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| Robert Carradine, 1984 and more recently |
A sad ending for Robert Carradine, dead by suicide at age 71. Carradine is famous for his leading role as Lewis Skolnick in
Revenge of the Nerds. He was apparently bipolar for almost twenty years. Part of the Carradine acting family, Robert is the second Carradine (half-)brother to kill himself, the first being older brother David Carradine of
Kung Fu and
Kill Bill fame. In David's case, the suicide might not have been intentional since the sordid circumstances involved autoerotic asphyxiation. (What good is all of that kung fu discipline if it doesn't help you resolve your kink?) In Robert's case, it sounds as if this was simply a matter of crushing depression. The only time I've ever been that depressed was right after my mother died, and I do remember asking myself why I was still alive after I'd woken up from a long sleep the day after her death. But for most of us, life after such a tragedy goes on, and we make our way through the world—maybe stronger, maybe just scarred. But clinical depression and bipolarity, which I admit I don't understand that deeply, can apparently pull a person into some very dark places. While part of me still sees suicide as a selfish and shortsighted act, another part of me has grown to realize that I live with—and haven't yet mastered—my own compulsions, so maybe I'm not in the best position to judge others who, for chemical or other reasons, can't seem to see any way forward. RIP, Robert.
I seriously considered suicide once in my teens and once again in my forties. Man, I'm so glad I didn't. I wouldn't want to have missed this amazing ride called life. That said, I understand the emotional pain one feels can be overwhelming, and an escape through death may seem like the best available option. That said, I still consider suicide the pinnacle of selfishness. You may no longer feel the pain, but it doesn't go away; it just transfers to those you leave behind.
ReplyDeleteBipolar disorder can be a pretty scary thing to have to deal with. I've seen it first-hand. We really need to start treating mental health as simply a health issue without the stigma (not that certain physical health issues aren't stigmatized, of course). Since the mind is part of the body, ultimately it all really boils down to the same thing, even if different issues manifest differently.
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