01 Mar Commentary On The Recent Suicides In Hollywood
Marie Osmond. Photo: TheInsider.com
Remember the saying 2 is a coincidence and 3 is a trend? We might be having a bad trend in Hollywood right now.
Marie Osmond’s 18 year old son Michael Blosil took his own life at the beginning of the weekend by jumping out of a window here in Los Angeles. Andrew Koening, the former star of the 80’s sitcom hung himself in Vancouver, Canada. Alexander McQueen, the up and coming fashion designer took his own life by hanging himself by one of his own designs.
Each battled with death or depression in thier life and only in one case was a note left. These cries for help, why are they not being answered or treated? Was the help simply not available or was it more than that?
I got chastised on my own blog for my feelings on Alexander McQueen’s suicide. Although this is a celebrity news site, it is formed in my opinion, as most blogs are. The attacks that I do not know what he went through or I did not havea tough life was utter BS.
I was not making light of his situation and these other suicides that have followed. I was trying to show my anger of what transpired. I have seen a lifeless body on the ground after they jumped and took their own life 2 days before Christmas. I have talked a woman who took over 60 pills to kill herself and convince her to let the paramedics help her.
What I am about to share with you all is why feelings of suicide are so strong; My mother used to threaten to kill herself all the time. I was about 12 years old and I did not live with her but she would call me and tell me that she was planning on doing it tonight. She would try to explain to me how she was going to do it.
The first time she brought up stuff like that was when I was 8 years old. My grandmother allowed her to take me to McDonald’s and my happy meal soon turned into a God is evil meal. I’m 8. All I want is my little cheeseburger n toy. But I got lectured on how if you believe in God, he is going to burn my bed and she is ending her life.
When I was 14, my grandmother went to visit my mother because she had not heard from her in a while. I knew what was going on because my mom wrote me letters that she was going to starve herself. Needless to say, when my grandmother found my mother, she was extremely skinny and was in dire shape. They got her to the hospital and did get her help.
My mother is still alive and all that suicide talk is gone but I can’t forget the past and all the threats she made. The reason I am sharing this experience with you is that I always took her threats seriously and it made me very sad and angry. It is really hard for me to write this right now but I feel I must.
What is going on in Hollywood is a trend and it needs to stop. If you or a loved one are battling suicidal thoughts or depression, PLEASE GET HELP!! This is not only trouble in Hollywood, but all over the world. There are people who care about you. Remember that. No matter how bad things are, know that someone cares about you.
In the United States, The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Call them. Please get the help you need.
If any readers in other countries know of other hot-lines, please leave it in the comments and I will add the number to the story.
Please, let’s try to stop this trend now together.-Dr.FB
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Posted at 15:56h, 17 JanuaryVery interesting; thank you for sharing!
Willena Neyaci
Posted at 12:41h, 25 JulyLucky Ms. Lohan should to be doing far more than 90 days in prison, anything much less and I think is always to total insult towards legal system. Ms. Lindsay Lohan is already getting off scot-free just since she’s a celebrity. It entirely sends a poor message, specially towards the children that look up to her as a role model. I am reading now that she will likely only wind up serving 14 days of her ninety day term. I guess driving whilst hammered is not really so bad after all- the activities these celebs get away with is so sad.
Me!!!
Posted at 01:01h, 10 MarchOoops!!!
It’s supposed 2 read: “urs is a predicament like that of a child of an addict who suffers as a result of their parents’ disease”
Me!!!
Posted at 00:59h, 10 MarchBeen out of the country 4 a while so i hadn’t read this. Doc, u know i got mad love 4 u. But imo, u were NOT chastised 4 ur opinions, ur comment about no tears 4 some1 who takes their own life was what was responded 2. I am truly sorry that u were/r the child of some1 with a mental illness, but us is a predicament like that of a chilid of an addict suffers who suffers as a result of their parents’ disease, yet U do not necessarily HAVE the disease of addiction, do u c the difference. U were judging some1 with such a specific condition, without EVER having walked in THEIR shoes. I am sure that others who have parents with similar problems like those ur mother had/has understand ur situation, but unless they 2 have the same mental condition as their parents, they CANNOT fully understand the hell their parents live in.
Stymie, i agreed & rel8ed with everything u said, if u ever need 2 talk, i hereby give the Doc permission 2 provide u with my 411.
Dreamer 2010, VERY, VERY, well said!!!
Although i do believe that a small few ppl suffer from a purely chemical imbalance of sorts, i likewise believe that the majority of us that battle depression, anxiety, etc., need help healing some core wounds.
Yes, help is available, but the RIGHT help is NOT as available as we would like 2 think. Finding a good therapist alone can b a life long search!!! Keep reaching out!!!
Solomon Vauters
Posted at 02:19h, 06 MarchI enjoy hearing what you have to say!
