I honestly don't think people understand mental illness. Our society doesn't really provide a lot of awareness.
I've struggled with mental health issues myself. Not similar to Desmond's, but these are not rational actors.
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NYPD on Twitter: "We regret to inform that Desmond Amofah aka Etika has been found deceased." (See guidelines before posting)
- Thread starter JB2448
- Start date
I've struggled with mental health issues myself. Not similar to Desmond's, but these are not rational actors.
Heartbreaking...
Tangentially related, for any US Active/veterans please use either of the hotlines available including:
If you are a Service member or Veteran in crisis or you're concerned about one, there are specially trained responders ready to help you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The Veterans Crisis Line connects Service members and Veterans in crisis, as well as their family members and friends, with qualified, caring VA responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text-messaging service.
Act Now
Tangentially related, for any US Active/veterans please use either of the hotlines available including:
If you are a Service member or Veteran in crisis or you're concerned about one, there are specially trained responders ready to help you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The Veterans Crisis Line connects Service members and Veterans in crisis, as well as their family members and friends, with qualified, caring VA responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text-messaging service.
Act Now
- Dial 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1 to talk to someone.
- Send a text message to 838255 to connect with a VA responder.
- Start a confidential online chat session at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.
- Take a self-check quiz at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Quiz to learn whether stress and depression might be affecting you.
- Find a VA facility near you.
- Visit MilitaryCrisisLine.net if you are an active duty Service member, Guardsman, or Reservist.
- Connect through chat, text, or TTY if you are deaf or hard of hearing.
I second this.
I did not like Erika the person but even I knew not to shitpost someone who was obviously displaying behaviors like his.
Regardless of how people felt about some of the things he said, he deserved help as he was clearly going through issues.
May he rest in peace.
May he rest in peace.
Mental illness isn't something you can just move past or walk off. It's something that affects the very thoughts and thought processes of those unfortunate to suffer it. Etika needed sustained professional help and treatment, but never received it. Worse, people thought he was just clowning, indulged, and encouraged his behavior when it was clear he was spiraling downward.
Acting in jest to what is MOST PLAINLY A SUICIDE NOTE, whether it's real or not, should definitely result in serious repercussions.
So sad, I feel sick hearing the confirmation. Damn it, man...I don't even have words right now.
RIP
RIP
what was the (ex) mod's name? since they aren't mod anymore I can put them on my ignore list
You've summed it up perfectly. Thank you.
Hopefully people learn from and remember this...
This is surreal. I started following him out of curiosity in October after his breakdown. It seems like he had been struggling for years with mental illness. Everything was culminating to this. People tried to help him, but nothing could be done, unfortunately.
He was a smart, charismatic dude and he didn't have to go out like this.
He was a smart, charismatic dude and he didn't have to go out like this.
Damn.
Its sad he was not able to find help for whatever demons he was struggling with.
RIP Etika.
Its sad he was not able to find help for whatever demons he was struggling with.
RIP Etika.
I really just don't have any words. Wasn't a huge fan of Etika, never saw a stream of his live but I used to watch some highlight clips of his on YouTube, mainly Smash related. I saw all the threads about the rapid deterioration of his mental state and how it was becoming dangerously close to suicide, but I just scrolled past. Not because I felt like he was lying, quite the opposite. I kind of accepted that he was going to commit suicide almost days before he actually did it. I don't know why I just accepted it so quickly, and I'm frankly ashamed of myself that I just kept on scrolling, but at the same time I can't think of what one person could have done to help him. A positive message maybe? I don't know. All I know is that he's gone and it's fucking unfair. It's bullshit. It's not fucking FAIR. He tried to speak out and got laughed at. I can't help but think about what his thoughts were in his final moments. How disappointed he must have been in the people who he thought loved him. I'm just rambling at this point, so I'll wrap it up; I'm sorry Etika. I'm sorry I ignored you at your weakest point. You deserved so much better. I know suicide is never the answer, but I can only hope that you've found peace now. Rest in piece Desmond. May this be a lesson to us all.
This as well, mods kept closing the topics about him. It was really problematic and they should be called out to be more transparent and do better with mental health issues in the future.
America failed this young man. He should've had the help he needed months ago. Man, this is so fucking sad .
This is so so so horrible, RIP. Been dreading this news since he went missing.
The posts over the last few days downplaying his mental health were sickening and demonstrate a gross misunderstanding of mentally ill folks. There is no "crying wolf" when it comes to suicide. We need to do better.
The posts over the last few days downplaying his mental health were sickening and demonstrate a gross misunderstanding of mentally ill folks. There is no "crying wolf" when it comes to suicide. We need to do better.
This really is a shame. I have a hard time reading topics here sometimes because this forum can be a very toxic, spiteful place and I don't understand why. Why is it so hard to be respectful and supportive of other people, especially those who need help?
yep. i have no clue how administration thought differently in that thread. it's gross
also a little bit meaningless, but letting that mod step down rather than banning them immediately was cowardly and wrong
Damn.
They need to look into the help he was offered/received, because from an outsiders perspective the system completely failed him.
They need to look into the help he was offered/received, because from an outsiders perspective the system completely failed him.
