The BBC is reporting the results of the Alexander McQueen inquest as to the cause of his death. The report says that McQueen had taken a substantial amount of cocaine as well as sleeping pills and tranquilizers prior to hanging himself. Apparently this was not the first time he had attempted to kill himself. He overdosed on drugs twice last year in an attempt to kill himself and was suffering from depression. According to the report, McQueen always was low after one of his collections was completed. Combine that with the death of his mom and it was too much to handle for the designer.
All I can say is that I hope that he has found the peace he wanted and is with his mom.
Mental Illness is real, and it kills our very best people all the time.
ReplyDeleteRIP
ReplyDeleteHE WAS IN PAIN...THE KIND THAT CAN'T BE FIXED WITH MEDS...
ReplyDeleteAaaww that is sad. Mental illness can be crippling for some people. I hope he is at peace now.
ReplyDeleteomg...this breaks my heart to hear...so much talent and so much pain. :(
ReplyDeleterip.
Very sad.
ReplyDeleteBless his heart. He needed to be numb to get it done. Very sad.
ReplyDeleteDo we know that he was under psychiatric care? @Shazzzba, I disagree, most depression can be treated very successfully by a combination of talk therapy and psychotropic medication.
ReplyDeleteSee: http://www.afsp.org/
(Some other conditions, like schizophrenia, are harder to treat than depression.)
I echo Enty's sentiments. Hope he found the peace in death that he couldn't find in life.
ReplyDeleteSchizophrenics have the highest suicide rates amongst the mentally ill.
ReplyDeleteWhat libby said. Sigh. Poor guy.
ReplyDeleteGRETCHEN, PLEASE LETS NOT GET STARTED ON THIS...EVERY FRIEND I HAVE WHO IS SEEING A SHRINK IS ON MEDS.
ReplyDeletePERSONALLY I THINK THEY ARE ABUSED.
I AGREE THAT THEY CAN HELP IN MANY CASES, BUT HOW MANY WHO ARE TAKING THEM REALLY NEED THEM ? THAT IS THE QUESTION.
A MILD TRANQ OK I GET THAT, A SLEEPING PILL NOW AND THEN SURE. BUT HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH.
A FRIEND WHO IS A PSYCHIATRIST, SAYS ALL HIS PATIENTS ARE ON MEDS...ALL...I FIND THAT FRIGHTENING.
I TRY TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT I TAKE..DO I REALLY NEED IT...I ALWAYS QUESTION MY DOCTOR WHEN HE GIVES ME SOMETHING, I THINK EVERY ONE SHOULD....IS IT REALLY NECESSARY ? AND IF THE ANSWER IS YES I LISTEN.
shazzba, I can honestly say that if I hadn't been given anti-anxiety medication for my depression years ago, I would not be here writing this. I was planning my suicide-had it all figured out. The medication changed my life and I'm living a good one now, thanks to it.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure not everyone has had this experience, and yes there are those who abuse the medication, but in this case, I'm VERY glad I listened to my doctor, and so are my husband, family, and friends.
SPORKY....I'M HAPPY FOR YOU, AND GLAD YOU'RE WELL...
ReplyDeletelets not be naive and think one thing works for every case. mental health and its care is a HUGE spectrum running from A-Z.
ReplyDeletenot everyone can be 'fixed' by chit chat and meds and not everyone suffering kills themselves.
Thanks, shazzba. I still have my "moments" but overall, I'm still very glad to be among the living.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad, but it happens..not everyone gets to be happy and sometimes they can't.
ReplyDeleteAs for medication, it works in certain cases but one of the most important things is to find the source of the pain or the lack of control.
@Jax, it's not "chit chat." I'm trying not to get angry about this...but I'll bet you've never had depression.
ReplyDeleteI can only speak for myself, but meds have made my life possible. Coupled with, yes, "chit chat." There are a lot of bad psychiatrists out there (had a few), but if you hit on a good one he/she can make all the difference. We've had to try several medicine combinations before finding the one that works very well for me. Each person is different.
Before this I was self-medicating with alcohol. I'm so glad I didn't end up like my grandmother who, looking back, had the same thing (anxiety/depression, some bipolar), and went on epic benders every 3-4 months.
...or my father, who died at 42 of a heart attack, possibly brought about by his miserable life of crippling anxiety.
Who knows how many might be needlessly medicated? All I know is that it works for me.
i for one am thankful for meds, but have to agree that meds and talk therapy aren't always enough to get me through the day and certainly don't do enough for more severe cases of depression/etc.
ReplyDeletei don't think anyone meant to knock therapy and meds, i think it's that they aren't enough for some people and are relied on too heavily by professionals. i've had so many doctors give me pills for this kind of bad day and another pill for that kind of bad day, but only a small few have asked me where my triggers are and what else i'm doing about it. for some people, all the pills and therapy in the world can't make their pain go away, but doctors lump them in pill catergories because it's easier and less time consuming than helping a patient deal with their disease.
before we get all angry and assume we know where someone is or isn't coming from, remember that everyone has had experience with mental illness at some point in their lives and each opinion is different than the next.
Don't the Madden brothers have a song about this?
ReplyDelete'LifeStyles of the Rich and the Famous'?
unfortunately medication does not work in all cases - me being the case unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteafter trying many different medications and therapy and nothing working I ended up having to have ECT (i had an suicidal depression and being inside my head was like being in hell).
Yes extreme - but it worked - i have been told it is not a permanent cure but i have about 5 years before i will need to go through it again (if necessary).
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