Joanna Lumley health: ‘The black dog on your shoulder’ Actress’ mental health issues

Joanna Lumley, 74, is a British actress, presenter, former model, author, television producer, and activist. She carved a name for herself in the classic comedy show Absolutely Fabulous. Joanna prides herself on being a strong woman who stands up for not only herself but for the rights of others. Her strength has been tested however as she bravely revealed her battles with depression and panic attacks.

Joanna is no stranger to low moods as she previously admitted suffering with a nervous breakdown in her twenties revealing it resulted in her taking a six-month break from acting during which she was having regular attacks.

The actress has previously spoken frankly about her mental health revealing how she reportedly hallucinated “snipers” were aiming guns at her while she performed on stage in 1971.

“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.”

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What is a panic attack?

A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause, said the Mayo Clinic.

The health site continued: “Panic attacks can be very frightening. When panic attacks occur, you might think you’re losing control, having a heart attack or even dying.

“Many people have just one or two panic attacks in their lifetimes, and the problem goes away, perhaps when a stressful situation ends.”

Joanna said during her time out to recover, she began to take a new approach to the negative thoughts she experienced, which she believes ultimately helped her.

“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 said.

“If I fell over on the floor, what would happen?