unfortunately it takes a celebrity death

I find myself having to write this down so I stop thinking about it ... After hearing of Australian fashion and media identity Charlotte Dawson's passing yesterday I keep thinking that it wasn't a case of if but when she took her own life.

Those who knew her say she had a beautiful soul, those who admired her thought she was a beautiful person and I'm sure she probably was (I don't know as we never met and I'm no fan of her genre of interest) but it is well documented that she suffered a life of anxiety and depression and at a time when she was most vulnerable trolls began bullying her, publicising hateful, untrue brutal words thus damaging what little self esteem she had and self esteem is difficult to rebuild.. 

In a 60 minutes interview last year she spoke of she history of depression, the help she was seeking and the trolls that where destroying her life with their hateful spite. Which only made the problem worse for Ms Dawson but at least talking of the issue bought bullying into a spotlight where people would talk about it. Bullying or intimidating in manner either physical or via social media is never OK but if it takes a celebrity death to make society talk then about not just curbing bullying and the hopeful prevention of suicide then so be it. Another celebrity death has done it's job.

Suicide happens every day as so many people decide that it is the only way out of their personal hell that they are suffering and often those around them never expect it the person involved is behaving happier as they reach a place of inner peace before making such a decision .No statistician will ever be able to gauge how many per annum or why?  It's decision that is devastating to loved ones as they struggle to fathom WHY and HOW and all the emotions that come with grief and loss. But again another celebrity death has done it's job!! 

Journalists of all form will now behave like animals to extract all and any detail they discover until it's not news any more because a public figure has taken their own life in the belief that every member of the public wants every detail. That in itself is appalling but at least I would like to think we are talking about the loss with a purpose: the awareness of helplines for people to call if distressed, that bullying is not appropriate and seek help does not make you weak (no I do not live in a blissful bubble expecting percentages of people using these service to rise) 

Suicide has touched my life on more than one occasion and I think of those people often, too often and that's the nature of grief however it has taught me that you never know how much you are loved.