Terrell Owens Tries To Commit Suicide
 

Cowboys' Owens attempted suicide, police say

Controversial star admitted overdosing on pain pills to rescue workers

Updated: 2 minutes ago
DALLAS - Flamboyant Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens tried to kill himself by overdosing on pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened.

A Dallas police report released Wednesday morning said Owens told his friend “that he was depressed.” Details of the report were first released by WFAA-TV.

Read the article here

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WTF!?!?!?!

He feels hopeless and helpless. That's sad.

Pretty much. I suspect no REAL support system either.:(

Since I know zero about football, is Terrell Owens the guy who was in that sexy TV ad with Nicholette Sheridan from "Desperate Housewives"? Who was in that ad with her?

Yes, that was TO.

http://images.usatoday.com/sports/nf...inside-MNF.jpg

Poor guy. I hope he gets help/support/whatever he needs to get through this.

A moderator probably should merge this thread with the one in the News forum.

I would argue that he does have a support system--the team provides all the services their players need. This is a grown man who makes millions of dollars, who also is prone to doing things that will get him attention. It may be insensitive, but, if true, I don't think I feel sorry for him at all.

i totally agree with you...I feel a little sorry for him, only because he did try to take his own life instead of trying to get help. But then I don't understand why he would do it...is he that depressed about something that suicide is the only option?

People who make millions of dollars and do things that attract attention are subject to the same illness and problems as the rest of us. I'm not sure why you think he's not deserving of sympathy just because he's a famous athlete -- of course, it's your right to feel that way, but it doesn't make any sense to me.

That isn't an unconditional support system, though. Those people are only there for him because he fulfills some promise to them. They don't have a genuine interest in him outside of their athletic demands.



I knew someone was going to say this. I do research in suicide and I have found that the people who seem to have it all are the ones who consider, attempt, and commit suicide the most. A lot of this has to do with their being told "you have it all, you have NO RIGHT to complain." Imagine having emotional or psychological issues but everyone telling you to suck it up? All the money in the world (or friends, family, groupies, etc.) doesn't equate to happiness or emotional health.

The average suicide attempter is an outcry/attention seeker. They are hoping for intervention. Most completed suicides are "failed attempts" because loved ones fail to save the person like the person expected them to. If that woman had not been with T.O. when he took the overdose, he may've committed suicide "by accident." We will never know if he really wanted to die, but it's pretty safe to say that everyone knows quick and painless ways to kill themselves without getting a lot of attention.

Why would his reason for suicide be different from anyone else's?

I didn't say that his reasons are different than anyone elses. I don't know why anyone would commit suicide. I think its an unfortunate event...and i hope that he gets the help that he needs.

I was going to say something along these lines. It's pretty sad, hopefully he can get some help.

Sometimes we think we know everything about these stars or athletes, but we don't really know what is going on ...

I would bet that playing professional sports can be a lonely place. You are sent to live in some random city where you don't know anyone and you know that you won't be there for more than a few years, so it's hard to make friends, and it's even harder to make friends, because you are "famous" and have to be leery of stalkers, weirdos and creeps and opportunistic golddiggers who want you for your money, and possibly your "seed", in order to have progeny and be "set for life"..

I think everyone's running way ahead of themselves with all the suicide talk. The hospital released him not 24 hours after admitting him. What hospital in the country does any of us know about that would do such a thing to anyone they felt had tried to harm themselves?

Conjecture reigns in the absence of factual information. We don't know if there was an allergic reaction, an overdose, accidental or otherwise. We don't know the dosage levels he was supposed to be taking. If he was told to not exceed 2 pills every 6 hours, and he takes 3 because the pain hadn't subsided, technically that's an overdose. Who hasn't done that?

Sure, TO's history and past behavior brings some of this conjecture on. But it's amazing to see the level to which this has taken on a life of its own.

From what I recall, hospitals aren't required to detain suicide attempters. Whether he was attempting suicide or mistakenly took a pill overdose, the hospital is required to stabilize him before release. If he's stable, he's released. The patient may be referred to some mental health professionals for outpatient care and have to answer some questions to the police (if that jurisdiction has investigative protocol for suicide attempts).

