Lawrence Phillips

[woolybug25]

I found this story quite interesting. One of missed opportunity and one of mental illness. People always think mental illness is limited to severe depression, autism or a product of physical disability. Sometimes it's more than that. External elements such as lack of parental figures, mental/physical abuse and circumstance can have long lasting effects on mental health. I believe that this is very relevant in Mr Phillips case. While the article doesn't refer to mental illness specifically, I can't help but to think how his life would have been with supportive parents, a stable home or even support from a mental health program.

It's Mental Health Awareness Month, so I thought this story would be an interesting one to share. I'm interested in the board's thoughts on the matter.

For Lawrence Phillips, a Dead Cellmate and Another Day of Reckoning | Bleacher Report

 

[Irish#1]

Speaking of his life and not just the time in prison, you can tell he understands himself and his environment, yet you wonder why he lets himself get into some of those situations?

I have a feeling that he would have turned out just fine if he had decent parents to raise him.

 

[NDohio]

Great thread Wooly.

I think it is tragic how little we as a nation understand mental health and how few opportunities are given to people to get the help they need. It seems like a person has to completely crash before anyone pays any attention to them and by then it is usually the prison system that pays attention to them.

I would be very interested in seeing if the author does get to speak to LP and if so reading about that conversation.

 

[ColinKSU]

I don't excuse anything he did, but it really sounds like Lawrence Phillips never had a shot. Sure, he had the world laid out in front of him in a way very few of us ever will, but it doesn't matter when you've already been sabotaged at such an early age.

 

[Irish YJ]

Sad story. Happens more then folks think.

 

[Redbar]

I believe undoubtedly that mental illness is applicable here. Mental illness can come from so many factors physical trauma, chemical/nutritional, conditioned/behavioral/habitual and that list is probably not complete. As to the question of nature and nurture in this case or in almost all human cases, it is my opinion that nature is the overwhelmingly small part of the human being. We are NOT computers, but we are LIKE computers in that, if an individual has nothing but negative and traumatic inputs during the "formative" years one can expect mostly negative outputs. We are all able to rise above our conditioning through consciousness and work, but by and large we are a product of our experiences, especially our early experiences. If most people have loving, caring, supportive relationships, and are not suffering from physical or chemical imbalances, you will have mostly stable and healthy individuals.

 

[PANDFAN]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Former <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nebraska?src=hash">#Nebraska</a> star Lawrence Phillips found dead in prison, death being investigated as apparent suicide.</p>— 247Sports (@247Sports) <a href="https://twitter.com/247Sports/status/687339116946714625">January 13, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[gkIrish]

Wow. Such a tragic life.

 

[GowerND11]

Wow. Tragic... Many of us would do just about anything to have had his talents in life. But would we trade it all for the life he had to lead?

 

[Irish YJ]

The whole story is just so sad.
RIP LP.

 

[Irish#1]

Wow. Tragic... Many of us would do just about anything to have had his talents in life. But would we trade it all for the life he had to lead?

Not to sound harsh, but it was his decisions. RIP LP.

 

[Booslum31]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Former <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nebraska?src=hash">#Nebraska</a> star Lawrence Phillips found dead in prison, death being investigated as apparent suicide.</p>— 247Sports (@247Sports) <a href="https://twitter.com/247Sports/status/687339116946714625">January 13, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Incredibly sad course of events. RIP Lawrence and prayers to/for the family.

 

[Circa]

Not to sound harsh, but it was his decisions. RIP LP.

I respect you Irish! but I just wish mindsets like this could walk in shoes like those for a week. Feel the weight, feel the anguish of being an outsider for no apparent reason. It's usually people like this that are more kind and aware of their surroundings (others feelings) than they need to be. They weren't given skills to be selfish and narcissistic so they find little need for their own health and well being.
It's a societal issue and needs to be addressed as one. That day Is light years away.

 

[ShawneeIrish]

RIP. Had an incredibly difficult childhood. Was an incredibly talented player. Was not able to put it together and made bad decisions and did some bad things. Its all sad. Too bad no one was able to help him figure it all out.