Sinead O'Connor had been open about her mental health struggles prior to her death, but things became too overwhelming when she lost her son.
The Irish singer's 17-year-old son, Shane, died by suicide in January 2022 after he went missing while he was admitted at a hospital's suicide watch ward. At that time - a year before she died - O'Connor worried everyone when she said in a since-deleted social media post that she decided to follow Shane.
Sinead O'Connor Attempted Suicide Before Death
O'Connor alarmed everyone when she announced her son's death in a statement last year in which she also expressed her desire to follow her son.
"There is no point living without him," the singer said at that time. "Everything I touch, I ruin. I only stayed for him. And now he's gone. I've destroyed my family. My kids don't want to know me."
She soon released a follow-up tweet to apologize for saying those things, and she revealed she was with the police on her way to the hospital. Fans immediately assumed that she indeed attempted suicide, though she soon pulled herself together again after seeking help in a medical facility.
READ ALSO: Sinead O'Connor Final Social Media Post Before Death Shows Devastating Last Days Due to Major Loss
Even before her son died, O'Connor suffered downs in her personal life for years after enduring abuses from her mother as a child. She also attempted to take her own life several times while dealing with other mental health issues like borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and bipolar disorder.
In an interview with People in 2012, the singer urged everyone to be compassionate and gentle toward wounded and fragile people, especially those who are brave enough to "show their wounds."
Though there are speculations about her mental health struggles having something to do with her death, fans reminded internet users to be mindful of their posts and avoid speculations.
Sinead O'Connor Struggled Before Death
Following the confirmation of Sinead O'Connor's death, her final social media posts also scored attention as they revealed how heartbroken the singer felt days before her death.
For instance, her July 17 since-deleted post referenced her struggles since her son, Shane, died she called herself a person "living as undead night creature."
"He was the love of my life, the lamp of my soul," she went on. "We were one soul in two halves. He was the only person who ever loved me unconditionally. I am lost in the bardo without him."
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