Earlier this month marked 30 years since Kurt Cobain took his own life.
On one hand, it’s a time to mourn for such a talented and brilliant artist who left us when he was far too young. On other hand, it’s a time to celebrate and appreciate the timeless and infinitely-meaningful collection of art that he gave us. Nirvana’s music will always be.
One of Kurt’s greatest strengths was communicating raw, visceral emotions – and, in particular, emotional pain. His songs expressed pent-up existential rage, pensively isolative somberness, and nearly everything in between. He was able to convey emotional pain poignantly through not only his meticulous approach to songwriting, but also through his fearlessness as a performer. In the studio, he was unafraid to lay down tracks via unconventional methods, like whisper-singing lyrics through parsed lips while lying on his back with an acoustic guitar. On stage, he was unafraid to max out amplifier wattage, scream his vocal cords hoarse, or smash his guitars into smithereens. Even in the face of immense fame, he remained genuine and true to his artistic spirit, and was unafraid to take stances against corporate entities or the mainstream. And his poetic lyricism captured emotional pain by reflecting how humans experience it – occasionally with simple clarity, but more often in ways that are vague yet richly complex.
Kurt’s ability to express his emotional pain is a big part of what makes Nirvana so uniquely effective. Their music invites us to feel our own pain with Kurt. It makes us feel less alone. It normalizes the vulnerability we might be experiencing. It can unleash our own creative spirits, or trigger catharsis in ways ranging from tears to mosh pits. It brings us together. It makes the world a better place. Yet sadly, for someone so capable of communicating emotional pain in a relatable and connective way, Kurt died alone amidst intense emotional turmoil. That seems so tragically ironic, unfair, and deeply saddening to me. Nobody should have to drown in their emotional pain.
If you are a Nirvana fan, perhaps one fitting way to honor Kurt’s legacy would be to pay forward even an infinitesimal fraction of what he gave you. So along those lines, here’s my pitch: If you know someone experiencing emotional pain, take time to check in with them and listen. If you are in emotional pain, express it in some way. Whether you’re going through an emotionally-challenging period in your life, a momentarily-charged situation, or a mental health crisis, I’m confident that you know someone who has your back. I’m confident that the Nirvana discography has your back. And I’m confident that there are sources of support at your disposal, even if it doesn’t feel like there are. Some of these can be accessed via the small collection of related links I’ve provided below. Although an exhaustive list of support resources is beyond the scope of this post, this is a good starting point.
Useful links/info for immediate help with emotional pain:
In the US:
· Support for any situation that is dangerous or life-threatening: call 911
· For all other immediate emotional support: call or text 988
o 988 online platform also offers chat-based support
o FAQs from the 988 official website
o More info on 988 from SAMHSA (imho their 988 FAQs are better)
Outside the US:
· Detailed list of mental health crisis helplines for people in Canada, Mexico, India, Australia, or the United Kingdom
· FIND HELP to find emotional support access anywhere in the world
Free AI therapy bots:
· Free AI therapist which functions in browsers or as an app
· Discussion of free-to-use chatbots from the AI subreddit
deaf-child 
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