Joshua Espinoza
Professor Lewenstein
English 009
25 July 2017
Drug LIfe:The Rise and Fall of Kurt Cobain
On April 5, 1994 Kurt Cobain committed suicide by shooting himself with a shotgun. There are many speculations, but his family and friends say he was suffering from clinical depression, bipolar disorder, had an undiagnosed stomach problem, and resorted to self-medicating with heroin. Kurt once said, “This heroin is the only thing that’s saving me from blowing my head off right now. He decided to be alone after checking out of rehab and lock himself in a room above his garage it was until April 8, 1994 that his body was alongside a suicide note. The suicide note ended saying, “Frances and Courtney I’ll be at your altar. Please keep going Courtney for Frances for her life which will be so much happier without me. I love you. I love you.” (Wikepedia).” Many believe that a combination of his medical history and drug use was what led him to commit suicide.
While it is difficult to track what Kurt was diagnosed with, his cousin Bev Cobain, a registered nurse, states Kurt Cobain was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder then later with bi-polar disorder also known as manic-depression. Kurt suffered from Bipolar disorder with mood swings (Kopfinger). He would have rage moods, euphoria, irritability, distractibility, overconfidence, and other symptoms. Kurt was depressed and would be heard in his music. While he was taking medication for his conditions, he also ended suffering from substance abuse. Kurt Cobain started to self-medicate with heroin. With his mental illnesses, not on check by his medication and his substance abuse taking over he was on a downward spiral.
While many suicide victims usually seek help or attention, Kurt Cobain secluded himself from the world. After checking himself in to rehab for a heroin problem, he checked himself out after a 2 day stay and proceeded to lock himself in a room above his garage. His family and friends tried to contact Kurt, but failed. Courtney Love his wife hired a private investigator to help find Kurt. Kurt shut out everyone in his life, even his own mother and decided to commit suicide. Ultimately Kurt felt alone and did not seek profession help or help from anyone in his life. Kurt Cobain had more than one attempt at suicide, on March 3, 1994. He was in a coma, while he was in Rome due to overdosing on pain killers. He was suffering from influenza and fatigue, but after his death Courtney Love claimed the Rome incident was an attempt at suicide (Wikepedia). According to Courtney Love, Kurt Cobain had taken 50 Rohypnol pills, a benzodiazepine used to treat insomnia, and was rushed to the hospital where he had his stomach pumped. This suicide attempt was just one month before his successful suicide one April 5, 1994.
I chose to write about Bipolar disorder because the struggles individuals must face by themselves in everyday life. It was important for me to learn more about mental disorders because I work in the medical field and every information is helpful. We only get to see what the person is deciding to show, but don’t know what’s going on inside their head. Kurt Cobain was a great musician that could express his feelings, but battling with his mental illness, he lost his life. He had friends and family member looking out for him. He was a well-liked and loveable person even with his bipolar disorder. Kurt Cobain’s darkest times was battling his mental illness. Kurt Cobain committed suicide at an early age because of his mental illness. This made me realize just how tough it is to be bipolar. Many of us go about our day without having to face the difficulties that some with a mental disorder faces. I think it’s important for us to be informed so we can better understand people with mental disorders and be a helping hand.
Kurt’s death was sudden and unexpected. Many of his fans couldn't believe the news. Even other rock stars couldn't believe the news. Anthony Kiedis, lead singer of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, said, “"It was an emotional blow, and we all felt it. I don't know why everyone on Earth felt so close to that guy; he was beloved and endearing and inoffensive in some weird way. For all of his screaming and all of his darkness, he was just lovable"(Reilly). Los Angeles went into a mourning state. Radios stations and records stores would play Nirvana songs all day. Many fans, showed up at his funeral to show support and mourn the great loss the music world had just suffered.
While many suffer from suicidal thought, many don’t know they have multiple mental illnesses. Many seeking help for this mental illness start with medication prescribed by a specialist such as a psychiatrist, a clinical psychologist, or a primary care provider. If patients feel they need more help they can move to the next step and check themselves into rehab. Treatments is usually lifelong and often involves a combination of medication and psychotherapy. The death of Kurt Cobain was unfortunate, sad, and early. I believe if he hadn’t chosen to self-medicate with heroin, he would still be alive today. If he would have stayed in rehab and worked with the specialists, Cobain could still be alive helping many deal with mental illnesses.
Work Cited
Gessell, Paul. "Who killed Kurt Cobain? A new book on the death of Nirvana's Kurt Cobain marks the fourth anniversary of the suicide that shook a generation. Or was it really a murder? Paul Gessell follows this complex and bizarre unfolding of events.: [Final Edition]." ProQuest, 06 Apr 1998.
“Bipolar disorder.” Mayo Clinic, 15 Feb 2017.
Kopfinger, Stephen. "Delving into depression Kurt Cobain's second cousin will talk about suicide and the youth who are at risk at MU." Sunday News, 22 Oct 2000.
Reilly, Dan. "How Kurt Cobain's Friends, Family & Fellow Musicians Reacted to His Death: 20 Quotes. 05 April 2014.
“Suicide of Kurt Cobain.” Wikipedia.
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In this first section of Friends of the Earth,
students take the time to introduce themselves through their reading.
Instead of the brief mention of their hobbies and pets, they reflect on
a memorable literary experience. You might not judge a book by its cover, but here we learn
what is often hidden inside of others.
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