For Sinead O'Connor, we should 'pray for the best outcome'

The headline most of us come away with after the release of Sinead O'Connor's social media video earlier this week, is someone else is trashing New Jersey. Such a brilliant and talented woman has gotten the wrong headline before in her career.

The one that sticks out the most is the one that gain her more notoriety than her musical talents or career. Some people reading this were too young to remember or weren't even born yet on Oct. 3, 1992. That night, on a live SNL performance, she ripped up a picture of the Pope while singing the words "fight the real enemy." The shocking image of a head-shaven woman (unheard of at the time) doing such a thing on live TV cemented her image in the minds of many as a "whack job."

In her video, she states she's living in a hotel in the "arse-end" of New Jersey. The hotel is not in the nicest area with sort of an industrial park feel to it. Taken out of context, some proud New Jerseyans might take offense. When you watch at least some of it, your feelings turn to sympathy and despair for a woman who is clearly struggling through a life that has had no shortage of struggles. She has four children and has been married four times. She's stated before that she suffers from bipolar disorder and has attempted suicide on at least one occasion.

If you've seen someone like this in your own life, your heart breaks and you just want to hug the woman, when you hear her say she has no one but her psychiatrist in her life. Then you pause and wonder where are all of the people throughout her life that were once a part of it.

My heart goes out to a woman who is clearly struggling with mental illness and despair. It was pretty obvious to most from early on in her public life that, unless she grows out of whatever's got a grip on her, this will not end well. She's in our backyard now and I don't think this is the last we'll hear from or about her. Short of getting her the help she so desperately needs, it's probably a good idea that we hope and pray for the best outcome for Ms. O'Connor.

If you or someone you know is suffering from depression or having suicidal thoughts, here are ways for them to get help:

NJ Hopeline — New Jersey’s confidential 24/7 Peer Support & Suicide Prevention Hotline, at 1-855-654-6735. It can be reached 24/7 by text or email to njhopeline@ubhc.rutgers.edu.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline — 1-800-273 TALK (8255). The lifeline also offers online chat, as well as specialty help for veterans, young adults and victims of bullying.
Crisis centers in NJ — Click here for a list and contact information.

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