Nirvana And The Death Of Kurt Cobain

Nirvana is a spiritual state of non-suffering, peace and serenity. Ironically, the lead singer of the 1990s grunge band Nirvana was searching for this state, but was unable to attain internal peace on Earth. Starting from the development of ADHD at a young age, Cobain battled inner-demons. Those demons aided in the creation of Nirvana’s music and the eventual suicide of Kurt Cobain. Kurt’s life was consumed by success and plagued by addiction, depression, and bipolar disorder. Though Kurt Cobain’s manic depression and addiction did not seemingly have a significant impact early on, it manifested later when he pulled away from society, created grunge music, and ultimately committed suicide.

Kurt Donald Cobain was born on February 20, 1967 in Aberdeen, Washington. His parents, Don and Wendy, though young (21 and 19 years old), tried to educate him and take care of him. At age 2, Kurt created an imaginary friend, Boddah, and became severely attached to him. Cobain had an interest in music and his family motivated him to play piano, drums, and create song lyrics. In 1972, Kurt started kindergarten and was regarded as “a precocious inquisitive pupil with a Snoopy lunchbox” (“Heavier” 11). He did well in school, but had a knack for art, partially because it was encouraged by his grandfather. Kurt’s ADHD developed in second grade and teachers started to comment on his endless energy. Don and Wendy Cobain decided to give Kurt Ritalin, a medicine to help combat the symptoms of ADHD. But, this was controversial because Ritalin is connected to an increase in likelihood of addictive behavior later in life (“Heavier” 19). In 1976, Kurt’s parents divorced and to Kurt it was “an emotional holocaust” and helped shape his personality later in life...

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...rson prolong happiness or cope with sadness (Sonne, Brady). Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depressive illness. It causes mood swings, shifts in energy, activity levels, and the ability to do everyday tasks. Bipolarity can result in broken relationships, poor performance in school or work, and suicide. Most people diagnosed with bipolar disorder have symptoms for a lifetime because it cannot be cured (“Bipolar Disorder”).

Despite the overwhelming success of Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, Cobain was never fully satisfied. His life was plagued by bipolar disorder, addiction, and depression, along with reoccurring stomach pains. From the development of ADHD in his youth, Cobain suffered for most of his life, which ultimately ended in his suicide. The pulling away from society, creating grunge music, and committing suicide displays the inner tortures of Kurt Cobain.