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The Hunt Goes On For Mickey Mitch
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 | The disappearance of TJ gave cause for concern |
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Concern is growing for the safety of the missing rock star, Mickey Mitch, who disappeared last week. Mitch, lead singer of chart topping band, The Bedlam Runners, walked out on the final night of the Runners tour just minutes before going on stage. There have been several alleged sightings of the star, but no contact has been made from Mitch himself. Police fear that Mitch, who has a long history of depression and has appeared in public with injuries caused by self-harm, might be in urgent need of medical attention.
Hundreds of distressed fans have been calling helplines and there is concern that Mickey’s disappearance might provoke “copycat” disappearances or injuries. According to reports, many fans have been writing to the Bedlam Runners to say they have been inflicting injuries upon themselves, many with photos of bleeding limbs enclosed. Mitch, like the Manic Preachers star, Richey Edwards, who disappeared in 1995, has a large following of teenage fans because of his ability to articulate their own feelings of confusion and us-against-the-world.
Police were especially concerned about the safety of 17-year old T.J. (Antonia) Caister, who rang a local radio phone-in sounding extremely distressed. T.J’s friend Joe later found the teenager in a deserted caravan after she had attempted to take an overdose of paracetamol. On air she said that she “understood what Mickey was feeling” and that “she couldn’t face another morning”. T.J is now receiving medical attention and is said, by therapist Mary Douglas, to be “improving slowly.”
Suicide accounts for a fifth of all deaths amongst young people aged 15-24 in the UK and it is estimated that 3 adolescents self-harm every hour. Depression is also becoming more common among teenagers with 5 per cent suffering from the illness at any one time. The common signs in school-age young people include being moody, irritable and finding it hard to concentrate, withdrawal from friends, family and hobbies, neglect of personal appearance, sleep problems, and changes in eating habits and weight.
