Glen Gould

[[sa...]]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Gould

 

watching his life story on netflix... claims that his life decayed due to prescription drugs, including benzos it sounds like. So sad. He was an amazing pianist.

 

[[am...]]

yep his goldberg variations were awesome.

[Guest [Si...]]

Death

On September 27, 1982, after experiencing a severe headache, Gould suffered a stroke that paralyzed the left side of his body. He was admitted to Toronto General Hospital and his condition rapidly deteriorated. By October 4, there was evidence of brain damage, and Gould's father decided that his son should be taken off life support.[25] He is buried next to his parents in Toronto's Mount Pleasant Cemetery. The first few measures of the Goldberg Variations are carved on his marker.

 

Health

Gould suffered many pains and ailments, though he was something of a hypochondriac[N 12] (admitting it himself on at least one occasion), and his autopsy revealed few underlying problems in areas that often troubled him.[N 13] Early in his life, Gould suffered a spine injury. His physicians prescribed, usually independently, an assortment of analgesics, anxiolytics, and other drugs. Some speculate that his extensive use of prescription medications throughout his career had a deleterious effect on his health.

He was highly concerned about his health throughout his life, worrying about everything from high blood pressure (which in his later years he recorded in diary form) to the safety of his hands. Gould rarely shook hands with anyone and usually wore gloves.[N 14][N 15]

 

It sounds to me he had other issues besides Benzo's. No doubt they can ruin lives if one stays on them.

Once off, to let you know, people do heal. It's not permanent, if it was a big percentage of people, millions would be gone by now.

I know in withdrawal, you think, "I'll never get better." so on...

But people do get better, and go on about their lives.

There's plenty of proof to prove this.

 

S#

[[Pe...]]

I am  thinking that many of his "Eccentricities" were actually due to being in tolerance w/d.  I had many similar isolation type behaviors toward the end years of my benzo use, also sensitivity to cold and touch.  Also I had a variety of symptoms with all medical tests coming out normal, so I was viewed as a hypochondriac.  So sad that while it is stealing away your life you are so unaware that it is the benzo doing it.  What a shame.

[[sa...]]

Hard to tell what caused his odd behavior, but certainly at the end his paranoia was pronounced.

He was a great talent. Sad to have lost him so young.

 

 

[[dr...]]

I've been interested in Glenn Gould for a long time.  His story is a sad one indeed.  One documentary showed him playing an extremely difficult piece perfectly, after not having played it for 10 years!  While people comment that medications may have hurt him, the fact of the matter is he did not get enough help for his problems.  He was extremely isolated for many years.

 

Draftsman

[[sa...]]

Interesting take on that Draftsman.

 

You may have a very good point. I get so anti-drug that I forget there is real suffering that can be helped with proper treatment. But it does sound as if he had too many meds on board, and wasn't getting exactly what he needed.

 

He was a brilliant talent. I have just been introduced to him and can't get enough.

Thanks for your point of view.