By Ashley Young And Victoria Mckeown-
Piers Morgan’s mental health is under scrutiny after the former television host subtly made reference to his mental health in a Daily Mail article when making reference to his decision to storm off set during a discussion about Meghan Markle.
The issue came to the fore at the end of July after Morgan accused people of disingenuously playing the mental health and race card , which he said was being used to shut down legitimate criticism.
A scheduled article was at the time ditched, in order to prevent any perception that the analysis was being written in retaliation for his criticism against Simone Biles, which many in this publication thought was not an unreasonable criticism by the journalist.
Since then Piers Morgan’s comments have been scrutinized, discussed and debated back and forth with psychologists, with mental health experts and psychologists consulted for a variety of opinions.
However, with recent reports featured in the Daily Mail publication he writes for that morale at Good Morning Britain studios is low since his departure, there are some concerns from experts that any consideration of returning Piers Morgan back to GMB, could be disastrous, if his mental health issues are not addressed.
Losing his job at Good Morning Britain over Meghan Markle, would have worsened any pre-existing mental health issues Piers Morgan may have had, mental health analyst Deon Vernhoven said : ”without a doubt. Losing your job in itself, can easily trigger mental health issues in anybody. If a person made redundant already had mental health issues, it can easily become worse once they lose their job.
”In the case of Piers Morgan, the fact it was over Meghan Markle, would definitely have affected him seriously mentally. Add the criticisms against him on social media, and that multiplies several fold. There is a good argument for suggesting he already had mental health issues before then, not known to the general public. That’s why he could talk so carelessly and recklessly, and until this day, doesn’t acknowledge he caused his own downfall.
”He could have criticized Meghan Markle if he wanted to, without openly disbelieving her mental health claims. The fact he has subtly admitted mental health issues is a big thing for analysts, and it is a good thing this news outlet has taken it up for broad evaluation.”
The columnists’s remarks were made in the daily mail article on the 28th of July were very enlightening, though he made the comment in passing, to highlight an inconsistency in the criticism against him by critics when he took aim at athlete, Simone Biles openly.
Some analysts suggests that in light of the former presenter’s quiet admission to mental health in his article, some of his conduct may have been a symptom of mental health issues. There are currently no facts to support that hypothetical theory.
However, the former presenter’s constant drive to attack post attacks on on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on social media, a well as other public figures is being viewed as a potential symptom of the mental health the former television presenter said nobody has taken into account on his behalf.
‘Though the presence of any serious mental health of Piers Morgan is the exact reason he should not be considered for a return to the show, until he has sought top level professional help.
His mental health will only rear its ugly head again. Sources that spoke to the Daily Mail suggested that the team at ITV need to swallow their pride and admit they need Piers Morgan.
The problem is this could increase his arrogance beyond repair if he doesn’t recognize his errors.
Social worker Steve Myers, who also analyses behavioural patterns of personalities featured in the media told this publication: ”Returning Piers Morgan to ITV just to improve ratings will be a bad decision if he suffers from serious mental health issues. Those issues first need to be dealt with.
‘The level of his arrogance he often shows is not good for society, but it won’t be right to say all his criticisms are not valid. He does make some valid points, and does so with a lot of self belief.
‘One can’t say he was wrong to criticize the fact Simone Biles used mental health issues as her reason for pulling out of the olympics, considering she returned to the games.
Simone Biles Was Criticized By Piers Morgan Image: time.com
Especially as she did not elaborate on what mental health issues were affecting her and how. Anybody could cite mental health as an excuse, but people need factual events or circumstances that suggest the existence of mental health.
‘When for instance Piers Morgan criticized Meghan Markle for publishing a book about fathers and children when she has cut her father her father out of her life publicly, the criticism seems reasonable, even though her father has acted in a way that understandably has upset her deeply.
The important thing here is that he was pointing out what looks very much like a contradiction.
On Meghan Markle, Piers Morgan’s arrogance in easily dismissing Meghan Markle’s claims of suicide and mental health, and continuously dismissing those claims in the press, on top of his constant obsession with posting criticisms about public figures on social media, could easily be a sign of mental health issues he is suffering in silence.
