To ask if you've ever felt like this about a celebrity's death

[twelveminutespast]

I didn't know Caroline and she didn't know me, but I can't shake this feeling of sadness about her death. It's really stopped me in my tracks.

To know that someone else felt like life wasn't worth living is just the most horrendous and awful thing to me. I do believe she would have made it through the court case the other side. I'm wondering what she was thinking during her final moments.

I feel so saddened.

Has anyone else ever felt like this about a celebrity when they've passed? If so, who? It probably sounds really pathetic as I didn't know her, but I can't stop thinking about it

sandalsandsocks I've experienced DV, and yet I can still empathize with someone 'allegedy' attacking someone committing suicide. A woman has killed herself, have some respect and stop attempting to use her death to demonstrate to everyone how superior you are, and using victims of DV such as myself to do so to boot. Get a hobby.

Peaches hit me quite hard too because I was the same age at the time and I was suffering with anxiety. Not your average anxiety, which is bad enough. I was off the scale terrified of everything, panic attacks in the night. My health anxiety was the worst. I couldn't understand how a 25 year old could just die (we didn't know how she died straight away and she'd seemed so happy) I had a CBT session the day after she died and I remember sitting there with my therapist in disbelief. I'd seen pictures of her and her husband and two gorgeous little boys weeks before, and remember thinking "what a perfect life". I had no idea she was using drugs, never entered my head. I got all panicky thinking I was going to die at 25 too and leave my toddler. When I found out she'd OD'd I felt such a mixture of emotions.

I wasn't a huge fan of Michael Jackson. But some of his songs are incredible and he was so iconic. I remember running into my parents bathroom, shutting the door and crying when I found out. The reaction really surprised me. I'd never cried at a celebrities death before that, and only have since with Rik. In fact with Rik it was a really angry crying on and off for days, but I'd idolised him for years.

Peaches Geldof for me. I was terribly sad for her babies.

I feel the same about Caroline.

She always seemed to happy and vivacious and full of life. So sad to think of the turmoil she was going through to do what she did.

I think it's hit me harder than others because she was so familiar to me, I always watch Love Island and Aftersun so I can hear her voice so vividly in my head. Plus you sort of feel like you get to know the personalities of TV presenters much more than you do other types of celebrity don't you?

Never. I don't know them and they don't know me.

Other than a feeling that it is a tragedy. But real personal grief, no.

I feel quite upset about it, not to the point of crying but just sad, I'm not a huge fan or anything, I don't watch love Island or the x factor, what's done it for me is we are the same age, I battle with my mental health constantly, I'm not medicated but I have been in the past, at the moment I'm going through a low point. I too have in the past drunk too much, upset my loved ones, not hit them with objects or any of that, but have myself woken up full of self loathing about what I've said and done whilst being under the influence, its your own self hatred imo when drunk that you take it out on others, feel insecure and hurt the ones you love. If she didn't have depression I'm sure she wouldn't have got to the point of hurting her boyfriend. I do not for one second condone her behavior but I understand it from a sufferer of mental health issues. What is sad is that on the night she attacked her boyfriend she also had cuts to her left wrist which she did with broken glass, it speaks volumes to me. She obviously was in a terrible place for a long time. I sometimes wonder if I'd be here if I didn't have a husband, child, mortgage and everything else because sometimes life can be so tough and if you feel you have nothing I imagine suicide can look lovely.

I have never been upset about a celebrity dying other than thinking it’s sad and sometimes tragic. Same as I hear about anyone dying before their time. I actually had no idea who Caroline Flack was. I have heard the name, but have never watched anything she was on and would have walked straight past her in the street.

@sandalsandsocks I have experience of DV and yes I feel my ex should be utterly ashamed of his actions and held accountable (and I feel flack should have been held accountable too) but the way the media goes about it is unnecessary. I wouldn't want my ex to kill himself, he's an asshole to women but he is also a dad, a son, a brother, a friend to several people.

I don't think the allegations should be ignored and DV is abhorrent but it shouldn't have had her so publically persecuted she ended her life.

