Country singer Mindy McCready died

[MissManda]

Such a sad situation. She was such a troubled soul.

There are so many questions though. I read that she had been ordered by a judge to go to in-house rehab but then was released the next day for out patient treatment? How can this be allowed to happen? I feel as if the system failed her. She needed help and they let her go even though a judge had just deemed her to be danger to herself.

If she was so depressed, why did her father leave her alone? I know he probably had to get back to his life, but you would think that her family would have arranged for someone to be there for her.

Why on earth did he leave her by herself with a gun. I know that if she was really determined to kill herself she would have found a way regardless, but a gun just makes it so much easier. Aren't women statistically less likely to kill themselves with a gun?

I wonder why she killed the dog? That is just so sad.

 

[chisnpeke]

Such a sad situation. She was such a troubled soul.

There are so many questions though. I read that she had been ordered by a judge to go to in-house rehab but then was released the next day for out patient treatment? How can this be allowed to happen? I feel as if the system failed her. She needed help and they let her go even though a judge had just deemed her to be danger to herself.

If she was so depressed, why did her father leave her alone? I know he probably had to get back to his life, but you would think that her family would have arranged for someone to be there for her.

Why on earth did he leave her by herself with a gun. I know that if she was really determined to kill herself she would have found a way regardless, but a gun just makes it so much easier. Aren't women statistically less likely to kill themselves with a gun?

I wonder why she killed the dog? That is just so sad.

I don't know what it is about killing the dog either. I knew a woman who jumped off the tallest building in Cincinnati and poisoned her dog a week or so earlier.

 

[brockash]

Well - another high profile case that shows our mental health system needs an overhaul. If they let her out and she wasn't stable - that is really, really a tragedy for her two boys who deserved to know their mother someday in some fashion.

Now, the little one has at least lost two parents... I can't remember - are those twins or does she have one little and one big one?

No, she has an older one and the baby, but the older one is really no better off...his dad is the guy that used to beat the crap out of her, so in my opinion he's a sorry piece of crap. Pretty sure he had some drug/alcohol problems as well, which is why the grandparent had custody of the older child for a long time. Hopefully both of the kids have some really good, stable grandparents.

 

[LiveYourLife]

People Magazine is reporting that in 2005 she attempted suicide by taking 35 antidepressants WHILE pregnant with her now 6 year old son Zander.

I have no sympathy for selfish individuals such as this. Harsh? Maybe. Her children will hopefully be safer without her.

And why, sweet cheeses, did she have to kill her dog?

 

[alex9179]

People Magazine is reporting that in 2005 she attempted suicide by taking 35 antidepressants WHILE pregnant with her now 6 year old son Zander.

I have no sympathy for selfish individuals such as this. Harsh? Maybe. Her children will hopefully be safer without her.

And why, sweet cheeses, did she have to kill her dog?

Then you are ignorant of what mental illness can do. Selfish? No. Desolate? Yes.

What you don't understand is the complete disassociation with reality that occurs with mental illness. You aren't alone, most of America doesn't understand and refuse to be sympathetic.

Maybe her dog was terminal. Maybe she knew that no one would take care of her dog after she was gone (behavioral issues). She KNEW her kids would be ok with her parents and she felt that the people she loved would be better off without her causing drama in their lives.
It's nothing but tragic. I'm a person left behind from suicide. You have no freaking idea when you say it's selfish.

 

[bookgirl]

She wasn't mentally ill she was a drug addict. She was depressed because they kept taking away her drugs and it appears that she had finally gotten herself in trouble that she couldn't cure with yet another 'rehab' excuse. I feel bad for the kids, for her just pity. She did drugs, she endangered her kids. She endangered other people because of her use of drugs while driving or while her kids were in her care. As it stands now the circumstances around her partners death seems to lean towards her having some part in it.

 

[dansamy]

She wasn't mentally ill she was a drug addict. She was depressed because they kept taking away her drugs and it appears that she had finally gotten herself in trouble that she couldn't cure with yet another 'rehab' excuse. I feel bad for the kids, for her just pity. She did drugs, she endangered her kids. She endangered other people because of her use of drugs while driving or while her kids were in her care. As it stands now the circumstances around her partners death seems to lean towards her having some part in it.