Piers Morgan’s Criticisms Of Meghan Markle Sparked Downfall Image: glamour.com
Intelligent people can suffer with mental health issues and display obsessive signs that indicates the presence of a mental health problem”.
Life coach and writer, Sheila Mckenzie said: ” Piers Morgan does show the signs of mental health issues for those who understand it properly, and I think him recognizing this is important. The fact he admit it himself in the daily mail article last month confirms this. In reality more people than we realize suffer from some level of mental health issues.
The levels can vary, and it depends on the factors that have caused them. Mental health issues can be reversed through meditation and therapy, if people admit their mental health and decide to confront them. He is obviously full of himself, constantly posting criticisms of people on social media. When writing an article for the Daily Mail, it is different, but on social media, he is begging for attention.
He goes on holiday, and wants the whole world to know. He may improve ratings tremendously, but ITV is doing just fine at the moment. It would be silly to make someone like him feel the success of the show depends on him”.
Bringing him back to television will make none sense of the reason he left in the first place.
He would have to accept his fault, and move on, but Piers is too arrogant to do that, so it will be a bad idea at the moment.
Experts say it is important that any potential mental health issues Morgan himself may have ought to be considered when analyzing or reacting to Morgan actions, and the frequency of the criticisms he posts on social media should continue to be assessed.
Criticisms
Outspoken Morgan was responding to the back clash following about his own criticism about U.S Olympian, Simone Biles, who initially pulled out of the U.S olympic squad, citing mental health issues, which prompted Morgan to lash out at the athlete. Biles did not elaborate on her stated mental health issues, but Morgan wasted no time in lashing out at her for allegedly using mental health as an excuse.
But it was Piers Morgan’s reference to his own mental health issues that sparked interest by The Eye Of Media’s analysts who had internally explored the possibility of mental health issues at work with Morgan, following the nature of his regular attacks against Meghan Markle following his departure from GMB after 6 years as a highly rated presenter for the show.
Mental health experts say mental health can be caused by a wide range of factors over a short or extended period of time. The the type of anger and bitterness that can result from losing one’s job can trigger mental health issues, and even exacerbate pre-existing mental health issues an individual may already have.
Mental health analyst Deon Verhoven has another perspective of Piers Morgan’s potential mental health issues.
”One may also want to look at the possibility that Piers Morgan may have at any point suffered from depression for any reason, which affected his outlook on life. He is certainly strong and assertive, and intolerant of any criticisms or behaviour he finds unacceptable”, mental health analsyt Deon Vernhoven told this publication.
‘That attitude can be sparked by earlier experiences in his life where he felt maltreated by people who made illogical excuses for their behaviour towards them.
‘Mental health can become a strength in other aspects of life, but can also be a liability to others if the person suffering with the mental health in question does not recognize it, and seek help.
People suffering with certain levels of mental health will often react sensitively to criticisms about their behaviour, even where they are wrong”.
It would be useful to ascertain what mental health issues Piers Morgan may have, and understand how he is dealing with it
”Mental health affects one in four people in the Uk, to different levels, and can be caused by numerous factors over a short or long period of time, according to mental health analyst Deon Verhoven.
Piers Morgan’s Own Comments
Morgan wrote in detail in his attack against his critics when addressing the backclash on social media to his comments about Simone Biles and his criticisms of Meghan Mark that lead to him stepping down from the show.
”What happened to me exposed the ludicrous hypocrisy at the heart of the social media quitter-lovers, Morgan said in his article.
Addressing the criticisms vented out at Piers Morgan when he infamously walked out of the Good Morning Britain , Piers Morgan said:
”’I only left for a few minutes before returning to my desk, but that was long enough for Twitter to forever brand me a gutless coward and snivelling weak-minded weasel.
Indeed, after I tweeted criticism of Simone Biles yesterday, thousands of people promptly bombarded me with the now infamous meme of me walking off, and savagely mocked for quitting.
Oddly, they didn’t think ME quitting was as brave, heroic and inspiring as Ms Biles quitting!
