Amazulu

I'm mourning for his little daughter who has to grow up not knowing her Daddy.

OzJo

This is exactly what I meant!!!!!!!!!!!

sel

Again its all "shock ... horror" !!! When will people realise that these drugs that go under the "legal" umbrella are no better than what you can get on the street.

I am amazed that the doctor isnt up in front of a judge for giving such a lethal cocktail although half of the time they havnt got a clue what they are doing when they hand them out like sweets.

Alot of "suicides" should be classed as "accidental" due to it being caused by the drugs people are being given.

Read the PDF about adverse effects of Benzodiazapines !!

http://www.breggin.com/benzotoppg.html

Alprazolam also goes under the trade name Xanax which has many law suits along with Prozac against it for causing people to go out of character to the point of violence or suicide.

Will stop ranting now.

I feel greatly for his family ...

Vash the Stampede

You make an excellent point. Prescription drugs are restricted for a reason. Yes, they are medicines; but they are also dangerous medicines.

Ledger was in the US, and would have received his meds from an American doctor. I don't know how the system works over there, but it's possible that he was shopping around without disclosing the full list of drugs he was already taking.

ex_exile

Aparently he got the Vallium (Diazepam) while filming in London. The man flew around the world for work and most probably had "people" who could get him a sit down with a doctor at the drop of a hat in any location.

As I posted earlier over 100,000 Americans die each year form using perscription medication.

Grayling

Why are people so shocked at the thought that he may have killed himself?

Suicide is one of the most common causes of death in young men.

It is known he was depressed.

If he had not been a famous (australian) person......would we even be having this conversation?

G

sel

Fact is he was a famous person and people will discuss it ... human nature

There is still a very huge stigma attached to suicide even in this day and age where it is, I agree, very common ..... too common when you think about all these supposed wonder drugs, wouldnt you agree ??

Also an accidental death verdict keeps everyone happy (apart from the insurance companies, of course they would prefer suicide).

Grayling

Suicide has always been with us.....and the newer drugs often simply give another means.

I have worked with hundreds of depressed people over the years and several have, sadly, killed themselves.

Young men in this age group are generally the most at risk.

As for whether it was by prescription or illegal drugs it is irrelevant. Virtually all illegal drugs can be found on prescription in some form or other and Diazepam (legal or not) is one of the most widely abused drugs around is very common on the black market.

Any prescription only drug is 'illegal' if used without a prescription.

G

Possums

If he has committed suicide then that is his choice, unless you have lived in the pit of severe depression you will never understand.

moneypenny20

Are some of you guys listening to yourselves? You are still making unproven assumptions. Words like "apparently" "not prescribed to him" - says who? You are all reading the trash written in the gutter press. It's been said by 'friends' that he was depressed by not spending christmas with his daughter. It's been said by 'colleagues' that the last two films affected him badly.

He took some tablets that in the correct dosage would not have harmed him, through a possible/probably uneducated state he mixed his tablets and sadly died. Nothing selfish, no suicide just a very sad outcome. Please let him and his loved ones have some dignity.

I've been in the position of being in complete agony from a four day migraine on more than one occasion and have scared the living daylights out of myself because I've misjudged the time and taken medication - whether intravenous or tablets too early. Luckily I've not done anything serious but it wasn't down to not being selfish and thinking my husband and children should spend their lives without me. It was purely down to taking meds and then getting the next dose early.

Let it go, let's not judge when we can't ever be where he was whether that place was good or bad.

Grayling

I am not making assumptions.....I don't know how he died.

I am simply pointing out the frequency of suicide in young men.

I am curious as to why so many people consider it unthinkable.

G

moneypenny20

If you're responding to me, I wasn't referring to you Some people just can't seem to bear the idea of a 'celebrity' dying in a non exciting way. There always has to be something dramatic, theatrical, whatever. It can't be accidental.

If it was suicide, it's still irrelevant to any one other than his family in my book, but that won't stop the gossip mongers for as long as his films are shown.

Grayling

As far as I am concerned, Suicide is one of the commonest causes of death in young men and certainly not unknown amongst 'celebrities'.

Perhaps it should be more of an issue for discussion and not so stigmatised.

G

augigi

Your comments make you an arsehole "in my book".

How many people are uneducated on the side effects and interactions of their medications? Millions. How many people have taken a sleeping pill, still been awake, and then taken a different type of one? Millions. You not only sound insensitive and callous, but rather stupid and ignorant as well.

Amazulu

If you want to debate then fine, but keep your name calling to yourself. Two can play that game.