CherylZ
Posted at 00:55h, 02 MarchYes, very admirable. Doc, you are brave, humble, kind, giving and caring! You do so much for so many. Thank u 4 ur generosity. I hope ur message reaches out to those in need.
nadia
Posted at 17:09h, 01 MarchU dont need 2 appologise for having (strongà feelings on a subject! But u must know that it makes people wanna react… and that is also a good thing. Suicide is not a subject that should b kept quiet! Those that need help ..let us b there for them. Those that wanna really leave this earth..let them go without blame.
Doc u admire u for putting ur story on here! i am soo sorry u had 2 go thru this as a child!
Big hug!(((and a big squeez)))
Nadia
TinaD
Posted at 16:43h, 01 MarchThanks for sharing that info Doc. Its hard to talk so frank to the entire world…its appreciated. Everyone needs to relax when it comes to judging what others think or feel or choose to write on their own Blog. We dont know everything about everyone as much as the internet/media saturated world would like us to believe. And we still need to feel simpathy for others, eventhough we rarely actually see or speak to a human being!- i too have dealt with mental illness and suicide threats (Thank god no deaths) through out my life with close friends/family. Just because they are not saying “Im going to Kill Myself”…does not mean that they arent crying out for help. Look at their actions just as much as you would listen to their words. And I always say- “Id rather you hate me for outting your little “secret” and getting u drastic help, and be alive…then you be dead and i’d always wonder what i could have done…” Again, thanks for sharing…and hopefully people just stop being ridiculous and help one another…
Peace & Love da’ ling….
Dreamer2010
Posted at 16:30h, 01 MarchThe saddest part is the fact that most of these people ARE being treated for their depression. However, the issue is being covered up with prescription drugs. As someone who battled with depression in the past and ended up in the hospital due to an overdose of Prescription meds given to me for my depression…all I can say is..there will be more suicides in Hollywood to come.
These people DON’T need medication….they need counseling and they need to deal with whatever is truly bothering them…and if you don’t have at least one person in your life that you can trust with your deepest darkest secrets…and know that they would never talk about it with someone else….that they can listen to you without trying to “FIX” you…and still be there for you without judging your or looking at you sideways…..if that person doesn’t exist….then most likely they will never get the help they need and the end result will always be suicide.
The prescription drugs don’t do anything but force you to not be able to feel while underneath the surface you feel like u’re dying and the pain has not ceased…you are just unable to allow it to show. So in turn you will do ANYTHING…to stop the pain….some people say that suicide is a selfish act but I think that the people who lack the capacity or are unwilling to understand that most people who commit suicide are only trying to find some peace are more of a problem than a solution…….
Unless you have been down that road you could never understand the total feeling of helplessness and hopelessness that exists at that level of someone seriously entertaining the idea of taking their own life…
Miss Fortune
Posted at 13:35h, 01 MarchThanks so much for sharing this painful part of your life, doc! I think we should be more open about suicide. Not talking about it, or pretending it doesn’t exist certainly wont stop it from happening. I’ve experienced it twice in my own life, and it’s incredibly painful to have to deal with. Aspecially since the subject is pretty tabo. You can’t talk as openly about it as you might need and therefore it becomes like an inner wound that never really heals. Nobody should ever have to feel so depressed that it seems as the only way out!
purplelady
Posted at 13:11h, 01 MarchHi Dr. Funkenberry —
Please post the website for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention —
http://www.afsp.org
purplelady
Posted at 12:54h, 01 MarchDEPRESSION IS A TREATABLE MEDICAL CONDITION
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE GO TO http://WWW.AFSP.ORG
LexAve456
Posted at 12:32h, 01 MarchWow Doc, thank you so much for sharing this part of your life with us. I hope and pray that this will help someone reading this and will make them go to someone for help. God bless you Doc and everyone reading this.
Charlie
Posted at 12:25h, 01 MarchThat’s brave Doc, thank you for making yourself vulnerable so that a lives could hopefully be saved.
CC
Posted at 12:06h, 01 MarchYou’re so very brave…Your words seve a purpose and I know those that hear you will be inspired to find the courage to face life’s challenges…be well u.
justmemuchlove
Posted at 11:33h, 01 MarchThank you for sharing this Doc.
And I hope that,you taking about this, will indeed inspire people to get help
Stymie
Posted at 10:47h, 01 MarchDoc,
it is always brave to put your thoughts out to the universe. No one is going to agree with anyone 100% of the time.
As a person who has battled depression most of my life, the truth of the matter is, sometimes I feel that no one really does care. I’ve reached out to people when I’m feeling really low and sometimes cannot reach anyone. What I have come to understand from speaking to a friend in the mental health field, is regular people sometimes do not have the skills to deal with someone coping with mental illness. I think if people really want to help, call and check on your friends who are suffering with this. Take them to dinner or a movie but most important, just listen to them talk. Don’t abandon them or throw your hands up or avoid their calls. All of which has happened to me.
Thank you for addressing this.