”
Walking out of the play in a bid to save her mental state, Joanna described how things only got worse.
“I couldn’t cross the road, I didn’t dare go into shops, I had to concentrate on breathing in and breathing out. It’s panic attacks and you are on the brink of utter insanity,” she continued.
“I was off for six months. 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?’”
The NHS explains that a panic attack is a form of anxiety, and is a response that occurs for no apparent reason and at any time of the day or night.
During a panic attack individuals get a rush of intense mental and physical symptoms that come about extremely quickly, making it a frightening and distressing time for the individual.
Although everyone experiences panic attacks differently, the most common symptoms include the following:
- A racing heartbeat
- Feeling faint
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Trembling
- Hot flushes
- Chills
- Shaky limbs
- A choking sensation
- Dizziness.
Other slightly more severe symptoms include a feeling of dread or fear of dying, a churning in the stomach and a feeling like you are not connected to your own body.
For some panic attacks, symptoms can last for up to an hour, although typically they only last anywhere between five and 20 minutes.
Speaking about what she thinks caused her panic attacks and hallucinations, Joanna put it down to money worries. She added: “It was Marmite on toast for breakfast, lunch, tea and supper.
“There was nothing else to eat, we were so poor. I chopped up towel rails to burn on the fire. I was happy and it didn’t matter but we were skint and I couldn’t see how I would manage to be a good enough parent to my darling boy and how I would actually get through life.
“But I knew I was going to make myself waterproof against it. It would not happen again, not on my watch.”
Remarkably Joanna managed to overcome her fears through a form of self-hypnosis and talking herself through her fears.
“To try and make myself get out to shops to buy food I would imagine the worst thing that could happen at each stage,” she added.
“If I fell over on the floor, what would happen? Always the same answer came back into my head. ‘Someone will help you up’.”
Psychological therapies are often the most effective treatment at helping individuals to overcome mental health issues such as anxiety and panic attacks.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), is one of the most popular forms of talking therapy. This aims to help the individual understand their thoughts and behaviour and how they affect you.
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