Nor, of course, did any of them ever give a damn about my mental health as they spewed their vile foul-mouthed abuse”, he added.
Unknown
Any mental health issues Piers Morgan may have been suffering at the time he walked off set after dismissing Meghan Markle’s mental health issues were publicly unknown at the time, and could explain his rash decision to act like the coward he admitted to have been on the occasion.
Even more interesting is the view aired by a psychologist who at this stage has insisted on anonymity. The psychology suggests that the fact Meghan Markle ghosted Piers Morgan may have made him feel insulted and underappreciated, especially if he was truly instrumental in putting her in a cab to a party where she met Prince Harry.
Mental health analyst Vernhoven makes reference to the potential historical experiences of individuals that can contribute to their present mental health issues.
” Many people often view mental health in a derogatory fashion, seeing it as taboo, rather than an experience anybody can face. Mental health can come through many possible avenues including rejection, depression, low self esteem, and many other life events.
”Rejection could trigger up other past memories where a history of mental health has been formenting for years. Imagine if for example Piers Morgan was heartlessly rejected by a girl or dumped by one in his teenage years without explanation, the action by Markle would trigger that historical event.
One may also want to look at the possibility that Piers Morgan may have at any point suffered from depression for any reason, which affected his outlook on life. He is certainly strong and assertive, and intolerant of any criticisms or behaviour he finds unacceptable”, mental health analyst Deon Vernhoven told this publication.
”That attitude can be sparked by earlier experiences in his life where he felt maltreated by people who made illogical excuses for their behaviour towards them.
Mental health can become a strength in other aspects of life, but can also be a liability to others if the person suffering with the mental health in question does not recognize it, and seek help.
People suffering with certain levels of mental health will often react sensitively to criticisms about their behaviour, even where they are wrong”.
It would be useful to ascertain what mental health issues Piers Morgan may have, and understand how he is dealing with it’
Criticism
Morgan criticized celebrities Ellen DeGeneres and Chelsea Handler, who congratulated her on her ‘courage’ and ‘heroism’, heralding her as a ‘true inspiration’.
”What exactly is so courageous, heroic or inspiring about quitting on your team and country in an Olympics? Morgan’s criticism here was intuitively reasonable, in the absence of any specific elaboration by Biles of the specific mental health she could be undergoing.
‘Simone Biles was so traumatized by her experience that she reappeared, all smiles, a little later to cheer her on the team she’d abandoned as they tried and failed to win the Gold they’d have almost certainly won if she’d stayed and battled on.
‘One of the worst aspects of social media, especially Twitter, is not just the way it now celebrates losing, failure and quitting as greater achievements than winning, success and resilience, but the vicious manner it bullies and shames into silence anyone who deviates from this warped view of sporting achievement.
‘But instead, she gave up, and was instantly celebrated as a courageous inspiring heroine too, while John McEnroe was attacked for correctly saying she just couldn’t handle the pressure – something she herself later agreed was true.
‘Now we have Simone Biles being saluted as ‘iconic’ for quitting, and even citing Naomi Osaka as her inspirational spirit animal for doing so.
Now we have Simone Biles being saluted as ‘iconic’ for quitting, and even citing Naomi Osaka (pictured) as her inspirational spirit animal for doing so. Well sorry if it offends all the howling Twitter snowflake virtue-signallers, but I don’t think it’s remotely courageous, heroic or inspiring to quit
”After I tweeted criticism of Simone Biles yesterday, thousands of people promptly bombarded me with the now infamous meme of me walking off, and savagely mocked for quitting.
Oddly, they didn’t think ME quitting was as brave, heroic and inspiring as Ms Biles quitting!
‘Nor, of course, did any of them ever give a damn about my mental health as they spewed their vile foul-mouthed abuse.
But here’s the thing: they were right, and I was wrong”.
Exactly what mental health Piers Morgan may have been referring to here is unknown.
Piers Morgan was contacted for comment in relation to our analysis of his mental health.
He declined to comment.
This article was contributed to by both named authours.