Everything Under the Moon

I found an article posted today in the wake of Robin William's tragic and untimely passing. As a suicide survivor, and someone who struggles with clinical depression everyday, I was glad to see a report that was being frank and up-front about the lack of compassion and plain common sense the media exhibits by reporting, extensively, on every detail of a celebrity's death, whether that be by their own hand or no. Reading that sort of material does have an effect on people, and while I find it disturbing, a few years ago when I was contemplating the same choice Mr. William's made, I would have found it inspiring.

I'd like for people to think about the implications of that statement.

The act of taking one's life is a ripple effect. I don't condemn the man for making that choice. I can empathize greatly, although I, and no one else, should presume that we know what was going through his mind. I haven't walked in his shoes, but I have been down a road that was black enough that I didn't see a way out either. And the older I get, the harder it is to keep those inner demons from getting out every now and then. It's a recovery process, in a way. I haven't had a serious episode for a long, long time, and I'm in a place in my life where I'm happy and looking forward to the road ahead. I want to stay that way, and keeping the sort of horrifying details constantly being re-hashed in the media is not a good way to accomplish that, for me or for anyone else. It's tragic, it's cruel, and it unfortunately says a great deal about the ravenous appetite the human race possesses for the callous proof of our own ability to be the most inhuman species on earth.

I'd like to see us rise above that.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... ront-pages

Heartsong, I totally sympathize and agree. I've never gotten to the point of feeling like this was the only way out, but I do get really low sometimes. However, there really is a lack of compassion surrounding the subject. I fully understand what you're saying and what that article is saying too.

I was just reading something else the other day, that fits within this. Gene Simmons (and I don't have the article on hand, I apologize) was saying some rather unpleasant things about those who deal with drug addiction and depression. He said that the people like that who complain and are depressed but have a wonderful life should just go and "kill themselves". I just sat there, staring at the screen blankly. He was talking about how those who say they're going to should just do it and not be cowards. I was completely shocked and taken back.

Thankfully, someone in the band Sixx or something like that? I'm not familiar with who it was, came out and said that this was horrible. He brought up the same point, that somewhere out there is a fan reading his words who is dealing with depression and is going to take his advice because he's their idol.

Media is doing a disservice in talking about these kinds of things. I think we'd honestly be better off if they didn't delve too much into this at all. Not just for those struggling, but out of respect for the one that has passed as well.

That's a big one