Sinéad O'Connor Cause of Death Revealed

On Tuesday, British authorities revealed Sinéad O'Connor's official cause of death to be natural causes. A representative for London's Southwark Coronor's Court spoke to reporters from TMZ, saying that the 56-year-old singer had died of "natural causes" and that "the coroner has therefore ceased their involvement in her death."

O'Connor was found unresponsive at her home in London on July 26, 2023. Attempts were reportedly made to revive her, but authorities believe she was already dead when they arrived. At the time, police said that O'Connor's death was not being treated as suspicious, but no cause of death was reported either. Even now, the phrase "natural causes" can have a wide range of meanings. According to a report by CNN, this means that O'Connor is not a victim of suicide or murder, nor an accident or drug overdose. However, "natural causes" can include a disease or infection.

O'Connor had a long and well-documented history of mental health struggles. She was a strong advocate for mental health care and she was praised for sharing her experiences in a way that could help others coping with similar issues. In 2007, O'Connor appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show where she disclosed a previous suicide attempt.

After surviving the incident, O'Connor said she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was able to get better treatment. would later say that she had been misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder, but that she had been more reliably diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, agoraphobia and complex post-traumatic stress disorder. She also sought treatment for addiction in order to stop using cannabis.

O'Connor had a similar discussion with Phil McGraw in 2017, telling the TV host about several past experiences with suicidal thoughts and the treatments that had helped her survive. She thanked doctors and psychiatrists, including the staff at an inpatient hospital where she said she stayed on and off for six years.

In spite of struggles like these, O'Connor was one of the pre-eminent political voices in the music industry for decades. She used her work to tackle social issues including women's rights, racism and child abuse. Perhaps her most famous moment came in 1992 when she criticized Pope John Paul II and the Catholic Church during a live performance on Saturday Night Live. This was considered one of the first mainstream critiques of the church's systemic role in shielding child abusers from consequences.

O'Connor inspired a generation of artists that followed her and a generation of peers that rose to prominence alongside her. This update on her cause of death has inspired some fresh commentary on her life and career on social media. O'Connor's music is available on most major streaming apps, and her memoir, Rememberings, is available in print, digital and audiobook formats.