I recently came across “Nothing Compares 2 U” singer Sinead O’Connor’s viral video, in which the tearful musician describes her years-long struggle with mental illness and her feelings of profound isolation and abandonment left in its wake. The 12-minute video, which was uploaded with the hashtah #OneofMillions, can be seen from this link.
The video, which has since been viewed over 2 million times, offers a heartbreaking insight into the hidden struggles of a well-known celebrity who notes that there are “millions and millions and millions of people like me, that don’t have the resources I have.” O’Connor cites as the reason for the video her desire to “somehow [be] helpful” to these people, presumably by raising awareness for the prevalence of mental illness and the fact that it can affect any one, no matter how successful or famous – as she puts it, “[Mental illness] doesn’t give a shit who you are.” O’Connor asks her viewers predominantly for compassion and for support, reminding them through the lens of her own difficult experience and sense of loneliness that “People who suffer from mental illness are the most vulnerable on Earth. You’ve got to take care of us.”
More recently, a statement was released on O’Connor’s page saying that the singer “is surrounded by love and receiving the best of care.” While this is certainly comforting news for the video’s viewers, who were rightfully concerned about the singer’s wellbeing following the release of the emotional video, the video nevertheless continues to serve as a poignant reminder of the impact of mental illness and the dire need for compassion and care for those suffering from it.
Irit Felsen
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