Why Creatives Commit Suicide

Often times, creatives like musicians, writers, artists and other originative individuals are perceived to be weird because of their artistic creations, their mode of dressing and their mannerisms.

These set of ingenious people are considered to be abnormal because they believe in their art even though it does not seem to make sense and have an eccentric way of reasoning.

The average creative generates his own philosophy or adopts that of another philosopher whom he adores.

These philosophies may or may not resonate with the right thinking members of the society.

This is why a lot of these creatives have formulated reasons and ideologies why some matters considered as the norm are abnormal for them.

For example, a lot of creatives have considered themselves to be either gays or lesbians or transgenders or queers.

This is the era of 'coming out' and actors, actresses, sport celebrities are making this 'norm' trend because their fans adore them and whatever they do can never be wrong.

Some set of creatives usually inclusive of the above set, believe that God does not exist. They refer to themselves as atheists. Usually, they have 'solid' reasons to back up their claims.

Often times, the 'normal' human being does not understand the way the mind of a creative works. So, the 'normal' gets at logger heads with the 'abnormal' and friction arises.

The 'normal' does not understand for example, why the 'abnormal' wants to resign from a well paid employment to earn peanuts as a creative (Poverty usually exists at the initial stage of a creative career).

The 'normal' does understand why the 'abnormal' wants to wear dreadlocks, tattoos and piercings and dress weird when he can simply wear a tie and tuck in his shirt.

Thus, the crossroads of both classes of people bring friction and the 'abnormal' feels misunderstood and becomes frustrated and indulges in drugs, sex, alcohol for inspiration and may eventually get depressed and commit suicide.

Unfortunately, many creatives live a life of penury and become successful after they commit suicide or die from a rough lifestyle.

I will be writing about the lives of two creatives; a writer and an artist.

CHUKUEMEKA AKACHI

The light of a young final year English and Literary Studies student of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka dimmed after he committed suicide in May.

It was reported that Akachi was a first class student of this university before his death.

He wrote a suicide note on his Facebook wall on Monday, May 13, 2019. It reads;

Forgive me. In case you are the one who found the body, I am really sorry. It had to be someone, you know. I have chosen Jo Nketaih’s poem as my suicide note: “They said you came looking for me. I didn’t drown; I was the water.” Where do atheists go to when they die? lol. Amen.

On May 12, he wrote; 

My mental health has been on life support for a while now. Thanks to those who call. Text. Visit. Speak to me. May we always remember. May we never forget. You may have added a few hours, months or days to my time here. But you know life support is expensive right? Thanks for trying. Amen.

There are other depressive posts on his wall which signifies that he had been suffering from depression for a long time before he decided to take a plunge.

An eyewitness said that Akachi went to an uncompleted building on Sullivan Road, Nsukka where he drank two bottles of Sniper and slipped into a coma.

Furthermore, the eye witness said that the deceased was discovered by some passersby who reportedly saw him in a state of coma.

He said that the people, mainly students, raised an alarm before he was rushed to the University of Nigeria Federal Medical Centre.

A senior security personnel said that it was not the first time Akachi had tried to commit suicide.

According to him, on two occasions, Akachi drank kerosene and petrol to kill himself but was rescued.

Akachi was later moved to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku Ozalla Enugu, where he was confirmed dead.

Probably Akachi was under pressure to keep his first-class grades.

Probably, he was upset about not finding success in his writing career or he was scared of what the future held with respect to his writing career.

Probably he got scorned and laughed at for even admitting to having depression and suicidal thoughts.

Probably he did not know where to seek help for depression and suicidal thoughts.

Probably he was curious to know what the afterlife felt like.

Well, we will never know.

All I know is that Akachi became a superstar soon after his death as millions keep on clicking on his poetry, essays and Facebook posts.

VINCENT VAN GOGH

Vincent Van Gogh, who lived between March 1853 – 29 July 1890, was a Dutch post-impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. 

In just over a decade he created about 2,100 artworks, including around 860 oil paintings, most of them in the last two years of his life. They include landscapes, still lifes, portraits and self-portraits and are characterized by bold colours and dramatic, impulsive and expressive brushwork that contributed to the foundations of modern art. 

He was not commercially successful and his suicide at thirty-seven followed years of mental illness and poverty.

Born into an upper-middle-class family, Van Gogh drew as a child and was serious, quiet and thoughtful. 

As a young man, he worked as an art dealer, often travelling, but became depressed after he was transferred to London. 

He turned to religion and spent time as a Protestant missionary in southern Belgium. He drifted in ill health and solitude before taking up painting in 1881, having moved back home with his parents. 

His younger brother Theo supported him financially and the two kept up a long correspondence by letter. 

His early works, mostly still lifes and depictions of peasant labourers, contain few signs of the vivid colour that distinguished his later work. 

In 1886, he moved to Paris, where he met members of the avant-garde, including Émile Bernard and Paul Gauguin, who were reacting against the Impressionist sensibility. 

As his work developed he created a new approach to still lifes and local landscapes. 

His paintings grew brighter in colour as he developed a style that became fully realized during his stay in Arles in the south of France in 1888. During this period he broadened his subject matter to include a series of olive trees, wheat fields and sunflowers.

Van Gogh suffered from psychotic episodes and delusions and though he worried about his mental stability, he often neglected his physical health, did not eat properly and drank heavily. 

His friendship with Gauguin ended after a confrontation with a razor when, in a rage, he severed part of his own left ear. He spent time in psychiatric hospitals, including a period at Saint-Rémy. 

After he discharged himself and moved to the Auberge Ravoux in Auvers-sur-Oise near Paris, he came under the care of the homoeopathic doctor, Paul Gachet. 

His depression continued and on 27 July 1890, Van Gogh shot himself in the chest with a Lefaucheux revolver. He died from his injuries two days later.

Van Gogh was unsuccessful during his lifetime and was considered a madman and a failure. 

He became famous after his suicide and exists in the public imagination as the quintessential misunderstood genius, the artist "where discourses on madness and creativity converge". 

His reputation began to grow in the early 20th century as elements of his painting style came to be incorporated by the Fauves and German Expressionists. 

He attained widespread critical, commercial and popular success over the ensuing decades and is remembered as an important but tragic painter, whose troubled personality typifies the romantic ideal of the tortured artist. 

Today, Van Gogh's works are among the world's most expensive paintings to have ever sold at auction and his legacy is honoured by a museum in his name, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, which holds the world's largest collection of his paintings and drawings.

To the 'normal', know that creatives are restless beings. They can think of ten ideas at the same time. 

As long as they are not violating your space, let them be.

The 'abnormals' should endeavour to think positively at all times.

Care less about those who do not understand your art. Be rest assured that a lot of the 'normals' actually do.

When we feel depressed and suicidal, we can consult psychiatrists to help us overcome our mental weaknesses.

The world needs us and our art to become a better place.

Stop killing yourselves.

People living with people going through depression should not mock them or tell them to pray or get a grip on themselves.

It is not an easy feat. They cannot get a grip of themselves nor pray for themselves just at the snap of your fingers.

Depression is an illness that affects the brain. It does not make the brain function at its maximum capacity.

Depressed and suicidal people need you to shut up and listen to what they have to say.

Judging them will only make them feel worse. 

'Normal' people, please, allow 'abnormal' creatives to be themselves. We are simply wired to be different.

A problem shared is half solved. 

Cheers!