Cranberries lead singer Dolores O’Riordan suddenly died on Monday at the age of 46.
Now for all fans of Cranberries that are some shocking news.

Why is it so significant news for me though?

Not only did I like their songs, but there is another part in the story that interests me more than Dolores’s singing. And that is the mysterious reasons behind her untimely death.

It is still very early to know all the details (if we ever truly will know) surrounding her passing, yet some information is known already.

Dolores was diagnosed with Mental health issues, called ‘Bipolar Disorder’ only just about two years ago. However, her mood changes started a long time before that. When she would have felt on the top of the world (this is called mania) at some stage (pun not intended) and it would last for about 3 months or so. After that time Dolores would fall into depression. This is a common swing of moods in people with mental disorder called Bipolar.

What interested me in the articles where I read about her passing is, that she claimed to have been TREATED for this Bipolar disorder.

How Well Are We Treated For Death?

What that can mean for someone suffering the same symptoms is that they might not have been diagnosed yet and/or treated appropriately. What I meant by ‘appropriate treatment’ will be left to your imagination.

I would love to state that there are different forms of treatment for such an illness. However, most people in our western cultures are finding the final help in the hands of a psychiatrists. In the ideal culture, these symptoms would be understood as a change of perception and a break through the belief structures of the individual.

Now, my own question is “How do we educate people well enough to be able to foresee the signs of overall change of personality? And how to best deal with it naturally, without the need for chemical substances and locking the person up from their life?”

There is still a lot of stigma associated with mental illnesses. When more people come out of the closet and start to share their story and what it actually means to deal with some form of mental health issues, we will have more general understanding of the situation and how to best be of assistance.

In the meantime, please be open to learning more about the experiences of people with mental health issues. And if you know about someone in your environment who needs help with any aspect of their mental health, please be kind enough to point them in the direction of a suitable professional help in your location.

Breathe freely.

Sources:

http://www.tmz.com/2018/01/15/cranberries-dolores-oriordan-dead-dies/

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/the-cranberries-lead-singer-dolores-oriordan-dead-at-46-20180115-h0iriy.html