Suicide: The Silent Epidemic

Good day people!  Hope everyone's week has been at least tolerable.  Just hang in there a couple more days, then the weekend will be here.  Unless, of course, you're still working, then this doesn't apply to you at all.  Nevertheless, on with this week's social commentary, and this one is especially important.

This will be a very sensitive, yet very crucial, area that I dive into.  Lately, we've seen a disturbing spike in depression-related suicides, both from the famous to the not-so famous and average, everyday people.  Although  it has been a very alarming problem for quite a long time, we were hit with a sobering bolt of reality when iconic comedian Robin Williams was pronounced dead on August 10.  The cause of death was "asphyxiation due to suicide", or in other words, he hung himself.  Who would've thought one of the most beloved and most brilliant comics of any generation had that many demons that he felt life wasn't worth living anymore?  It's been somewhat known that Williams had been battling depression and addiction for the better part of twenty years, but most like myself figured that he had finally overcome his troubles and was primarily in a better place within himself.  However, we had no idea whatsoever that pain was still a big part of his life, especially with events that may or may not have led up to his subsequent saddening passing.  Reports are that his marriage was on the rocks, his sitcom, "The Crazy Ones", was cancelled, he had to sell his Napa Valley estate, memories of past financial woes that were becoming prevalent again, as well as being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.  With these factors, and likely others even if strictly all in his head, it's almost no wonder that this revered entertainer revealed an even more clear truth about himself: he was human.  What we fail to realize is that even the strongest of humans have breaking points, some more than others.  This poor man struggled with a mental disease that most judgmental and "religious" people will never understand or fathom, and that's the devil of depression.  We will continue to smile whenever movies such as "Good Will Hunting", "Hook", "Jumanji", and "Mrs. Doubtfire" are seen, but we also marvel at his brilliance and wonder if he still had more monumental works at his fingertips.

Unfortunately, another public figure decided her life as well a few weeks after this heartbreaking passing.  Former X-Factor finalist, and member of the group G.R.L., Simone Battle, ended her life at the age of twenty-five.  On September 6, the young singer was found hanging in her room in what was a complete and total shock to all of her family and friends.  According to friends, she was "excited where her career was going", but rumors of financial troubles surfaced not long after.  In this case, nobody had any indication with what she was struggling with on the inside.  Williams' problems had been known since the eighties as he was in counseling and therapy.  This perhaps is the most unsettling part of this scenario.  Most never knew that she had a deep depression issue.

Last week, the wrestling community was affected when former WCW, WWE, and New Japan star Sean O' Haire committed suicide in his home in South Carolina.  The former three-time WCW Tag Team Champion had been struggling with addiction and severe depression (see a pattern) leading up to his tragic demise.  After getting released by WWE, he had a modest career in New Japan Pro, then he tried his hand in the MMA world and even some acting.  After failed attempts in each avenue, he relegated back to South Carolina and opened his own barber shop.  For especially wrestlers, the fame, notoriety and riches associated with the profession comes with severe costs.  These wrestlers are willing to put their bodies on the line on an average of three hundred twenty days out of the year with no off season to perform and give the people their money's worth.  However, with Vince McMahon pretty much owning the entire business, if you get let go from his promotion, there's only the indies, or a new career choice.  In 2007, fellow wrestler Mike Awesome committed suicide in events that almost paralleled O' Haire's.  He went from big time star to real estate agent.  Other wrestlers such as The Renegade, Crash Holly, Chris Kanyon, and three Von Erich brothers all killed themselves due to severe bouts of depression.  Coupled with situations such as no notoriety and, in the case of Holly, pending divorce, already fragile mind states can have the ability to implode.

Throughout time, we've heard of MANY musicians that have taken their lives such as the aforementioned Simone Battle.  To greats such as Kurt Cobain and Phyllis Hyman to emerging stars such as underground hip-hop collective Pro Era's Capital $teez and Top Dawg (Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, SZA, and Ab-Soul) vocalist Amiri Joh, there's a price to pay for fame, and that's if they even wanted the fame associated with their gifts.

