Chris Cornell passed away back in May and it hit the world hard and out of nowhere. At only the age of 52 when he passed on, it was a shock, to say the least. He had been in the music business and public eye for well over 20 years and had been producing music nigh on all of his life.
I am and have been a fan for a long time and, as my girlfriend would testify, I took the loss quite personally. I had been writing my University dissertation largely on Cornell among other things and this news came at a time that was crucial in my academic and general life landmarks.
Cornell's death confirmed a suicide
It has been officially stated that the death was a suicide due to the state in which Cornell's body was found. It has since been released that Cornell was a lifelong sufferer of depression and that it had come back in his later years.
The death of Cornell was followed by the suicide of his close friend and fellow rock star, Chester Bennington, frontman of Linkin Park. Bennington also suffered depression throughout his life. The death of his close friend, Cornell, appears to have accelerated his disdain for life and thus sped up his impending descent into suicidal action.
The death of these two successful and popular musicians demonstrate how depression can target and attack anybody and is not biased in terms of those within its range.
Cornell's death happened immediately after he returned to his hotel room after his last performance alongside Soundgarden, his band members and good friends, at the Fox Theatre on May 17th of this year.
Depression
Mind.org states that one in four people in the United kingdom today suffer mental health problems and in England, one in six suffer depression specifically.
It is a problem that needs the full attention of medical professionals and the general public alike. to rid us of the stigma attached to mental health. Hopefully, more people will admit to suffering from mental health problems and they receive the help that they need. We need to curb the disturbing and very sad notion that suicide is the only way out.
Mind.org also found that 20.6 out of 100 people in the UK had suicidal thoughts and that 6.7 out of 100 had actually attempted suicide. This is an incredibly sad number and a harsh reality which needs to be addressed without any stigmas and no shying away from the cold truth of facts. Finally, mind.org found that 7.3 in 100 people in the United Kingdom had actually self-harmed.
With these figures, it cannot be ignored and must be addressed. Rest in peace Cornell, and rest in peace Bennington. Let's help others so that they won't contemplate following the same path as these two icons with their tragic stories.