We're just responding to a news report just like we do for other topics. What we're typing applies to T.O. or anyone else who may or may not have attempted or committed suicide so it isn't like we're going on uninformative tangents.

I have never taken an accidental or intentional overdose. When it says 2 every 6, I take 2 every 6. And that's for over the counter medication as well as doctor prescribed medications (that tend to be more potent).

Well, it's a little more than conjecture based on his history and past behavior. From SI:

Owens' publicist, Kim Etheredge, said she was at Owens' home when he took pain medicine for his broken right hand. Concerned by how he began acting, Etheredge said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that she called 911. Owens was taken to a hospital, with Etheredge saying it was an allergic reaction to the medicine.

But early Wednesday, several media outlets received a police report -- that had yet to be released by the authorities -- saying Owens had attempted suicide by overdosing on the painkillers, even putting two more pills into his mouth after an unidentified friend intervened.

The police document, first reported by WFAA-TV, said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time (he) stated, 'Yes."'

When officially released by police, about half the document was blacked out, including the phrases "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication" and "a drug overdose," as well as the details of Owens having two pills pried from his mouth and Owens saying "Yes" when asked if he intended to harm himself.

Etheredge, who said she was the friend cited in the police document, told Dallas-area media Wednesday that the police got the story wrong.

Full story.

Of course, that same story reports TO's statement that he did not try to kill himself. Time will tell which version is true.

I find the situation unfortunate and I suspect that if he was depressed it was the result of medication and not any deep personal issues.

That said...I am not buying into the whole "poor TO" thing because at some point, you have to grow up, be a man, and deal with your issues instead of creating them. I think he creates drama and I guess I have no sympathy for that.

Plus, since I live in Texas, I have whiplash from the constant talk of TO and will he play and is he really injured.

What does this involve?

Any support you'd like to provide for this suspicion?

Yep, seriously - Tuna should be all over his ass . . . "TO, Grow up, be a man, and stop having a potential psychological condition, you pansy ass!"

I get that he creates drama - no matter which side of the story you believe (and they're shockingly close, mostly different only in tone or intent), I can't imagine thinking this was a 'drama bomb.'

That's fair, but don't let that get the best of you, sport - be a man, and face up to your frustration with talk radio.

the only treatment for depression is lithium

Depression isn't about "being a man." It's a serious illness, and this talk of "being a man" is insulting to those who have dealt with it.

Your suggestion on the cause of the depression is interesting - how long have you been treating T.O.? Where did you get your M.D. or PhD?

I am not, in any way shape of form, trying to say that depression is not a serious issue. I think Terrell Owens seems to find himself in many situations where he is the center of controversy, and I think he enjoys it. I do not feel bad that he has to deal with these kinds of allegations in the media spotlight because throughout his time in the NFL, he has continually invited the media to make him the spotlight.

Apparently, I wasn't too far off in my assessment that this was not because of depression. He did not attempt suidcide and it seems to be from a mix of too much medication and supplements.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15021827/

As far as I'm concerned, much of this thread isn't even about T.O. Times like this bring out misconceptions and it's good that some of the misconceptions of suicide were addressed.

Having seen the press conference, I found TO's explanation credible, his medicine had a bad reaction with other supplements he was taking. ESPN reported that he'd had allergic reactions, albeit not this severe, in the past.

and let me just say, TO's publicist, Kim Ethridge? :p :p ...yes maam, she could look out for my well being all day. :p

Just to play devil's advocate, sure he said in his press conference that he isn't depressed and didn't attempt suicide, it was just a bad mix of meds. Would anyone really expect him (or anyone else in his shoes) to 'fess up to depression and attempted suicide in front of all those cameras? Would his publicist let him?

I don't know whether TO is dealing with depression or not. I don't know if he tried to commit suicide or not. But I do know that regardless, I would have been astounded if he had said anything other than "it was all a big mistake" at the press conference.