You don't know that her depression was secondary to addiction/withdrawal. Many addicts become addicted because they're self-medicating their underlying, pre-existing mental illness. Regardless of the pathology of her mental illness, she was mentally ill at the time of her death. Regardless of her cause of death, her children have lost their biological mother. This is a traumatic life event. They need support. I hope they have good family support.

 

[alex9179]

She wasn't mentally ill she was a drug addict. She was depressed because they kept taking away her drugs and it appears that she had finally gotten herself in trouble that she couldn't cure with yet another 'rehab' excuse. I feel bad for the kids, for her just pity. She did drugs, she endangered her kids. She endangered other people because of her use of drugs while driving or while her kids were in her care. As it stands now the circumstances around her partners death seems to lean towards her having some part in it.

You are speculating based on your own experiences. So am I. In my small experience, addiction/abuse is a symptom of mental illness. I don't pretend to be an expert. I've had my personal fill of experience with those who have low self-esteem and turn to chemical...numbness. They hurt the people who love them because they feel unworthy. Those outside chemicals aren't the source!

I'm not a rehab cheerleader. Those I've know who've gone into it, thinking they don't have a problem, only learn better ways to find and/or hide their addiction from the others. Rehab only works when the patient is looking for it. It doesn't work unless they've realized that it can be better. The biggest hurdle is themselves.

 

[allison443]

It sounds like she had resources, concerned family members, and many opportunities for rehab.

Very sad for her children.

 

[alex9179]

You don't know that her depression was secondary to addiction/withdrawal. Many addicts become addicted because they're self-medicating their underlying, pre-existing mental illness. Regardless of the pathology of her mental illness, she was mentally ill at the time of her death. Regardless of her cause of death, her children have lost their biological mother. This is a traumatic life event. They need support. I hope they have good family support.

The abuse just reinforces her own self-esteem issues. For crying out loud, who hasn't felt demeaned at some point in their lives? When it's highlighted, over and over by someone you love, it becomes defining.

Completely agree.

 

[alex9179]

It sounds like she had resources, concerned family members, and many opportunities for rehab.

Very sad for her children.

Resources mean nothing when you don't think you deserve it.

It IS sad for her children, who will never understand what led her to end her life. It's horrible for everyone who loved her.

 

[NCRedding]

As I was googling last night to see if she was in fact dead, I ran across something that indicated that she had attempted suicide at least 3 times before. I feel sorry for those left behind, and I feel sorry for her, that she thought this was her only choice.

 

[LiveYourLife]

Then you are ignorant of what mental illness can do. Selfish? No. Desolate? Yes.

What you don't understand is the complete disassociation with reality that occurs with mental illness. You aren't alone, most of America doesn't understand and refuse to be sympathetic.

Maybe her dog was terminal. Maybe she knew that no one would take care of her dog after she was gone (behavioral issues). She KNEW her kids would be ok with her parents and she felt that the people she loved would be better off without her causing drama in their lives.
It's nothing but tragic. I'm a person left behind from suicide. You have no freaking idea when you say it's selfish.

Please don't call me ignorant it makes you look foolish, friend. I do understand mental illness, true mental illness. This person was a drug addict. I feel very sorry for her children, but I stand beside my statement that I have no sympathy for her, she was selfish, and that her children will be SAFER without her. Her children are not with her parents, they are currently (or were as of yesterday) in the custody of the state.

I'm very sorry that you have been touched personally by suicide, and wish you all the best.

 

[penn19]

I think the whole 'twin' thing is where I realized how unstable she was. I read that she announced she was having twins, went on tv or something. Then gave birth to one child. The only story I heard before this one is the oldest child lived with her family and there were ongoing court battles as they were trying to prove she wasn't stable enough to parent him.

I agree about the state of our mental health. Its frightening.

Kelly

Thank you for writing that. I thought I was losing my mind. I know I had read somewhere that she was having twins and then never heard anything else. Everytime I would read something it would say she had a 6 year old and an infant. Nothing about twins. I knew I hadn't imagined it!

 

[MissManda]

Please don't call me ignorant it makes you look foolish, friend. I do understand mental illness, true mental illness. This person was a drug addict. I feel very sorry for her children, but I stand beside my statement that I have no sympathy for her, she was selfish, and that her children will be SAFER without her. Her children are not with her parents, they are currently (or were as of yesterday) in the custody of the state.