Now comes my rant.  For all those who look down upon those who are struggling with mental illness such as depression and/or addiction should really be ashamed of yourselves.  Sometimes it's not as easy as one would think to just 'talk themselves out of it".  There needs to be friends and support to help them with any issues that would be seen as alarming.  Recently there was a story coming out of the Orlando area about a fourteen year old that took his own life due to bullying from his classmates. Suicide and depression is REAL.  All of us know a family member, friend, or friend of a friend that has had depression issues to the point of suicidal tendencies.  Everyone does have strength to get them through situations, but what do you tell the man, woman, or child that is tired of going on?  What do you tell these people when they feel life has turned against them or that they're tired of fighting?  Some self righteous asshole will call them 'weak' or 'pathetic' and they need to 'get it together'.  Kudos to you for being strong, but chances are when that front door closes, and that mask or makeup comes off, there are issues that you may feel are over your head.  If your way of maintaining is turning to God or whomever your higher power is, more power to you.  Unfortunately, there are people that feel they need more than that, they need change, whatever the change may be.  In the case of Robin Williams, here was a man that had riches more than the average man, acclaimed fame, and loved all over the world, but still was tired of the mountains in his life, even if some of the mountains were in his own head.

As a person that has battled pretty intense bouts of depression in the past, the best help you can offer a person is words of encouragement, even if it's quite often, a NON-JUDGMENTAL ear, and continued affirmation that they have a place in this world and that they will never have to go through their struggles alone.  With that being said, some people are so deep in it, they can feel alone even with the best friends in the world assisting them.  Praying for them is good, but also start being the ears these people need.  You may be the one to save their lives if you're not too busy throwing the Bible at them.

To my people going through the struggles of depression and suicidal tendencies, my heart is with you.  I've been you.  Hang on a little longer because as crappy as life can be, you also have a purpose for being here. The hardest thing is the patience of your truth getting revealed to you. Things will get better for you in any situation you're in.  I do understand that there's a point where you hit that wall and you no longer just believe, you want the actual proof and the actual change.  Not just the whole 'one day it will all get better' speech that we all get sick to death of hearing day in and day out.  Sometimes we'll get so caught up in our present that the future looks so distant.  Again, I've been there and any person with a heart that doesn't forget from whence they came would totally get it and understand only with their own story perhaps.  Instead of constant preaching and "tough love', how about some hugs and some reaffirmations that their life is special and because their lives are special, they are special.  Celebrities can possess more money than most hard-working people and still dwell in the sea of hopelessness and desperation because as Biggie famously said in 1997, "Mo' Money, Mo Problems."  Of course it's easy to say to someone living paycheck to paycheck, barely making ends meet, on the verge of homelessness, unemployment benefits running out, and other financial woes that the rich people and celebs probably can't identify with or purposefully blocked out of their minds if they did come that period in their lives.

Sometimes we need to find reasons, or a reason, to live such as family, a child, a spouse, or  anything else that's impactful and bigger than us.  Whatever that reason is, hopefully we can focus on that which is bigger than the problem or the issues that are disabling our growth, in spite of this fucked up, judgmental, self righteous world.  However, to the souls of those who took their own lives, my prayers go out to the ones left behind.  My prayer is that these people have found the peace in the afterlife that this life didn't give them, and deep down, that's all we really want in this world and in our lives, peace.

That's all for this bit of commentary.  I definitely could go a lot further into this topic but I'll end it for now.  Before I go, I want to leave with some media for everybody reading and viewing.  The first is a stirring tribute Jimmy Fallon did for Robin Williams on his Tonight Show.




Here's a look at a video from Simone Battle.  Promising talent.




Here's a look at the career of the highly underrated Sean O' Haire




Lastly, here are some cuts from Pro Era member Joey Bada$$ and TDE member Ab-Soul with their heartfelt and very somber pieces dedicated to Steez and Joh respectively. The latter has been referred to as one of the most emotional pieces of hip-hop ever recorded. Rest In Peace to all that felt that they needed more than what this life handed them.