I wonder if Hunter S. Thompson was terminally ill.

[devilgrrl]

It's not like I know the man but I can't picture killing himself over depression, something else had to be going on.

Whatever the case, it sucks ass. Of all the people... :evilfrown:

[Skittles]

1. I don't get it

what is it about the link between depression and suicide you don't understand? While at this point it is impossible to say why, and sometimes there the reasons will never be known, Hunter was known to suffer from episodes of severe depression

[Erika]

2. Having Bush elected for a platform of the rich for the rich

after having Kerry running for health care and jobs and building up the middle class and being denied the presidency is a big time downer. Especially when there is evidence Bush, again, stole the election.

[devilgrrl]

3. Didn't I just say that I didn't know the man?

Why are you jumping on me?

[Skittles]

4. I am not jumping on you

but now I am; if you don't "know" him how would you "picture" anything about him?

[Blecht]

5. He was obviously terminally ill

His terminal illness was depression.

What illness could be more serious than one that makes you take your own life?

[devilgrrl]

6. Perhaps he had a debilitating disease and didn't want to deal with it...

I know of a person who did that. :shrug:

Now quit it. :spank:

[ultraist]

7. What type of "disease" do you think he may have had?

Why do you think it was a "deabilitating disease" and not depression?

[devilgrrl]

8. Cancer.

[ultraist]

9. why would he private about the fact he had cancer?

[Lone_Star_Dem]

10. You know that depression is often a terminal illness, too?

It's not just being "depressed" it a disease that can, and far too often does, kill.

[ultraist]

11. Yes, chronic depression is a serious physiological illness

[LoZoccolo]

15. You're getting annoying and self-righteous.

Stop it.

[Spider Jerusalem]

12. Maybe it was depression.

Depression is a fucking bitch. I've struggled with it, myself. I remember one night, when I was thinking "fuck it, there's no point", sitting on my bed with the barrel of a shotgun to the roof of my mouth, tasting oil and cold metal, debating with myself whether I'd pull the trigger. I didn't. But I can understand why someone would. Sometimes you can only dance on that existential knife-edge for so long before you decide "I'm done", and jump off.

[JI7]

13. depression leads many people to kill themselves

and that's what it most likely was.

so i'm not really sure why you have a hard time picturing someone killing themselves over depression.

[Old and In the Way]

14. Well, I have no idea what his health was, but I think he reached the

end of his road. And what a long, strange trip that was.

Hunter lived about 40 average American lifetimes, I think. What was left to do? He was 67, not in the best health, hated this brave, new world....so he probably said, "fuck it". No way would a guy like that be planning on his remaining days in a nursing home.

I figured he'd go in a spectacular car crash, maybe taking the 59 Caddie over a cliff at 110 MPH....but I can't say that this way is particularly shocking, either.

[ultraist]

16. Sad though

67 is not old. Drugs and depression can be a deadly mix. I have no idea if he was using drugs but he did have a history of it.

Really sad that people suffer that way.

[Elidor]

17. It's entirely possible

If he were facing a long, slow death involving great pain or mental decline, it's entirely withing his character to choose a faster death.

Everyone jumps on you as though you had belittled depression. Bunch of touchy motherfuckers around here. Your curiosity about his death is perfectly normal.