It wasn't all glitz and glory for Nirvana's lead singer, Kurt Cobain, in the days of his rock 'n' roll prime.
Monday night, we got a firsthand glimpse of the demons that haunted the the troubled songwriter on his young journey through fame and fortune during HBO's documentary, "Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck."
The documentary, written and directed by Brett Morgen, provided raw footage of Cobain's life that revealed a side of him that was often hidden, and even unheard of.
The deep, uncut videos of the tormented songwriter gave us a firsthand look into the band's world, both at home and on the road, along with personal insight on Cobain's deeply-rooted mental struggles.
Whether you're a Nirvana fan or not, this "montage" of footage provided an enlightening realization that showed us how celebrities, who have had their journeys put on display, can help us relate to them, which brings the musician-fan camaraderie to a whole new level.
Although Cobain was one of the most popular rock idols of his time, this documentary made him real.
Of course, being famous doesn't make you fake, but the limelight often creates an untouchable being that is almost "unreal" to any fan, standing on the sideline or listening to a record in his or her bedroom.
Many people just assume being famous will solve all problems, mentally and physically, because what can't endless money and popularity make better?
According to the documentary, and common knowledge about Cobain's destiny, the perks of being a hit machine won't solve everything.
Who you are as a person before you make it big is rarely changed during or after success, and audiences everywhere are beginning to notice that the man behind the microphone was just like us.
We are not perfect, and neither was he. We all have struggles we work through daily, and we each find our own outlet that make these battles a little bit easier to conquer.
To Cobain, music was an escape; it was his kryptonite, and although his musical expedition through fame, family and drugs led to his downfall, we can now realize he was just like one of us.
1. He struggled through anxiety and depression.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 40 million adults (18 percent of the United States population) suffer from anxiety disorders. Cobain was no different.
The grueling battle against his inner demons began at a young age, and the documentary gave audiences everywhere a personal look into the world often unseen by the fans.
It was a world in which Cobain lived day by day, working through each struggle with every show he played, during his life on the road as a rock 'n' roll God.
That being said, anyone who has ever struggled through anxiety and depression knows how difficult it is to lead a normal life (let alone a life under the spotlight), without the constant cliffhanger in your mind that warps everything you think about into a negative roadblock.
Because of Cobain's released footage of videos, notes and lyrics, we are able to feel a deeper connection with his previous being and, therefore, relate to him on a more personal level that succeeds his "untouchable" musician persona.
We are now able to understand his mind more and, therefore, better understand our own.
2. He struggled through love and a toxic relationship.
Love can be euphoric and incredible, or blindly devastating, and a romantic relationship can either make you, or break you.
Of course, this depends on your strength as an individual and the type of person with whom you become involved.
That being said, there various opinions that have been tossed around for years pertaining to Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain's lethal love affair.
Throughout our lives, we all find ourselves at one point or another involved with someone who is inevitably bringing us down. Maybe we lose ourselves in the excitement of a trouble maker, or become highly attracted to danger; either way, we live, and hopefully, we learn.
Having a closer look into Cobain's relationship with Love can easily enlighten anyone who may be questioning the toxicity in their relationship because realizing the struggle Cobain voluntarily signed himself up for by dating a drug-enabler is definitely eye-opening.
Whether you believe Love negatively influenced Cobain's downfall or not, noticing the reality of a negative relationship brings us on a relatable level with Cobain: We all struggle through love.
The outcome depends on the people you have surrounding you, and acceptance of needing a push toward a positive, less destructive direction.
Be careful who you involve yourself with, but if you find yourself in a relationship that's bringing you down, know you are not alone and even the biggest stars face the same romantic demons.
3. He struggled through perseverance in attaining a dream.
We all have dreams, and we all have goals.
According to the raw footage in the documentary, Cobain may as well be the spokesman for that mantra.
Although his music endeavors in Nirvana were often clouded by constant partying on and off the road, the publicized videos of the musician revealed a hard-working, passionate side as he worked toward achieving his dreams.
He dedicated his young life to music: the songwriting, the journey and the road. Because of his bandmates, family and former lovers opening up about the true commitment to music Cobain possessed, we are able to realize hard work pays off.
You need to work through the struggles in order to make your goals become a reality.
Although Cobain is no longer with us, we can respect the struggles he faced during his musical journey and relate to him on various levels.
Being able to realize that celebrities like him have worked through the same conflicts the public faces every day will help audiences feel less alone and, hopefully, help others gain the strength to conquer any roadblock they come across to rise to the top.
