Youth Incorporated Magazine

The deaths of Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade went on to show us that fame and money can never buy you happiness. Despite being at the top of their game, they suffered mental health issues so grave, that it drove these two legends to take their own lives.

Life in the public eye is the toughest. The constant scrutiny is pressurising even for the strong-hearted. Since the audience is completely oblivious to what happens behind closed doors, it will always come as a sudden shock when a high-profile public figure takes their own life. And who can blame them? Celebrities are required to appear happy and chirpy even if the life they lead isn’t exactly that.

Here are 10 who gave into the pressures of the limelight and took their own lives-

Kurt Cobain

The legendary Kurt Kobain put a gun to his head after battling depression and drug addiction for a long period of time. He even escaped from a rehab in Los Angeles a few days before his death. Conspiracy theorists say that the singer took his life to join the ’club of 27’, which denotes famous people who died at the age of 27. This ‘club’ includes Jimmy Hendrix, Brian Jones, Janis Joplin, Jim Morison, and recently, Amy Winehouse.

Marilyn Monroe

Monroe is undoubtedly the biggest icon the world has ever seen, even until today. She dominated magazine covers, campaigns, the movies, and peoples’ hearts. As one can imagine, the high-profile life she led was bound to take its toll. Her fame and affairs, especially the one with John F Kennedy, was too much for her to handle, and she ultimately took her life at a mere 36 years old, with a lethal dose of barbiturates.

Robin Williams

Funnyman Robin Williams made the whole world laugh, but couldn’t make himself do so. The actor hung himself at his California home in 2014, aged 63 years old. The autopsy reports showed that the actor was suffering from Parkinson’s disease and dementia, but sources known to Williams revealed that he was depressed for a long time.

Alexander McQueen

One of the pioneers of the fashion industry, Alexander McQueen’s death came as a shock to many. The designer found it difficult to cope with his mother’s passing, and took his life a few days after her death, with a deadly cocktail of cocaine and sleeping pills, after which he hung himself. His label, however, continues to remain at the forefront of the fashion world and was even responsible for Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton’s timeless wedding dress.

Vincent Van Gogh

A celebrity in his own right, impressionist Vincent Van Gogh often depicted his mental health issues in his paintings such as “Sunflowers for Amy” and “Irises”. Additionally, he also suffered from disorders such as bipolar disorder, acute porphyria, schizophrenia, and epilepsy. Ultimately, he took his own life with a gunshot in 1890.

Jovan Belcher

When Kansas City footballer Jovan Belcher took his life, he took his wife’s too. Belcher went through a long-standing battle with mental health, which drove him to kill his own wife, by shooting her nine times right before his mother’s eyes. He then drove to his training facility where he shot himself in front of his manager, saying “I wasn’t able to get enough help”

Read about why mental health should be taken seriously here