I'm very sorry that you have been touched personally by suicide, and wish you all the best.

Did you know her personally? How else could you possibly know that she wasn't mentally ill and nothing more than a drug addict. Mental illness takes on many forms and it could be that hers led to her addiction. I don't presume to know what was the root of her problems, but she was obviously a very troubled soul and very desperate for many years. I agree that suicide is a very selfish choice, however, I do feel sympathy for her. It must be terrible to believe so strongly that death is the only place you have left to turn. I feel sympathy for her children that will grow up without their parents and I feel sympathy for her family and friends who have to cope with this loss (and for some of them their feelings of guilt for not doing enough).

 

[Gorechick]

I watched her when she was on Celebrity Rehab a few years ago. She had a lot of abuse in her past and was very concerned about her child ( she had the 1 at the time) being in the custody of her parents.

 

[alex9179]

Please don't call me ignorant it makes you look foolish, friend. I do understand mental illness, true mental illness. This person was a drug addict. I feel very sorry for her children, but I stand beside my statement that I have no sympathy for her, she was selfish, and that her children will be SAFER without her. Her children are not with her parents, they are currently (or were as of yesterday) in the custody of the state.

I'm very sorry that you have been touched personally by suicide, and wish you all the best.

Ignorant = lacking information. We all are regarding the depth of her troubles and I wish I was about suicide. CPS makes an effort to place kids with relatives, after doing background checks. Let's hope they end up in a good place.

 

[LiveYourLife]

Did you know her personally? How else could you possibly know that she wasn't mentally ill and nothing more than a drug addict. Mental illness takes on many forms and it could be that hers led to her addiction. I don't presume to know what was the root of her problems, but she was obviously a very troubled soul and very desperate for many years. I agree that suicide is a very selfish choice, however, I do feel sympathy for her. It must be terrible to believe so strongly that death is the only place you have left to turn. I feel sympathy for her children that will grow up without their parents and I feel sympathy for her family and friends who have to cope with this loss (and for some of them their feelings of guilt for not doing enough).

No more personally than anyone else on this thread regurgitating things that have been put out in the press throughout the years about her. Which makes me just as entitled to my opinion as you are yours. There is no right or wrong opinion here. It's a discussion board, and we are doing just that. Again, I feel very sorry and sad for her children. Her, not so much, I can't feel sorry for someone who attempted to commit suicide by overdosing on pills WHILE she was pregnant. That is selfish. Could you imagine if she were successful in that particular attempt? She would have not only taken her life, but that of her unborn son. I wonder if the "I feel sorry for her troubled soul" people would still feel same had that been the situation. I'm thinking not.

 

[MissManda]

No more personally than anyone else on this thread regurgitating things that have been put out in the press throughout the years about her. Which makes me just as entitled to my opinion as you are yours. There is no right or wrong opinion here. It's a discussion board, and we are doing just that. Again, I feel very sorry and sad for her children. Her, not so much, I can't feel sorry for someone who attempted to commit suicide by overdosing on pills WHILE she was pregnant. That is selfish. Could you imagine if she were successful in that particular attempt? She would have not only taken her life, but that of her unborn son. I wonder if the "I feel sorry for her troubled soul" people would still feel same had that been the situation. I'm thinking not.

In regards to the part I bolded....yes, I would still feel sorry for her. My personal opinion is that she was a very sick, desperate, troubled woman, which is why she did what she did back then and yesterday. I don't agree with what she did (either time) but I can still feel compassion for her.

For what its worth...my mother in law tried to kill herself when she was pregnant many years ago with my husband....she drank clorox. Thankfully she didn't succeed. He learned of this when he was a teenager. My husband still loves her. Doesn't think of her as a monster that tried to end it all. He realizes that she was someone in a really bad place in life. If he can have compassion for someone that tried to end her life and his as well, I can do the same for others.

 

[Heidict]

Such a sad outcome, but it seems inevitable. She suffered with depression and dependency issues for so long. With the death of her fiancee, I guess she felt that there was just no reason to go on. Probably felt that her sons would be better off without her.