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Chris Cornell was most well-known for his role as lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for the rock bands Audioslave and Soundgarden. Despite his massive success, Cornell spent years struggling with mental health conditions, including depression and substance abuse addictions. Ultimately, it was his depression that would lead to his tragic death in May 2017.
The Early Life of Chris Cornell
Cornell’s interest in music started at an early age. He recalls that, between the ages of 9 and 11, he obsessively listened to Beatles records and credited them as influencing his musical style later on. He also took piano and guitar lessons when he was young. Cornell believed his mother saved his life when she bought him a snare drum. He picked up the instrument quickly; it was the first instrument he played when he entered his professional music career.
Sadly, Cornell’s childhood wasn’t necessarily a happy one. He first started using marijuana and alcohol at 12 years old and by 13 had developed a daily addiction.
Ultimately, Cornell has said in interviews that one bad high on PCP changed his life forever. He said, “I had a bad PCP [angel dust] experience when I was 14, and I got panic disorder. From 14 to 16, I didn’t have any friends. I stayed home most of the time. Up till then, life was pretty great … Suddenly, I felt like I couldn’t do anything.”
Cornell recalls being a loner in high school and feeling anxious around others. He also suffered from severe depression as a teenager. He dropped out of school due to the condition and couldn’t leave the house. Music helped him escape these feelings and find happiness.
Chris Cornell’s Rise to Fame
Cornell and other bandmates formed Soundgarden in 1984. In 1998, they released their first album; by 1990, the band had a Grammy nomination. The band grew in popularity and soon became the first grunge band to sign to a major label.
Throughout the 1990s, Soundgarden was seen as one of the most influential musical powers of the decade. Especially in the grunge scene, the band’s style was revolutionary and impactful. Sadly, the band had some disagreements about the future sound of their group and eventually disbanded. Approximately 12 years later, Soundgarden would reunite and continue to work together until Cornell’s unfortunate passing.
During Soundgarden’s break, Cornell pursued a moderately successful solo career. He also joined the band Audioslave from 2001 to 2007.
The Tragic Events Leading to Suicide
Chris Cornell struggled with drugs and alcohol for a large part of his life. He once shared, “Unfortunately, being a child of two alcoholics, I started drinking a lot, and that’s what eventually got me back into drugs. You often hear that pot leads to harder drugs. But I think alcohol is what leads you to everything because it takes away the fear. The worst drug experimentation I ever did was because I was drunk and didn’t care.”
Ultimately, it was the members of his second band, Audioslave, who encouraged Cornell to go into rehab in 2002. He recalls they pushed him, but he also saw the need for getting professional help. Rehab did work for Cornell, and he was sober for 14 years.
In a 2006 interview, when asked about his sobriety, he said, “Everything looks better without [alcohol]. Everything’s more fun.”
Unfortunately, Cornell relapsed 1 year before his death. In 2016, the musician tore his shoulder and was prescribed benzodiazepines to help him sleep. This quickly led to a downward spiral of prescription pill abuse.
This wasn’t Cornell’s first experience with prescription drug addiction. “I’d had several years of being in control of my alcoholism … I took care of business. And then when my personal life got out of hand, I just got loaded. So, I went through a couple of years of depression again. I didn’t eat, I drank a lot, I started taking pills, and at some point, you just get sick of it.”
When Cornell died by suicide, he had several pills in his system, including barbiturates, the anxiety medication lorazepam, traces of a caffeine pill, pseudoephedrine and naloxone. However, the death was determined to be a suicide, and the coroner noted the drugs in his system weren’t a factor contributing to the death.
It’s unclear what events exactly led up to Chris’ sad decision to take his own life. According to his widow, the musician was sober at the time. She speculated he took a few too many Ativan, which had been prescribed to him as a sleep aid, and it had altered his judgment. In a public statement, she said she had spoken to him shortly before his death, and he was slurring his words and acting peculiarly. She maintains Ativan is to blame for the rockstar’s death and that he had no suicidal intentions.
No one will ever know what led Cornell to make his fateful decision that night. However, suicide attempts are typically linked to severe depression.
Legacy and Remembering Chris Cornell
Following his passing, Cornell’s older brother Peter began a campaign in his memory around depression and suicide prevention. In a social media post, Peter wrote, “I think it’s important that we expand our awareness to include the relationship between suicide, substance abuse and depression. There is a direct correlation between the three. One in three people who take their own life suffer from substance abuse issues.”
And the link doesn’t just exist between depression and addiction. Individuals with serious mental illnesses (SMIs) and substance use disorders (SUDs) often overlap. A 2018 national study found 3.6 million people ages 18 or older reported having both an SMI and an SUD. This is known as having co-occurring disorders, and it’s important to know you can’t fully get help unless you acknowledge and treat both issues.
Cornell’s life ended far too early, with the musician leaving behind a family and fans who loved and cherished him. But his story acts as a warning to others. Addiction and mental health conditions are serious problems that need treatment. And there’s no shame in asking for help.
FHE Offers Mental and Addiction Treatment
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or an addiction problem, know that help is available. At FHE Health, we have years of experience helping individuals overcome their issues so they can return to living happy, healthy lives. Professional intervention can be life-saving, so reach out now. Contact us today to learn more about our programs.
