Depression Doesn’t Discriminate: Why Young Celebrities Reach the End of Hope Too Soon

By
Gurudatta Somayaji H
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Depression Doesn’t Discriminate: Why Young Celebrities Reach the End of Hope Too Soon

Suicide is a major cause of death worldwide and almost one million people die from suicide every year, representing a global mortality rate of 16 per 100,000. Celebrity suicides influence a larger population due to wide media coverage and this effect is known as ‘Werther Effect’. The rationale behind suicide can be as simple or as complex as life itself. The person who commits suicide may see his actions as some sort of solution to a severe physical or psychological dilemma. The Psychology of suicide is rooted in depression.

      

Recently, the media was abuzz with the news of actor and well-known film star, 34-year-old Sushant Singh Rajput committing suicide at his Bandra residence in Mumbai. This has definitely sent shockwaves across the nation. Name and fame were right there before the talented actor but he chose to leave it all behind and depart. His rise to fame was phenomenal as he was once a background dancer at several events. His untimely death has left his fans in a state of shock.

Then the repercussions followed. A spate of seven suicides on 17th June has brought into limelight what is known as ‘copycat suicides’ where those who are on the verge may have been provoked by the suicide of the celebrity. Since Sushant Singh was from a humble background in Bihar, a starry-eyed boy who made it big in the tinsel town, his suicide may have a considerable impact on vulnerable people with psychiatric issues. It would surely have dented their already eroded confidence. According to psychiatrists, suicides are due to a complex interplay of personal, social and more importantly, psychological factors.

WHY?

“Why would they want to take their own life, when they had ‘everything’?” is the question of the common man. Celebrities are those who have a fairly good number of fans, admirers and followers, people who often wait for long hours to catch a fleeting glimpse of their stars. But we are living in a strange world. A celebrity is viewed as one who can never have any weaknesses. He is superhuman, beyond grief and sorrow. A young and upcoming star with depression will definitely hide his emotions in front of his fans, leading to an accumulation of frustration and anger.

  • Depression is a mood disturbance characterized by feelings of sadness, despair, and discouragement resulting from and normally proportionate to some personal loss or tragedy. A small-town boy aspiring to be the next Bollywood celebrity, an underdog pitched against the heavyweights who had already formed a kind of diabolical nexus, this was a daunting task. To quote the words of a journalist, ‘when you remember Sushant Singh, remember him as an outsider who refused to fit in the ruthless world of Bollywood’. Severe emotional pain coupled with stressful experiences over a period of time force the young celebrities to take the extreme step.

  • Loneliness kills. It doesn’t differ as to who the person is and most cases of celebrity suicides point out to this dreaded condition. Some celebrities are indeed isolated and lonely. This loneliness may happen because fans and admirers think that celebrities are different, separate and unique!

  • Schizophrenia, extreme anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse and personality disorders (bipolar disorders) are other factors that could lead to celebrity suicides.

  • Lifestyle choices such as alcoholism and drug abuse are considered as prominent factors that influence the mind and body of the young and the famous.

Money is often a means to social ends rather than an end in itself. Given the choice between (A) Minimal material sustenance and loving relationships with people who respect you and (B) Vast riches and permanently empty relationships, most would choose (A). It is that young achievers sometimes set impossibly high standards – benchmarks that just push them further and further into a sense of inadequacy at some level.

Suicide is a permanent solution to what could have been a temporary problem. Mental disorders, depression and loneliness haven’t spared the rich and the poor. It’s high time we
strengthen our social bonds and value human relationships. One needs to give time to heal all wounds. We must understand that having unanswered questions is perfectly normal.

Gurudatta Somayaji is an academician with Post-Graduate degrees in English Literature and Management; Bachelor degree in Education. Mr. Somayaji has 15 years of experience in the areas of teaching, training and public relations. He is an alumnus of MGM College, Udupi and Justice K.S. Hegde Institute of Management, Nitte. At present, he is serving as Principal, Surya Chaitanya Global Academy, Kuthyar- Udupi.

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