Michael Jackson's Life Brings Attention to Important Issues

As the world slowly recovers from the shock of the sudden death of Michael Jackson our attention must turn to issues that came to light as elements of his life were revealed. Michael was a superstar who lived an extraordinary life but as the pieces of his life were laid before us we saw problems that occur far too often in our society.

The Effects of Verbal and Physical Abuse

It had been reported for years that Michael Jackson along with his brothers had suffered physical abuse at the hands of their father. Joe Jackson was known as a strict disciplinarian who often beat his children in a sometimes unmerciful manner.

In the 1992 movie "The Jacksons: An American Dream" it was depicted that the Jackson boys' talent was discovered after Joe had whipped Tito severely for breaking a string on Joe's guitar. After the punishment Tito was forced to play and sing while his brothers Jackie and Jermaine sang background.

It was out of this "performance" that it is widely believed, the Jackson 5 was born.

In a 2003 interview with British journalist Martin Bashir entitled "Living With Michael" broadcast on ITV in the UK, Jackson recalled rehearsing as a boy with the Jackson 5 as their father sat in a chair with a belt ready to whip anyone who made a mistake. Michael commented "if you didn't do it the right way he would tear you up, really get you." In a BBC interview with Louis Theroux that same year, Joe Jackson himself admitted to whipping Michael when he was a boy.

There is no doubt that the physical abuse that Jackson suffered as a child affected him in later life. In a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey he recalled how he would cry from being lonely as a child and that loneliness was still evident in adulthood as Jackson would surround himself with an entourage of people.

Not only was there physical abuse, there was also verbal abuse.

In the 2003 interview with Bashir Jackson told of how his father would often tease him about his appearance. About his nose in particular, saying it was too big and that he (Michael) didn't get it from his (Joe's) side of the family. From these revelations it is easy to see how Jackson could have been led to believe that he needed to change his appearance in later life.

During this same interview Michael began to cry as he recounted painful stories from his childhood. Though it was years later, Michael was clearly still being affected by the treatment he received as a boy.

Much of the behavior that Jackson displayed as an adult can be traced back to the treatment he received as a child. The excessive spending, the childlike attributes and the incessant need for attention are all symptoms of deep rooted emotional insecurities.

In a CNN interview over the weekend, Deepak Chopra, a close friend of Jackson's suggested that the numerous plastic surgeries that he had done were a "form of self mutilation." It was obvious that Jackson's obsession with changing his appearance was an attempts to correct something that he perceived was flawed.

Childhelp.org reports that 80% of young adults who have been abused met the diagnostic criteria for at least one psychiatric disorder by the age of 21. Sadly, Michael Jackson appeared to fit this description.

There is no way to tell how much psychological damage was done to Michael Jackson as a result of the abuse he suffered as a child but it was obvious that he suffered some degree of emotional scarring well into his adult years..

Child abuse is a serious concern. Michael Jackson's life story sheds light on a topic that needs a lot of attention. Hopefully, that light will stay on.

The Problem Of Prescription Drug Abuse

As the investigation into the death of Michael Jackson goes forward, the question of whether he abused prescription drugs continues to surface. It has been reported by sources contacted by CNN, NBC and other news organizations that Jackson was suspected of abusing prescription drugs.

Jackson had suffered a number of injuries over the years and some who were close to him believe that is probably when the abuse, if there was any, started. In 1984 Jackson suffered severe burns to his scalp when his hair caught fire while taping a Pepsi commercial and in another mishap he fell off of a stage and broke his nose. Both of these incidents provided an opportunity for Jackson to begin abusing prescription medicine.

In the days following his death some have come forward to share their experiences involving Michael Jackson and possible prescription drug abuse.

Deepak Chopra, a self-help guru and close friend of Jackson's told CNN that while staying with him in 2005, Jackson asked Chopra to write him a prescription for a powerful pain medicine. According to Chopra Jackson was insistent on getting the medication. After being refused several times Jackson became agitated and for a brief time severed his relationship with Chopra.

Another friend of Jackson's, Uri Geller in an Associated Press story on MSN.com, said he along with former bodyguard Matt Fiddes tried in vain to keep Michael Jackson from abusing painkillers and other prescription drugs. According to Geller, " when Michael asked for something, he got it". Much like Elvis Presley, who died under similar circumstances, Geller said that Jackson relied on medications to help him cope with the relentless pressures that he faced in later years.

But again, Michael Jackson's story is not an isolated one. Abuse of prescription drugs is a growing problem among teenagers in the U.S. According to KidsHealth.org, a 2006 study reported that 6% of teenagers between 12 and 17 had tried using prescription drugs for recreational purposes.

Although it has not yet been determined whether prescription drugs played a role in the death of Michael Jackson the suspicion that surrounds his death should be enough to make society stand up and take notice of an issue that needs to be addressed.

The Obsession With Plastic Surgery

In a world where looking good is all important, cosmetic surgery has become the new fountain of youth. Tummy tucks, botox injections and breast implants are commonplace procedures. No one, it seems, is satisfied with how they look.

Including Michael Jackson.

Anyone who watched Michael Jackson throughout the years saw his appearance change dramatically. It was clear that several surgeries had been performed on his face though Jackson often denied it. In his 2003 interview with martin Bashir, Jackson claimed to have had only two surgeries to his nose. When Bashir continued to question him about it Jackson became visibly irritated.

Michael Jackson seemed to have an obsession with altering his looks which led many people to believe that he suffered from a condition known as body dysmorphic disorder. A person with BDD has a distorted view of themselves and is excessively concerned about a perceived defect. In Michael Jackson's case, his nose.

According to an article on Wikipedia, only one to two percent of the world's population meet all the diagnostic criteria for BDD and symptoms usually appear in adolescence and early adulthood.

Unfortunately, Michael Jackson's behavior fit well within these parameters.

Michael Jackson's obsession with plastic surgery is well documented but there are thousands of others in this country who suffer a similar preoccupation.

Since his passing, Michael Jackson's shortcomings and weaknesses have been exposed and paraded before the public without end. Hopefully, the attention that Jackson brought to this and other problems that he had in life will bring even more attention to them in his death.