"I don't like my mind right now Stacking up problems that are so unnecessary Wish that I could slow things down I wanna let go but there's comfort in the panic And I drive myself crazy Thinking everything's about me Yeah, I drive myself crazy 'Cause I can’t escape the gravity I'm holding on Why is everything so heavy? Holding on So much more than I can carry I keep dragging around what's bringing me down If I just let go, I'd be set free Holding on Why is everything so heavy?"
-Linkin Park
I think I'm not the only one who feels this way, but to me, it's not a very good Monday. The news of Chester from Linkin Park was a serious blow to the rock world, which was still ailing the loss of another legend. My news feed was filled with nothing but RIP, WTF we lost another, and I can't believe it's real, mostly people wondering what the hell is going on with all this. Maybe that is the wrong question entirely. I think it is time we start asking WHY the hell, instead of what the hell.
We obviously have many issues in the world today and mental health is close to the top in my opinion. Sometimes we can tend to overlook the fact that someone with fame and fortune is still a human, a father, a son, a brother, a sister, a mother, etc. Everyone has his or her struggles no matter what "social class" they are presumed to be in. Nobody is super human.
I try to be understanding of different situations and aware that everyone comes from a different walk in life. Sometimes I just find myself at a loss for words, or in this case, struggling to find the right words that may help someone or if anything, help their mind clear a little to move forward and get out of whatever situation may be weighing on them. Suicide, however, is such a touchy subject for many folks and the last thing I want to do is to make someone feel less of a person because they may have had those thoughts before, or have lost someone to suicide. We should all focus on the polar opposite and realize that chances are very high that someone in our life, somewhere, is struggling and may possibly be having suicidal thoughts, even if they are not very frequent. We can all make a conscious effort to try help someone who may be in need and sometimes the struggles may go unnoticed for long periods of time, but even a little bit can go a long way especially when someone has a whirlwind or emotions going through their head, and even a 15 minute phone call could make a huge difference to someone.
One thing I do firmly believe is that we should not portray suicide as a viable option when things are tough. Maybe we have too much media attention on these tragedies? Maybe I shouldn't be writing a blog about this? I'm not 100% sure on that. Losing 2 legends in this short of a time frame, and all the publicity behind them just rubs me the wrong way to a certain degree. I think the situations were terrible, and sadly they get the spotlight and I hope that this does not become more trendy and socially acceptable, given the fact that they were extremely influential people. Hopefully, as a society, we can move forward with this starting on a small scale and learn how to better recognize symptoms and what is a beneficial way to get someone through it, or get them the treatment they need.
As we mourn the loss of an incredible artist, we also have to realize that it could be someone down the street having these same battles. If we reach out, even just to be a friend, and listen to what they have to say then it may just make a difference in someone's life. Stick together, love one another, and maybe we can make the world a better place one day at a time.