Fame – a Suicidal Business

Kurt Cobain, star of rock band Nirvana, died around the 5th of April 1994 from a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head aged 27. Cobain’s rock star lifestyle involving heavy alcoholism and drug abuse harmed not only his physical health but also his mental health which was already at risk due to mental illness being in common with other members of his family.  His wife, Courtney Love, also a drug user sought help for Cobain as his heroin addiction, illnesses and depression escalated beyond even his own control. Just over a month before his death in March, Cobain had overdosed on alcohol and Rohypnol. This was said by Courtney Love to have been his first suicide attempt. Further on in the month an event, where Cobain locked himself in a room with a gun, drew Love to hold an intervention a week later with concern to his drug abuse which co-workers and close friends attended to support him. He eventually agreed to take part in a detox program but later escaped the facility returning back to one of his homes in Seattle. His body was only found on April 8th by and electrician who came to fit a security alarm and he noted that there was little visible trauma on Cobain’s body. A suicide note written by the star, which was addressed to his childhood imaginary friend Boddah, read messages about his life, feelings to his family and music at the time, including a line which stated, “I haven’t felt the excitement of listening to, as well as creating music, along with really writing something for too many years now”. Later his body was found to have high levels of heroin showing his continued abuse of the substance.

It’s obvious that these three celebrities have barely any connections in their respected professional genres however each did have problems in their personal lives like all people. Their stress and grief were possibly accentuated by their publicly viewed profiles and the lifestyle which comes hand in hand with fame. Could we really put the celebrity lifestyle as the contributing factor to their lives which pushed them towards the decision of suicide? – In my opinion that needs to be objected in each individual situation. The circumstances of suicide alone, never mind involving celebrities are so mysterious and questionable and although unprecedented, thankfully they only occur rarely.