A Heartbreaking New Report On RJ Mitte’s Death Has Sparked An Incredibly Candid — And Very Important — Conversation About The Warning Signs Of Suicidal Intent

2 weeks ago 25

This article includes frank discussions about suicide and suicidal ideation. Reader discretion is advised.

On Monday night, the sad news broke that former child actor RJ Mitte had died by suicide at age 34, with his representative saying in a statement: "It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte.”

RJ, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was 3, shot to fame after he was cast as Walter White’s son, Walter “Flynn” White Jr. in the Emmy-winning series Breaking Bad at age 14, with the show on air between 2008 and 2013.

“I’m in deep despair as I write this tonight. RJ Mitte, my sweet son on Breaking Bad has died,” Bryan’s Instagram post began. “I met him when he was only 14 years old when he was cast as Walter White Jr., a part he played with such joy and enthusiasm. Born with Cerebral Palsy, he never - ever - allowed that challenge to be an excuse for anything. He met the demanding shooting schedule head on with great determination.”

“All that promise and potential now is such a loss. It is especially devastating to hear that he took his own life. Why?” Bryan then wrote. “We were texting each other just a few weeks ago - figuring out when we could meet for lunch. I don’t know if that lunch would have changed his future… But I do know that I loved him, and thoroughly enjoyed being with him throughout the years on the series, and after the spotlight on Breaking Bad dimmed…”

“I’ll miss you, son,” Bryan poignantly concluded, before adding: “I can’t stop there without imploring anyone who is contemplating suicide to please call for the support you need at 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (https://988lifeline.org/). There is hope.”

And a new report amid RJ’s death has sparked an incredibly important conversation about one of the lesser-known warning signs of suicidal intent, with podcast host Joe Vulpis telling TMZ that RJ had seemed “so positive” just two weeks ago.

The two filmed an episode of The Joe Vulpis Podcast together that was released earlier this month, and Joe expressed his shock at learning that RJ had died by suicide so soon afterward. While it’s worth pointing out that Joe wasn’t particularly close to RJ to know how RJ usually seemed, others have taken this story as an opportunity to raise important awareness about why a positive mood doesn’t necessarily reflect somebody’s state of mind.

An incredibly viral post that quote-tweets TMZ's article reads: “when i made the decision to commit suicide my mood improved immensely because it meant everything would be over soon. every bad thing that was happening didnt matter because i wouldnt have to deal with the pain much longer. depression and suicide arent a straight line down.” This tweet has been liked more than 100,000 times at the time of writing, with thousands of quote-tweets and replies.

Another survivor agreed: “a week leading up it, i dedicated so much time to my family. i brought my mother out to breakfast, talked to my siblings more. when i was in hospital, my mother lamented how she Did notice how happier/active i was. i wish more people knew that sudden mood change is a warning sign.” While somebody else shared: “One of my closest friends has had lifelong struggles with depression (He's doing great now tho!). In 2009, he had a multi month breakdown and attempted suicide. And it was the same exact thing. 2 weeks or so before it happened, he had massively improved and seemed really happy.”

“Sudden mood improvement is a known warning sign that someone is intending to commit suicide imminently. It's pretty common and something to look out for in anyone at risk. Real healing takes time and gets more and more stable. Sudden change is a red flag!” one more wrote. Another agreed: “It's actually a real common phenomenon. People make decisions like that and suddenly the burden is lifted and their mood improves. + wanting to spend time with family before the end. Same thing happens in terminal patients once the grieving passes.”

And all of this is backed up by medical professionals and research, too, with Doreen Marshall, the vice president of mission engagement at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, telling HuffPost in 2023: “Thoughts of ending their pain can be met with relief, much like the relief we feel when physical pain is alleviated.”

Effectively, it has been found that once somebody who is struggling with suicidal ideation makes the decision to take their own life, they feel relief that they can stop debating the decision with themselves, as well as relief that they won’t be suffering for much longer.

While all of this is, of course, incredibly difficult to talk about, it is also very important, with one person noting of the viral tweet that drew attention to this often-overlooked warning sign: “This post could save a life.”

You are not alone. Dial 988 in the United States to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The 988 Lifeline is available 24/7/365. Your conversations are free and confidential. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org. The Trevor Project, which provides help and suicide-prevention resources for LGBTQ youth, is 1-866-488-7386.

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