What’s behind the headlines?
Evening!
It’s Sunday night and, as I’ve spent the day bingeing on box sets, I thought I’d switch off my TV set and do something less boring instead (sorry). As such, I’m going to explore the key theme of my book, The Twenty Seven Club, in a bit more detail…
That theme is: headlines.
It’s something I’ve spoken a lot about since publishing the book and doing radio interviews, mainly because it’s so integral to the story. It’s about the headlines we consume, and the headlines we tell ourselves. Because at the end of the day, they never really give us the full picture do they? Much like the 27 club concept.
Anyone’s who’s read the book will know I’m not much of a fan of the headline - at least not without context. Those headlines that tell us something, but without looking at the full story - they’re wafer thin, shallow and meaningless.
You can’t argue with the fact that Kurt, Jimi, Janis, Amy, Jim, Brian, Kristen - they all died aged 27. But it’s talked about as though it’s the answer to it all . Their age is the reason they died. Another rock star. Because that’s just what happens. Because it’s happened before. And because, well, they’re all the same aren’t they?
But they’re not. They do the same kind of job - but even that’s not exactly the same. And even if it was, consider this. If several mates worked down the pit (let’s head even further back), would they all have emerged with emphysema? I doubt it - although their environment makes them more vulnerable they’re all individuals. Who smokes? Who suffered from TB or pneumonia? Who was born with a genetic lung disorder? Who has incredibly healthy lungs and spends weekend sprinting around a track just for fun?
It’s a similar story with drugs - it’s not necessarily weed or alcohol or cocaine that’s the problem. The problem already exists. The vulnerability to addiction or a psychotic disorder. The brain chemicals. The past trauma. The rate and volume at which its consumed to numb the pain. Because, let’s face it, millions of us drink or have a smoke and face no consequences other than a headache or a whitey. But others struggle enormously. So much so, it can completely destroy their lives. Why?
In the book, while there is mention of drugs and a rock n roll lifestyle as Emma tries to understand why so many rock stars have died aged 27, we can see a parallel theme running through her life. 27 isn’t the only headline Emma’s consuming. She’s telling herself her own headlines. She’s feeling faint, she’s feeling wobbly, her vision is a bit blurry.
Perhaps she’s vitamin deficient? Perhaps it’s because she’s getting close to her 27th birthday?
That would be such an easy answer wouldn’t it? But life is never like that. We always have to look beyond the headlines to work out where our symptoms have come from or what’s driving our behaviours.
I remember going to the doctor in floods of tears because ‘my throat was closing up’. I got a counsellor really fast (it was the 90s, I was about 18), and when I described my problem to her she asked me to walk down the hall, go into the loo and look in the mirror at my throat to see if it really was closing up.
It wasn’t.
So why did it feel that way?
Well, it took me a good few sessions to find out. In fact, it’s something I still have to delve back into every now and then to remind myself how to manage it. To remind myself that it’s often anxiety that is the problem - not cancer, or heart attacks or Motor Neurone Disease or whatever it is I’m telling myself that day. There’s more to it. And it’s not an easy fix, unfortunately. And you certainly can’t sum it up in a headline.
Basically, I’ve just summed up what the entire book’s trying to do in one newsletter post. But guess what, I’m not letting you in on Emma’s journey (no spoilers here) and I’m going to save all the nostalgia for the book. It’s way more fun and far more interesting than this little summary!
However, if you fancy having a listen to one of the radio interviews I did this week, how’s about this one from BBC Tees with the lovely Rachel Teate? (Scroll to around 19.25).
And because we’ve talked about anxiety so much I’m going to leave you with an image to make you feel much happier. Emma’s whippet Trev (as modelled by He-Man the whippet of the Toon - thanks to dads Paul and Christopher). Isn’t he LUSH!!!
Anyway, please share your thoughts in the comments. After all - it’s good to talk.
Catch up next time!
Lucy xx
(Oh and pssst….if you haven’t got your copy of The Twenty Seven Club yet, which features this adorable face on the back cover, you can nab a copy here.)