Farewell Chester Bennington

Written By Allyson B. Crawford

It seems unreal, but the news broke yesterday afternoon that Chester Bennington, lead singer of Linkin Park, had taken his own life. He was 41.

I'm not sure what it is going to take, but we need to have a real conversation about mental health in America. I'm not sure how other countries handle mental health, but the way it is approached in America is a joke. Issues like depression, anxiety and mental illness are met with derision and stigma. People are afraid to reach out for help. Or if they do want help, paying for counseling is often a barrier.

When a person like Chester: young, famous, wealthy and loved by a family can't overcome his sadness, what does that say for the odds of average folks which have a whole different set of pressures they face daily? Add addiction into the mix and forget it. We're in a national crisis here - we're drowning and no one seems to care.

I wish Chester's family members well. This is a nightmare for them.

 

Allyson B. Crawford
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