Notes on the death of pro wrestler Chris Kanyon

The word amongst friends of late pro wrestler Chris Kanyon is that an empty bottle of the drug Seroquel was found near the body when he died on Friday night. The drug is used to treat bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. As reported on Saturday, the death is being investigated as a suicide.

Powell's POV: There's been a lot of speculation amongst some fans and even some people within the industry that this a typical "wrestling cocktail" death that is related to painkiller addiction. Although the official cause of death probably won't be revealed until a toxicology test comes back, it's important to point out again that Kanyon battled severe depression and a bipolar disorder.

I won't pretend to know whether Kanyon was using painkillers, but he did not have a reputation for using recreational drugs or having a reliance on painkillers even amongst his closest friends. "When they (doctors) gave him pain pills, he didn't take them," recalled one colleague.

It is possible that police may discover an unusual amount of medication inside his home. I heard stories from friends long before Kanyon's death regarding the large amount of medication (primarily related to his bipolar issue) that he kept in his previous home. He was known to alphabetize the pill bottles and refused to dispose of them long after the expiration date had past, which a friend chalked up to Kanyon showing signs of having an obsessive compulsive disorder. However, it is unknown whether he brought the medication with him when he moved to New York.

Again, I don't pretend to know whether Kanyon was using prescription drugs in the days leading up to his death, but I think it's important to stress that his close friends believe the death is attributable to the serious depression issues he's battled over the years.

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