Mental Health: Chester Bennington and the demons he knew – and we know

“The place between my ears, that’s a bad neighbourhood, I should not be in there alone.”

In an interview with a US radio host earlier this year, those were the words Chester Bennington used to describe the state of mind he sometimes found himself in.

Like many who battle demons, Bennington spoke candidly about his struggles. He was genuine and sincere and almost jokingly referred to the “bad neighbourhood” he struggled to get out of sometimes.

Yet, when he died last week, aged 41, the world reacted with shock. It was that old chestnut of, “but he looked so happy” or, for the obtuse, “what did he have to be unhappy about?” Mental illness is infinitely complex and despite progress, we still know far too little about it. We do far too little about it.

For many, Bennington’s death would have felt like losing a close friend. He was the voice of a whole generation of pissed off and confused teenagers. He understood when nobody else could be bothered to listen. And to sum it up, his band, Linkin Park, wrote one hell of a tribute to him.

“We're trying to remind ourselves that the demons who took you away from us were always part of the deal. After all, it was the way you sang about those demons that made everyone fall in love with you in the first place,” part of the statement read.

The letter coincided with a suicide-awareness campaign which has garnered support from a wide range of people – from musicians to a professional wrestler – and it should be viewed as a monumental move.

While the actual reporting of Bennington’s death left much to be desired, with most media completely ignoring international best practice for reporting on suicide, what follows from here is critical for mental health – not just in the United States but globally.

Despite not being to everyone’s musical taste, Linkin Park are one of the biggest-selling bands in the world and their response so far has been exemplary. The influence they can have should not be underestimated. An honest and intricate conversation around mental health and specifically accessing treatment is long overdue and the band’s response should resonate across the world.

Because we are all too aware of the epidemic facing young people.

South Africa, staggeringly, does not seem to have an accurate resource for reporting exactly how many people take their own lives. The figures are heavily disputed, ranging from a few hundred a year, to thousands. What can’t be disputed is that globally, suicide is one of the biggest killers of young men.

But it is not suicide that kills – it’s mental illness. Despite it being one of the single most preventable of the world’s killers, funding for treatment is elusive. But the impact is very real.

A 2016 study by the World Bank and World Health Organisation estimated that mental disorders account for 30% of global non-fatal disease burden. But mental illness – and treating it – is never spoken of in the same breath as other global diseases.

We have come a long way in de-stigmatising mental health, but breaking the stigma is just one part of the battle. Treatment, especially in countries where health care is inaccessible and expensive for the majority of the population, must be better funded.

In South Africa, much more needs to be done. The treatment of mental health patients is nothing short of shameful, as was illustrated by the horrific Life Esidimeni incident.

Governments can no longer ignore the epidemic. They can no longer claim that they do not know.

Globally, we have waged war on cancer. We have waged war on malaria. We have waged war on HIV/Aids. We have waged war on tuberculosis, measles and polio.

Why should mental illness be any different?

Critically, what we must learn from Bennington’s death is that treatment must be consistent and holistic.

Bennington did everything those who suffer are often told to do. He exercised daily. He watched his diet. He saw a therapist. He was open about his battle and spoke about it candidly. He even knew where danger lurked. Still somehow he ended up in the worst part of a bad neighbourhood.

Solutions aren’t always as cut and dried like neat little boxes we prescribe to those who are in a dark place. We must do better to stop mental illness killing our young men and women.

And never again should anyone claim that they did not know of the scale of the problem. You know, because we’ve told you. And you did nothing. DM

If you are in South Africa, having suicidal thoughts and in need of urgent assistance, call the Suicide Crisis Line on 0800 567 567 or SMS 31393. Visit the SADAG webpage for additional emergency contact numbers

Photo: Singer Chester Bennington of Linkin Park performs during the second day of the 43rd edition of the Pinkpop Music Festival at Landgraaf, in the south of the Netherlands, 27 May 2012 (reissued 20 July 2017).  EPA/MARCEL VAN HOORN