YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

In this age of social media connections. I became a big fan/had a crush on/admirer of a singer of girl group. I followed her on instagram and was planning to go to one of her concerts soon. Two weeks ago she committed suicide. Her name was Simone Battle of the group GRL. Like everyone else I was completely shocked and saddened by the news but because of my own mental health issues, I've been ruminating on her death constantly as if I lost a friend. I cant get her out of my head, and I've slipped into a depression. I feel like I'm taking this harder than the people that was actually in her life. This has opened up alot of wounds in me and considering going to a meeting or counseling or something. But would this we considered bereavement since I didnt know the person personally ie celebrity death? Damn internet! You can attached to people you dont even know.

I would consider it bereavement. It was a one-way relationship, but with social media the relationship can be intimate and intense. Please take care, psm45. The most important thing now is your own well-being. I think a meeting or counseling could be very helpful to you in this difficult time.

Agreed with Manuel Moe.

Thanks for posting. I think that took alot of courage.

And I think that what you describe is totally normal. Let me put it like this:

I think our brains can't separate media from "IRL". That is, when listening to the music of Ms. Battle or watching "Dead Poets Society", our brains haven't evolved the discernment between IRl and media. Or at the very least GRL and "Dead Poets" had/have a strong emotional component, and emotions are of course tied up with a sense of loss when someone dies, like Ms. Battle or Mr. Robin Williams.

They can be vulnerable, bravely exposing a side of themselves, and we the consumers can see ourselves in them.

She was a lovely woman.

thanks Moe and Oak. I would like to do something in her or raise awareness. Ill be walking at NAMI walks Chicago this month. We avoid these kind of discussions in my community. It sucks how the media sensationalizes these kind of stories.