So sorry to hear this. RIP I have a friend who is schizophrenic and had a horrible 2018. He had been arrested multiple times, involuntarily committed and said outrageous things. I was mad at him but he continues to be my friend. Luckily, he was able to have the support he desperately needed and is doing better. He comes from an affluent family and the way the U.S. courts and mental health systems handle these situations is horrendous. You're just committed, drugged up and then thrown back into the real world after a couple of days. I can't imagine what Etika was going through and Social Media did nothing but exacerbate it. As a person who suffers from anxiety and depression I know the stigmas that surround mental illness. I also know the seriousness of suicidal ideation. Please reach out to someone if you know they are suffering. Do not hesitate to physically visit someone if they are talking about suicide. People who discuss suicide and have shown signs of mental illness in the past aren't doing it for show. They need help. Our society and systems still fail the mentally ill.
I am deeply saddened by this.
The sense of inevitability about it just makes me feel even worse.
What a sad, sad situation.
The sense of inevitability about it just makes me feel even worse.
What a sad, sad situation.
Beloved by so many, such a sad story. He said it himself in his video - "I tried to be edgy, and I fucked up my entire life". There needs to be a wake up call amongst the gaming community to realize that YouTube and Twitch creators are not puppets for enjoyment. It takes a toll, physically and mentally. I hope that out of this tragedy comes a renewed focus on mental health for both the creators and the viewers, and that people will be more inclined to seek help. RIP to Etika.
There is no requirement in life that you be a stupid asshole.
Even if you doubt that he had an illness you could maybe just possible not respond like a total dickwad?
Also let me be clear, this is not an attack on you. Just a general comment on how shitty people are online. It doesn't hurt to show restraint, empathy and manners.
RIP Etika. I only know him from those joycon boyz videos about the Switch, which I found pretty entertaining at the time.
The warning signs were all there, but instead of receiving help, people did nothing but clown on him. Fuck depression, fuck mental illness, fuck anyone who mocked him during a time of crisis, and fuck anyone who saw his behavior as entertainment. RIP, Etika.
It's very upsetting it came to this. As someone with a history of mental illness and suicidal thoughts, I was frustrated that Etika was unable to break the cycle and seemingly refused to take his issues seriously, even when lashing out. It unfortunately seems like he was already badly deteriorating these last few months and wasn't receiving the help he needed from friends/family, and all that was left was forumers like myself watching from the outside. To say nothing of people on Reddit, Twitter, etc. actively hounding him.
Social media and fame will damage anyone's mental health, neurotypical or not. I was hoping he would take a break from it so that he could recover and get the treatment he needed.
I didn't want him to get off of it like this. I'll remember the skepticism I treated him with for the rest of my life.
Not sure how else to end this post...fuck.
Social media and fame will damage anyone's mental health, neurotypical or not. I was hoping he would take a break from it so that he could recover and get the treatment he needed.
I didn't want him to get off of it like this. I'll remember the skepticism I treated him with for the rest of my life.
Not sure how else to end this post...fuck.
How many times do we need to see this happen? This time a well known individual was having a very public mental breakdown over a long period of time. That other thread that was shut down saying he was crying wolf, what a god damn joke.
Rest in Peace, Etika. My favorite videos were your Xenoblade Chronicles 2 let's plays. Especially your reactions to late game spoilers. And your Nintendo Direct reactions. joyconboyz
The fact that he was acting this way for seemingly no reason should have been a huge red flag that he needed serious help.
After reading about his stuff being left by the bridge and watching that near 10 minute video of him conceding to life and accepting that this was the end I knew he had already decided and was probably gone. I just don't think you can fake how defeated he was in that video and even if you could some of it had to come from a real place.
That video was one of a young man isolated and broken. A guy who I think wanted to be loved by those closest to him and also understood by them. In that video he was already as good as dead, there is no coming back from that and people still handwaved. SHAME on you to stay bitter and ignore the cries for help. SHAME on those who do not take mental health or suicide seriously, and SHAME on anyone who doesn't think toxic masculinity doesn't play a massive role in suicide among men. SHAME!
RIP Erika, I am sorry that you saw this as the only way out but you can rest now bro. You were loved.
This is unbelievably tragic. I stopped watching the guy awhile back but just knowing he never got the help he needed is tragic in itself. I can't believe people were shrugging this off as just a stunt when he clearly needed help. I mean jesus christ this is sad for the smash community and in general. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.
Yep.
For all the talk about Era being a safe place they failed at a time where it mattered most.
This sucks so much. He was very entertaining and it was extremely sad to see the downfall into his mental issues. He showed so many signs of needing help, yet they kept releasing him on no diagnosis. It sucks to see how people reacted to his blatant mental problems, and how even his fans played into it as well.
RIP
RIP
This is just awful. I loved watching this guy go bananas during Smash reveals.
Sorry Etika. Rest easy.
Sorry Etika. Rest easy.
my heart sank reading the tweet on my TL.
fucking hell. mental health is no joke and the people who disregarded all the signs should be ashamed of themselves.
fuck man. tears in my eyes. Rest in peace.
fucking hell. mental health is no joke and the people who disregarded all the signs should be ashamed of themselves.
fuck man. tears in my eyes. Rest in peace.
