Gemma Collins clashed with her mum Joan over the TOWIE star’s battles with self-harm as a teen.
The 41-year-old reality star has spoken out for the first time about her struggles with self-harm in a new Channel 4 documentary, called Self Harm and Me.
The documentary aired on Wednesday night (February 16), and it sees TV star Gemma try to find out why she used to self-harm for two decades.
In the moving documentary, Gemma reveals that she started cutting herself as a teen and first self-harmed in front of her parents at just thirteen years old.
(Image: Channel 4)
In tense scenes, Gemma had a tough conversation with her mum Joan about her self-harming issues.
Joan said her and Gemma’s dad Alan dismissed the subject at first as they thought their daughters simply: “copying someone from the television”.
Gemma looked shocked by her mum’s comment and told her it was a “silly thing to say”.
She told her mum: “I needed some help and support at the time,”, adding: “Yours and dad’s approach was to ‘let’s never mention it’.”
Joan replied: “Life was busy, with everything going on.”
(Image: Channel 4)
Gemma fired back: “Yeah but what’s more important, life being busy or your daughter cutting themselves?”
Joan responded: “You seemed ok. The problem is with you it wouldn’t have been from home life.
“You had everything and was happy. I don’t even know why you did do it. I just thought at the time you was just copying someone from the TV.”
Gemma fired back: “Mum that really is a silly thing to say,”, adding: “I love you, but it’s pathetic.”
Joan proceeded to start laughing before Gemma reminded her of how serious the situation was.
(Image: Channel 4)
Joan told her: “My way of dealing with it is keep busy, carry on, everything’s okay. Sometimes, you can make a big thing out of something but there’s no need to. You’ve never been depressed, Gemma.”
Gemma explained: “Well self-harming people hide it.”, adding that she knew it was hard for her mum to deal with the topic.
She told Joan: “You can laugh because it’s probably your way of coping with it, and it’s fine. I get it, I get it, I understand.”
Fans were emotional at the moment on TV.
One fan wrote: “im actually in tears for you …. Your mum just don’t get it does she. i know you love her , and she probably just didn’t get it”
(Image: Channel 4)
A second said: “gemma i’m so proud of you sweetheart. i do love you so much angel”
A third wrote: “This is honestly so sad. Well done to Gemma Collins opening up about this. Suicide is still a problem, especially with young men.”
A fourth commented: “Hats off to Gemma for shining a light on a growing problem (which is crazy and so sad”
A fifth added: “Thanks Gemma for raising this issue. It so common and people don’t understand enough. I’ve had people recently say it’s ‘just a phase’ when the reality is it’s someone’s whole life.”
Gemma explains she first started cutting herself when she was a teenager.
She said: “I wasn’t self-harming to kill myself. It was to release.
“I’d cover it up and get on with my life. I never told anyone because I was ashamed.”
She later said: “The first time I cut myself was in front of my parents.
“They were just in a shock. It was so bizarre and it never got spoken about again.”
Gemma Collins: Self-Harm and Me is available on All 4.
For support on dealing with self-harm see mind.org.uk/selfharm or call Mind’s confidential Infoline on 0300 123 3393.
For further help or advice, please visit: https://www.channel4.com/4viewers/help-support
For emotional support you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
