TERRELL OWENS did or did not attempt to commit suicide Tuesday in Dallas.
A police report indicated that he did.
Owens and his publicist, Kim Etheredge, said he did not.
What unfolded yesterday in Dallas was unexpected and confounding. Given the way he has behaved through the years, you would have figured T.O. would be the last person to ever purposely O.D. Until that happened or did not happen, Owens stood firmly in the public eye as a swaggering, selfish and — yes — a supremely talented individual who as, Etheredge said, has "25 million reasons why he should be alive."
But what people were asking each other was this: Is there a deeply troubled side to Terrell Owens that goes beyond his showy antics? Speculation circulated that perhaps he suffers from bipolar disorder, which is characterized by mood swings ranging from manic highs to depressive lows. Former NFL players Alonzo Spellman and Barret Robbins had their lives shattered by it. Others, such as actor Jim Carrey and CNN founder Ted Turner, have been able to lead productive lives by undergoing treatment. But while bipolar disorder is not uncommon, it remains unclear whether Owens has any problem that would have led to him to attempt suicide. Or whether, as he said, he simply suffered a bad reaction to mixing pain medication for a broken finger with nutrional supplements.
"When we hear that anybody has attempted suicide, all I know is that individual has been in an awful lot of mental pain," said Dr. Donald Nathanson, the Center City psychiatrist who authored the acclaimed book, "Shame and Pride: Affect, Sex and the Birth of the Self.''
"If Terrell Owens did take a bunch of painkillers in an attempt to kill himself, it would be the first time we outsiders have had any clue that he has been living in emotional pain. He has really exhibited a brave front where he says nothing bothers him."
Nathanson paused and added, "We just need more information."
Others echoed that.
"No one knows what really happened yet," said Dr. Michael Broder, a clinical psychologist also based in Philadelphia. "There are people who do innocently mix drugs, and if that is the case, then it is not so much a psychological matter."
Depression has not appeared to be an issue with Owens. And yet, as Nathanson and others agree, it is not always visible to the outside world. Publicly, Owens has carried himself with an easy arrogance, unburdened by consequences or the concerns of his coaches and teammates. But that it not to say there is not a depressive underside to that bravado. Broder said that it is not uncommon for "high-profile athletes to smile for the camera and hide [depression]," if only because of the stigma that they believe is attached to seeking help.
"For whatever reason [athletes] are not expected to have ups and downs, but they do," Broder said. "They are human beings who just happened to have extraordinary ability in a highly marketable field... I hope that somebody, if not himself, persuades him to seek help if it was a matter of depression."
Dr. Joyce Brothers also weighed in on T.O. The psychologist told the Daily News that players with the stature of T.O. are "typically focused on themselves" and driven by "the limelight they have grown accustomed to receiving." She added, "Eventually, the pressure of the attention begins to be overwhelming." She claimed that it can be "difficult to notice in a player until it is too late."
Dr. Madhukar Trivedi agreed. "If someone has depression, it may not be apparent to everyone," said Trivedi, professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. "[Depression] is not something that is uniformly out in the open ... In fact, that is one of the tragedies of depression — people may not know until it is very severe. Of course, depression is not a static illness; there are ups and downs.''
Is it usual for a hospital to release a person who has actually attempted suicide within hours of being admitted?
Trivedi replied, "Well, it depends. Hospitalization is purely designed to maintain safety, so there are patients who attempt suicide and then feel relieved that they did not complete it. In those cases, there is a chance that you do not need to keep them in, especially if they have agreed to be treated. There are patients who attempt suicide and are actually sorry that they did not succeed. Those patients would be in the hospital longer."
Is it likely there were errors in the initial police report?
Trivedi chuckled. "I have no expertise on police reports," he said. "But that does appear to be the complicated aspect of this."
While Owens laughed off the possibility that he was trying to commit suicide at his news conference, despite the fact that the police report said Owens said he was attempting to harm himself, Dr. Richard Lustberg characterized the episode as a continuation of a pattern of behavior that has been an ongoing "cry for help." The sports psychologist said he had expected Owens to be in trouble "sooner or later."
"Terrell Owens is diagnosable," Lustberg said. "I have seen many, many, many people in my practice who are just like him. He just happens to be a football player whose issues are being played out on center stage. He has a long history of aberrant behavior. Terrell Owens has this narcissistic desire to be recognized, to be idolized, to be wanted ... That would suggest that this is a very insecure man. What is he saying? Look at me. Pay attention to me. That speaks to an underlying need.
"If Terrell Owens had wanted to kill himself, he could have done so easily," said Lustberg, who added that instead Owens succeeded only in bringing additional attention to himself. "Who are we talking about today? Terrell Owens. The spotlight is back on him again."
Lustberg added that it is "irrelevant" if Owens was trying to commit suicide. "Look at what he said at his press conference: ‘Well, I took two pills, then some [supplements],''' he said. "But even if he did not try to commit suicide, what he did do just speaks to how troubled he is... Either way he is ill."
Lustberg then added, pointedly: "Below his grandiosity is a small human being."
