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“If there’s any small solace to be found in today’s tragedy, it’s that hopefully mental health issues both at large and in the arts community will be taken more seriously, and advocated for.” Men’s Mental Health Social Interest Group — The Good Men Project Following are comments from GMP contributors.
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Music has always been a big relief for me and is one of my 13 reasons for still being here. It is heartbreaking that it wasn’t enough for Chris Cornell for one more night. I’m off to see my favorite band, Metallica, tonight and I’ve been dealing with a downward spiral myself so expect a very emotional show for me.
It is amazing how many people dream of being rock stars, yet how difficult it is for people to maintain that life or, probably more so, the decline from rock star status. Once you’ve lived as a “rock god” does being a human feel like a disappointing step-down?
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I’m not a big Soundgarden fan personally, but when I worked in radio I met Chris Cornell. I was a Promotion’s assistant, which if you’ve ever worked in radio you know is considered a step above team waterboy at the station, but Chris was super kind and generous with me and my coworkers. Treated us like real life actual people, which is kind of rare.
Most of the personalities I met were kind in the way you’re kind to a kid who’s kind of bugging you, some were awful in the way you’d expect, and somewhere absolutely great people who could remember a time they weren’t rock stars.
Chris was one of those great people.
Suicide is not a reflection of your character or your strength. Victims of suicide are not weak by nature, but their strength has been exhausted by their constant fight within themselves. My thoughts are with his friends, family, and fans.
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Michael Kramm The brain is an organ, just like a heart or a liver. And when it is sick, it can kill you just as quickly as any other organ. We tend to view suicide as a choice, so when a person like Chris Cornell commits it, we struggle to understand how a person with everything…money, fame…could possibly see it as their only way out. But suicide isn’t the result of not having enough money or fame. It’s the result of having a sick mind, and sick minds can’t be healed with socioeconomic status alone…no different from a sick heart or a sick liver. And it’s important to remember: people don’t kill themselves because they want to die…they kill themselves because they want the pain to end. A pain that may be invisible to us, but is central to them. And in our success-obsessed society, it can be even HARDER to ask for help, because…you’re Chris Cornell. What do YOU have to be depressed about? Mental illness doesn’t care how much money you have or how many fans. RIP Mr Cornell.
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Depression and anxiety are complex, often lonely conditions. Cornell’s widow has suggested that his decision was colored by taking too much Ativan, a medication he was taking to control his anxiety. It would be tragically ironic if the medication he was taking to control his mental health struggles and keep himself in this world is what ultimately drove him to leave.
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Chris Cornell (and Soundgarden) framed a turbulent time for me in college. Listening to dark, heavy songs like “The Day I Tried to Live”,”4th of July”, and, of course, “Fell on Black Days”, were actually uplifting and inspiring. For that, his music will always have a special place in my history. With that said, I mourn the loss of a great singer, frontmen, artist, and human being but I won’t condone or glorify the method of his departure.
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