# Celebrity suicides are too depressing... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 27, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-suicides-are-too-depressing/164446 "2003-03-27T03:38:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tanaqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Tanaqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanaqui)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-suicides-are-too-depressing/164446/21 "2003-03-28T06:11:02Z")
It makes me terribly unhappy to think that Kurt Cobain was suffering so much that he killed himself, but it doesn’t make my depression worse. Rather, it makes me realize that this unhappiness is not something that is my fault. If someone who seems on top of the world can still have so little hope that he kills himself, then perhaps the reason I am so unhappy is not because I am stupid, lazy, pathetic, incompetent, or incapable of dealing with life. Maybe it’s truly a disease. Maybe I can be healed. In a strange, extremely bittersweet way, it gives me hope. I would like to applaud jellen92 and humbly suggest that Tristan do us all the favor of keeping his nastiness to the pit so we can flame him like he deserves. ---
**Author:** ![MaceMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@MaceMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaceMan)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-suicides-are-too-depressing/164446/22 "2003-03-28T06:56:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tristan \* > \*\* > I don’t care how bad you have it, suicide is the most shallow, cowardly thing to do (note: euthenasia is different… but that’s another thread…). > \*\* I totally disagree with your characterization of suicide as cowardly and shallow. If by any chance you believe that euthanasia can sometimes be OK, then I would like to point out that there are several forms of incapacitating pain, and not all of them are physical. While it might not make sense to others, when a person feels nothing except the relentless pain of depression and the agnozing stress of life, it can be very difficult to rationalize why they should continue to suffer the tortures of everyday existence. The “logical” choice of ending that pain once and forever in a final, desperate act is not easily refuted by their experience or beliefs. Simply hoping that things will improve, and trying to find your self-worth and value to others are helpful, but not easy for suicidal people. Show a little sympathy. Telling suicidal people they are shallow cowards is hardly going to make them change their minds. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-suicides-are-too-depressing/164446/23 "2003-03-28T18:55:59Z")
According to this link:[http://members.tripod.com/~VBlah/allenwrench.html](http://members.tripod.com/~VBlah/allenwrench.html) Cobain was murdered! El Duce and Allen Wrench!! Some old urban legends that have recently come up. ---
**Author:** ![Sofakingwetalldid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/54ee81/32.png) [@Sofakingwetalldid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofakingwetalldid)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-suicides-are-too-depressing/164446/24 "2003-03-28T19:31:33Z")
WHO cares if it is a celebrity or not. The fact that the “awards” were guarded as if it were a bunch of higher-ups in the military, in my opinion, was a JOKE! I am sure Saddam was reaaal worried about buffy the vampire slayer and richard smear so much that he would send a band of terrorists in the building to kill our most valuble people…Give me a BREAK!!! Suicide in and of itself is a STUPID thing to do. What is SAD are the feelings and thoughts that lead up to the act. I have compassion for that…the feelings and the sickness itself of depression, but i can’t stand the fact that no one was or is there for the people that do eventually commit suicide. That these people do not feel close enough with anyone to share their hurst and feelings. To me that is sad. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-suicides-are-too-depressing/164446/25 "2003-03-28T22:17:07Z")
> [@](#): > > If tremendous wealth and world-wide adoration and acclaim can’t even solve your problems, what will? Tremendous wealth and worldwide adoration is a sure-fire way to screw up an otherwise level-headed person. Surely we have sufficient evidence to know that by now. ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-suicides-are-too-depressing/164446/26 "2003-03-29T04:19:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sofakingwetalldid \* > \*\*Suicide in and of itself is a STUPID thing to do. > > What is SAD are the feelings and thoughts that lead up to the act. > I have compassion for that…the feelings and the sickness itself of depression, but i can’t stand the fact that no one was or is there for the people that do eventually commit suicide. That these people do not feel close enough with anyone to share their hurst and feelings. To me that is sad. \*\* Apparently you do not know much about depression. One thing is that every one I know who has gone through depression has systematically cut themselves off from other people. It is a symptom. From [http://www.wingofmadness.com/information/asd2.htm](http://www.wingofmadness.com/information/asd2.htm) > [@](#): > > However, once the depressive state has set in, both physical and psychological problems will be generated in abundance. What faster way to lose a job or a spouse than to be too depressed to work or to _communicate_? What worse psychological state for coping with a blow to identity can there be than a chemically promoted, pathological self-hatred? And what can be worse for self-esteem than watching one’s appearance and household disintegrate as one loses the motivation to shower, straighten up, wash dishes or laundry, or choose attractive clothes? The separation you meantion is a part of the condition. Depressed people go out of their way to avoid people. Hell, at one point if someone rang my doorbell I would go into the closet so that they wouldn’t look into my windows and see me. I’d stay there until they went away. One of the reasons depression is so nasty is that the person sufferening from it tries to hide it from others. When it gets bad the person tries to hide from everyone. People can try to help, my boss tried very hard to help me, but a depressed person may not accept that help. I sure as hell didn’t until my parents showed up and got me into a hospital. And, yes Suicide is a stupid thing to do. If you are rational that is. If you are suffering from depression it can seem like the best choice from a small amount of options. Slee ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-suicides-are-too-depressing/164446/27 "2003-03-29T04:36:20Z")
Tanaqui said: [quote] …perhaps the reason I am so unhappy is not because I am stupid, lazy, pathetic, incompetent, or incapable of dealing with life. You’ve just described some of the _symptoms_ of the disease – not the causes. 🙂 Clinical depression is not a character weakness. It is all too often a fatal illness. Andy Rooney can be a real jerk sometimes. People who haven’t taken the time to educate themselves before kicking someone to the curb are ignorant and can be dangerous. It is his kind of attitude that keeps people from getting help. ---
**Author:** ![ChrystinP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@ChrystinP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrystinP)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-suicides-are-too-depressing/164446/28 "2003-03-29T22:10:11Z")
People who have never experienced depression have absolutely no concept of the devastating effect it has. It is not just a “bad mood” or feeling really, really sad. In addition to his depression I believe he was also drinking quite heavily which adds to the depression (some folks think it helps, but it doesn’t) and the combination is deadly. The real sad thing to me is that apparently his mother recognized his depression for many years and his record label folks knew about it, but no one was able to intervene in a meaningful way. ---
**Author:** ![Sofakingwetalldid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/54ee81/32.png) [@Sofakingwetalldid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofakingwetalldid)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-suicides-are-too-depressing/164446/29 "2003-04-01T14:58:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sleestak \* > \*\*Apparently you do not know much about depression. > > One thing is that every one I know who has gone through depression has systematically cut themselves off from other people. It is a symptom. > > And, yes Suicide is a stupid thing to do. If you are rational that is. If you are suffering from depression it can seem like the best choice from a small amount of options. > > Slee \*\* Apparently you don’t know me or what i have personally gone through. I don’t need you to give me a description out of a psych text book. Give me a break. Hell I avoid people all the time. and if you read my post a little more for what it’s worth you will see what i was saying. WHO CARES if the person is a celebrity, that doesn’t make that person more important then my next door neighbor. Celebrity suicide in and of itself IS NOT more depressing the joe schmoe ending his life. I think it absurd when poeple faint and scream and cry over them. They are just average poeple…I mean,a nyone remember how women used to act over Micheal Jackson…friggin fainting and screaming like maniacs?? Look at him now…the freak! I also said…it is SAD that people do not have anyone close, that they don’t trust anyone to help them. THAT is the worst part and the most important part circumstantially in suicidal people and those around them. I wasn’t denying the fact that they were “alone” in every sense of the word or even that it wasn’t their choice…i was saying IT is sad that it is THAT way. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-suicides-are-too-depressing/164446.md?page=1)