This past week, Michael Jackson's cause of death was officially listed as a homicide by the L.A. coroner's office. In the same week, Adam Goldstein, known professionally as DJ AM, was found dead in his NYC apartment of a drug overdose. Both men had stories with striking similarities.
Both men came from abusive homes. Michael Jackson publicly claimed that his father, Joe Jackson, beat him badly as a child. Goldstein said his own father was "unbelievably cruel" to him.
Both men experienced traumatic events that physically burned them badly. Michael Jackson received second and third degree burns on his scalp when his hair caught fire while filming the infamous Pepsi commercial. Less than a year ago, Goldstein was badly burned on his hands and scalp after a plane crash in Columbia, SC. There have been reports that both men suffered psychological distress following their accidents.
Both men reportedly had a long history of substance abuse problems. Jackson's history of substance use and abuse is now becoming a matter of public record. Goldstein has acknowledged a long history of drug abuse with crack cocaine and other drugs.
Both men appear to have experienced periods of depression. There were reports from a few years ago that indicated Jackson's family was worried about him being in a major depression, especially during his legal battles. Goldstein openly admitted depression so severe that he put a gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger, only being saved when the gun jammed.
Finally, both men died of a drug overdose while still in their prime. In a sad bit of irony, Goldstein had just recently finished shooting an MTV reality show called Gone Too Far where he and concerned families members staged interventions for drug abusers.
What can we learn from these tragedies? Simply put, mental health and substance abuse problems can kill. Tragedies like this happen every day to normal people who have a history of abuse or trauma, to those who suffer from depression, and to those who struggle with drug addiction. The good news is that treatment does help and many people with difficult pasts and present struggles can lead satisfying lives. If you know someone who has a struggle like this, continue to encourage them to seek help from a skilled mental health provider. As the stigma around mental health treatment continues to lift, more are getting the legitimate help they need--and that's a very good thing.