I feel terribly sad for her family, looking back over the media stories and seeing the photo of her mum kissing her just before (or after) her court hearing in December I think, it's just so sad, even though she was 40 to her mother she was still her little girl. Her poor friend also, who just popped to the shops, she'll never get over it and I just can't imagine what her boyfriend must be going through. Regardless of the right or wrongs.

Donkeykong2019 exactly, I feel the same. sandals why would we want to bring up DV after a woman accused of it has committed suicide anyway? What do you expect us to say, that we're glad she's dead because we've been victims of DV? That because she's accused of it she deserved to die? I can only speak for myself but I certainly don't feel like that.

@RitaMills I’m very sorry you are feeling so low, please as pp seek out support as soon as you are able 💐

@DonkeyKong2019 also hoping that you have some help & support available to you 💐

Peaches and Philip Seymour Hoffman shocked me because I had no idea that people could live such seemingly normal lives as serious heroin addicts. I always assumed heroin was just for crack dens etc. The idea of PSH having such a crippling dependency and still showing up to make films and win awards, and Peaches being a mother...shocked me.

Caron Keating. The former Good Morning and Blue Peter presenter died of breast cancer 2004. She was beautiful, kind and kept her illness completely private. I remember her mum, Gloria Hunniford saying how she had to pretend everything was fine when asked by acquaintances about her family, because Caron wanted to keep things private. So when her death was announced it was such a shock. She left behind 2 young boys, about 7 and 9. Her husband Russ Lyndsay married her friend Sally Meen 2 years later. They've been married now for longer than he was married to Caron. They subsequently had 2 daughters.

*For everyone blaming the media, you do realise that it isn't just the media yeah? It is all of us. Making a snide comment to someone on mumsnet when they are already feeling low. Participating in office gossip about someone. Making rude offhand comments to colleagues. I've noticed that a lot, there is one or two colleagues of mine that don't quite fit in and people speak to them...just slightly differently than they speak to others. Angry gestures and impatience towards someone who isn't moving as quickly as you'd like in the car in front. That call centre worker that you didn't quite shout at but were quite sharp with.
Everyone has stuff going on. And any of the little examples above that people do all the time can really exacerbate how shit a person feels, a person who is already struggling on the inside.

So yes it's the media. But it isn't just the media. It's all of us.*

Completely agree with this

Joe Strummer, Amy Winehouse and Michael Jackson. Keith Flint affected me a little bit too.

I think the fact that it was suicide makes it all the more upsetting. And celebs often feel like part of our lives even though it is superficial and through the tv. So I think it’s normal to feel sad.

I felt floored by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Keith Flint and Peaches Geldof.

I feel particularly upset about Caroline Flack too and don't really understand why. Haven't been this affected by a celebrity death as much before at all but I can see similarities in her life and mine a few years back (but thankfully I didn't have internet trolls or the media taking shots at me).

@InvisibleWomenMustBeRead

I feel exactly the same. I cried when I found out last night. I don't know her but I just feel an overwhelming sadness..
Similarities between us and I can relate so much.
I'm a psychiatric nurse too and it's just so so sad..

Apologies if this has been said before but I found it so upsetting because she didn't feel life was was worth living after relentless bullying by the media.

Boris Johnson behaved in a similar fashion (neither great to be fair) but we didn't such a media onslaught/prosecuting by the CPS.

I found myself strangely upset by Peaches Geldof's death. I think because she was so young and it seemed like such a stupid waste. The whole business since Michael Hutchence, and then her mother - it seemed as though she was always heading for it to happen and nothing anyone could do could stop it. Don't know how to explain it, but it just made me feel very sad.

I don't even know who this lady was and it is a tragedy but what about all the ordinary people ?

Um, that's not what the OP is asking.

Read the title?

Very rarely (and I didn't know who Caroline Flack was), but I remember being very upset about Carrie Fisher...

RitaMills Sorry this is much later. ( I couldn't find your post again). Please know you can feel happy again - it's just about how to get there. Think you said you will seek help, all the best to you xx