Paris Jackson Attempts Suicide At Just 15

by Kristi Caporoso

The Jackson family underwent yet another tragedy this past Wednesday when 15-year-old Paris Jackson attempted to take her own life. In what many are calling a "cry for help," the teen allegedly overdosed on Motrin and cut herself with a kitchen knife (Rohan). While the attempt was a huge shock to everyone around her, there may have been warning signs leading up to the event. Less than a week before, Jackson posted a video of a makeup tutorial on YouTube, during which she acted increasingly self-deprecating toward herself and critiqued her natural appearance.
It's normal for teenagers to be self-conscious about their appearance. However, Paris' upbringing was far from normal. As a kid she and her siblings would go out in public with cloaked faces, masking their identities so no one would no who the King of Pop's kids were. This is a stark contrast to her life now, which is lived mostly in the public eye, via Twitter and, as of late, YouTube. Is this swirl of changes what drove her to attempt suicide? Or is she simply still lonely and heartbroken after the death of her father? The day before her suicide attempt Paris sent out tweets such as sad Beatles lyrics and "i wonder why tears are salty?" (Rohan). Many are speculating as to why Jackson would do such a thing, especially at such a young age. We don't know for sure what exactly was the cause, but one possibility is the upcoming trial for the wrongful death lawsuit the family is holding against AEG on her father's behalf. During this trial she will have to testify and rehash all the details of her father's death, which would be a heavy emotional burden on any young girl. Paris is currently recovering and will hopefully receive the necessary treatment to better her mental state so she can return to leading a happy, somewhat normal teenage life.