Katie Hopkins has come under fire once again for making light of depression in a series of Twitter posts.
The motor mouth said people suffering from depression need 'a pair of running shoes and fresh air' and told suicidal people 'to top themselves in private' after Germanwings co-pilot Andreas Lubitz is thought to have deliberately crashed a plane into the French Alps.
First, she directed her tweets at Lubitz but it wasn't long before she aimed her barbed posts more widely.
"Sympathy for the co-pilot is making me angry. If you are suicidal, for goodness sake top yourself in private. Attention seeking b*stards," she wrote.
"People with depression do not need a doctor and a bottle of something that rattles. They need a pair of running shoes and fresh air."
She added: "Most depression is just genuine sadness at a social situation. Like being caught in torrential rain with a bag from Primark."
Her Twitter feed was soon flooded with furious comments saying she doesn't know what she's talking about and obviously has no experience with depression.
"Katie Hopkins is vile, her 'opinion' on depression is the many reasons why there's so much stigma behind the illness and asking for help," someone replied.
Another wrote: "Katie Hopkins saying that depression isn't a thing and you'll just be sad for a bit is probably the least intelligent thing I've ever seen."
Meanwhile, a statement from mental health charity Mind says: “The terrible loss of life in the Germanwings plane crash is tragic, and we send our deepest sympathies to the families. Whilst the full facts are still emerging, there has been widespread media reporting speculating about the link with the pilot’s history of depression, which has been overly simplistic.
"Clearly assessment of all pilots’ physical and mental health is entirely appropriate - but assumptions about risk shouldn't be made across the board for people with depression, or any other illness. There will be pilots with experience of depression who have flown safely for decades and assessments should be made on a case by case basis."
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