[ColdNoMore]

His and Kate Spade's suicides is a stark reminder, that wealth and fame...don't automatically insulate someone from depression and mental illness.

[graciegirl]

I have watched snippets of his shows over the years but never could get the hang of them or him. Rick Steves was more my style.

Suicide is an unspeakable tragedy that leaves those left behind inconsolable. I wonder how much his drug abuse damaged his brain and altered his choices.

Some people are born with addictive personalities and are more in danger of drug abuse. I wish we could solve the drug dilemma and find much better ways to help depression and mental illness.

There are no words to console those who grieve his loss. Or that of Kate Spade or those who took their own lives known to each and every one of us.

[DeanFL]

Truthfully now...how many of us, during such stressful points in our lives have had that "fleeting thought"...?



Robin Williams:

"Suicide is a Permanent Solution to Temporary Problems"


Robin Williams - "Suicide is a Permanent Solution to Temporary Problems" - YouTube

[Schaumburger]

I really enjoyed Anthony Bourdain's shows on both the Travel Channel and CNN. He was a gifted story teller, going to places that many of us will never get a chance to visit.

Wealth and celebrity do not guarantee a happy life as was demonstrated twice this past week.

Whatever demons and issues plagued both Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade, may they rest in peace.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones. (taken from the Lifeline's web site).

[Bay Kid]

We lose our veterans to suicide everyday without any attention to their problems. Suicide is very sad for all, even harder on the ones left behind.

[capecodbob]

I have to wonder WHY this tragedy gets all the front page stories yet roughly 22 veterans are dying by suicide every day, or one every 65 minutes.
Most of the vets had little or nothing. This guy had it all.

I guess CNN feels this guy is way more important than our Vets. But I'm not surprised.

[nututv]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

Sadly, he had some serious substance abuse issues.

Bourdain had been known for being an unrepentant drinker and smoker. In a nod to Bourdain's (at the time) two-pack-a-day cigarette habit, renowned chef Thomas Keller once served him a 20-course tasting menu which included a mid-meal "coffee and cigarette": a coffee custard infused with tobacco, together with a foie gras mousse.[84] Bourdain stopped cigarette smoking in the summer of 2007 because of the birth of his daughter.[85] He is also a former user of cocaine, heroin, and LSD. In Kitchen Confidential he wrote of his experience in a trendy SoHo restaurant in 1981: "We were high all the time, sneaking off to the walk-in refrigerator at every opportunity to 'conceptualize.' Hardly a decision was made without drugs. Cannabis, methaqualone, cocaine, LSD, psilocybin mushrooms soaked in honey and used to sweeten tea, secobarbital, tuinal, amphetamine, codeine and, increasingly, heroin, which we'd send a Spanish-speaking busboy over to Alphabet City to get."[86] In the same book, Bourdain frankly described his former addiction, including how he once resorted to selling his record collection on the street in order to raise enough money to purchase drugs.

He'd fought depression for a long time from what I've read. It's tough and obviously sometimes it wins. Selling your belongings for a fix, having a 2 pack a day smoking habit etc., well it has nothing to do with depression.

[nututv]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I wonder how much his drug abuse damaged his brain and altered his choices.

Because you did drugs a year ago or a decade ago, those things don't alter your choices present day. It's like saying 5 years ago I was hooked on caffeine and I'm still wide awake from it.

[Tweety Bird]

Originally Posted by capecodbob

I have to wonder WHY this tragedy gets all the front page stories yet roughly 22 veterans are dying by suicide every day, or one every 65 minutes.
Most of the vets had little or nothing. This guy had it all.

I guess CNN feels this guy is way more important than our Vets. But I'm not surprised.

Your analysis is not a great comparison. Bourdain was on TV for years. News is about what people can relate to and he was a famous TV persona as well as Robin Williams and designer Kate Spade. And the big question is WHY? He had everything, one would reason. It's horrible that Vets commit suicide, but it would be never ending news because war is never ending. Maybe a documentary of why vets commit suicide?

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by nututv

Because you did drugs a year ago or a decade ago, those things don't alter your choices present day. It's like saying 5 years ago I was hooked on caffeine and I'm still wide awake from it.

[nututv]

So many people don't understand severe depression. To know someone suffering doesn't count either but it at least scratches the surface of understanding.
Unless you've experienced it, you will never understand the mental anguish. It haunts you when you're awake and just waits for you to go to sleep. That's when some really horrific things wander through your mind. To your mind, perception is reality. Waking from a nightmare is quite real and the black dog can really cook up some bad ones.
I'm afraid Mr Bourdain's last thoughts were just pure hell. Thoughts that no one would ever understand.

[manaboutown]

Originally Posted by nututv

Because you did drugs a year ago or a decade ago, those things don't alter your choices present day. It's like saying 5 years ago I was hooked on caffeine and I'm still wide awake from it.

If you ever went to a NA or AA meeting you might discover that this statement is rarely true. An individual's thinking and decision making become altered as a result of heavy alcohol and/or drug use over a period of time.

[nututv]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

If you ever went to a NA or AA meeting you might discover that this statement is rarely true. An individual's thinking and decision making become altered as a result of heavy alcohol and/or drug use over a period of time.

There are never absolutes. Look at the Rolling Stones and Ozzy. Over their reign they've done enough drugs long term to annihilate the population of several cities. I'm not saying that someone having a bad trip won't do some bad things or make wrong decisions but I'm not familiar with any drugs that will lead to long term severe depression lasting decades. Just saying from experience.
.
edit: All that said, I've no idea what his medicine cabinet looked like at his death. Drug related or just his personal demon. It's a horrible thing. Hopefully his pain is gone now.

[manaboutown]

Originally Posted by nututv

edit: All that said, I've no idea what his medicine cabinet looked like at his death. Drug related or just his personal demon. It's a horrible thing. Hopefully his pain is gone now.

Whatever the causation factors it was a sad ending. RIP

[nututv]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

Whatever the causation factors it was a sad ending. RIP

Yessir. I watch very little TV but I sure enjoyed his frankness, sense of humor and adventure. He'll surely be missed here.