Last wk I’d shared that the performer Mistah FAB opened up abt his own MH struggles. He shared “his stuff.” I wish more would follow him.
It made me wonder how many public figures we USED to hear abt (athletes, actors, musicians), may now be struggling. I hadn’t followed Sinéad O’Connor since the 90s. But…
If you grew up then/before, it was hard not to know of Sinéad – w her musical talents, shaved head, outspoken views, & even controversial demonstration on SNL.
She became famous in 1990 w her cover of Prince’s Nothing Compares 2 U.
Yesterday, she died at only 56. No cause of death was revealed – we just know she’d been very open abt her MH struggles to those who still followed her.
Another public figure – open abt their MH struggles – w a trauma history that’s very rich:
Sinéad’s parents divorced when she was a child, & her mother was physically, sexually & psychologically abusive. She moved in w her dad, but her behavioral issues landed her in an ‘asylum’ when she was a teen. At 18, her mom died, & she told The Guardian in 2021 she never got past it, bc despite her mom’s abuse, she still loved her.
She also suffered from fibromyalgia, a condition that led her to step away from music in 2002. Fibromyalgia symptoms include chronic physical pain & tenderness throughout the body as well as fatigue, brain fog & trouble sleeping.
In 2012 she cancelled a tour after suffering a ‘very serious breakdown,’ & in 2015 revealed she’d overdosed at a hotel in Ireland. She cancelled more gigs in 2021 after she said she’d gone into a 1-yr treatment trauma/addiction program.
Then, just 18 months ago, Sinéad lost her son, Shane, 17, to suicide. He’d escaped the hospital while on suicide watch.
This is pain: In her last tweet she posted a photo of Shane & said, “Been living as undead night creature since. He was the love of my life, the lamp of my soul. We were one soul in two halves. He was the only person who ever loved me unconditionally. I’m lost in the bardo w/o him.”
A buddy posted a quote from her (slide➡️) abt needing love to save someone. So sad bc you wonder if maybe more love her way could’ve saved her🥲