In light of the recent and heartbreaking news of Linkin Park's Chester Bennington's suicide, some people have been mentioning that the media glorifies celebrities after their deaths. In particular, this article talks about how articles and phrases stating the legacies left behind by these famous folk are enabling suicidal people, as well as how 'wrong' and selfish Bennington's decision was.

This article struck a chord with me, but not in the way the author would have hoped. While I completely agree that the media should not glorify suicides by any means, I disagree with the way she defines glorifying the celebrity.

Is it really so bad to talk about the legacy left behind by a successful artist?

It's no different than if Bennington had died from a heart attack -- we'd still be talking about how great his music is and how he touched the lives of his friends, family and many fans. The only difference is that the cause of death was self-inflicted instead of medical. The media is not glorifying celebrity suicide or celebrities after suicide; it's reminiscing and honoring a late person's achievements.

And another thing -- suicide is never selfish. Let me repeat that.

SUICIDE IS NEVER SELFISH.

It may look that way from the outside and from an ordinary person's perspective, seeing that the deceased stole their life from not only themselves but everyone around them, as well as inflicting an unprecedented amount of pain on everyone they loved without giving a damn.

The thing is when someone makes the decision to commit suicide, the last thing they're thinking of is how hurt everyone will be by their death. In fact, as someone who has previously considered suicide, I can guarantee that one of the main thoughts you have is how much better everyone else will be without you there to burden them. With you gone, they won't have to babysit you or be held back by your sorry excuse of a life and a person. And while these thoughts may seem irrational to someone who isn't contemplating whether or not to take their own life, to the person who is, these thoughts make complete sense.

When a famous person commits suicide, we tend to miss the warning signs and only then focus on depression, anxiety, and suicide after the fact. It's time we as a population and as part of the media focus more on the issue of mental health in a more educational and less stigmatized fashion.

Chester, while I wasn't the biggest Linkin Park fan, I did enjoy a few of your songs and I know that you have touched many people's lives. You will be truly missed.