Russell Brand urges men to speak up about depression, following Chris Cornell's suicide

British actor finds it "extraordinary" that people don't talk about mental health

Actor-comedian Russell Brand, following the suicide of singer Chris Cornell, has urged men to communicate better if they are feeling depressed.

The 41-year-old actor, who has previously battled drug addiction, was "concerned" to hear about the suicide of the late Soundgarden and Audioslave singer last week.

"I know Chris struggled with alcohol addiction but I believe he was clean at his death," said Russell, in his "Trews" YouTube broadcast with Brad Evans. "I am always concerned when there is a suicide from someone who lived a fulfilling life. What does it say? Suicide or addiction or mental illness does imply you are making a decision inside your head. You feel like your life shouldn't be like this and you shouldn't feel this way. Then you cannot cope with being alive anymore. It is unimaginable."



What surprised the British star was roughly half of young men do it within an hour of thinking it. Russell added, "That strikes me as extraordinary. People are just generally having an experience of life that you didn't think would happen. Things that life has delivered to you makes you feel alienated and lost. Life doesn't match up to what you feel on the inside."

He continued, "There is a lack of communication. I am part of a community of people. I have been indoctrinated to pick up the phone and not to stay in my own in my own head."

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