Day 24: on why suicide IS NOT painless...

One of the news stories doing the rounds at the moment is about Pop singer, Lana Del Ray, and her unfortunate choice of comments earlier this month about suicide. Apparently she was talking about her musical inspiration and how many of her idols had died young, then finished by saying "I wish I was dead already."

This would probably have slipped under the radar, possibly, (I mean she's not exactly known for her happy, chirpy, upbeat songs, is she?) except Curt Cobain's daughter, Frances Bean Cobain, stepped up on Twitter

and took the singer to task.

Her exact words were:

'@LanaDelRey  I'll never know my father because he died young & it becomes a desirable feat because ppl like u think it's 'cool'(cont)'

@LanaDelRey Well, it's f**king not. Embrace life, because u only get one life. The ppl u mentioned wasted that life.Don't be 1 of those ppl' 

Adding: '@LanaDelRey ur too talented to waste it away. (sic).'

Since those comments, Frances herself has come under fire from Lana Del Ray fans, who claim she was attacking their heroine. Frances has since allegedly removed the tweets, instead choosing to defend what she said - something I really, truly believe she had no need to do. Here's what she tweeted instead:-

A few years ago, my Uncle committed suicide. He fitted a hosepipe to his car and decided to end his life. I hadn't seen him in a while, we weren't exactly close (my family doesn't really do close as a rule), but still it was a bit of a shocker. I saw the consequences of those actions first-hand, my mum both distraught and yet also angry that he couldn't have turned to someone, anyone in the family for help had he needed it. From what I understand, his last days were miserable ones in which he really didn't know what else to do and couldn't see a way out of the hole he felt that he was in.

I totally agree with Frances. I think she should have left her comments up, and I don't think she had any need to justify her words. Suicide is not glamorous. The deaths of such people as Amy Winehouse, Curt Cobain and countless others who have died before their time, either by their own hand or not, is a tragic waste.

Suicide though is worse. It is not an action without victims, and those victims have to live with the thought that they weren't or couldn't be there for you at a time when you needed them most. Regardless of the fact that you never went to them for help, still a small part of those left behind will always ask if that might've been their failing, not yours.

As an idol to millions, Lana Del Ray has a certain responsibility. I understand she may just have been careless with her words, may well not have meant them to have come out like that, and allegedly regrets uttering them now (blaming the interviewer, not herself by all accounts), but whe you are in the spotlight like that, you need to think about the things you say.

How many people out there right now share her thoughts, that they wish to die, and now might be inspired to do something about it because Lana Del Ray thinks that it is romantic to die before your time? Hopefully not many. I'd like to think people were not quite so impressionable as that, but the unfortunate fact is many of them are. 

Did you know that according to recent statistics, the male suicide rate is more than three times that of females? It's a sobering statistic. Thankfully, official records show that the amount of suicides overall continues to decline every year.

If you are at all worried about someone, or have feelings of suicide yourself, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour support service on 08457 90 90 9.

Suicide is a selfish act. It is not something to aspire to. 'Live young, die fast, leave a good looking corpse' is not the message we should be telling our young people. 

That's it for today,

Sorry it was a bit grim today, I'll try and be more upbeat tomorrow I promise! lol

Sparky xx