Where the deaths of untold children in school shootings has failed to elevate the discussion of mental illness in this country, maybe the death of a beloved actor-comedian will succeed (what that says about our society is a topic of discussion some other time).
I fervently hope and pray that Robin Williams’ suicide will open a national dialog — and that it won’t fade into the shadows after a mere couple of weeks.
I pray that the stigma of depression and other mental illnesses can be overcome.
I pray people will become more understanding, and less judgmental about mental illness and those battling with it every day.
And I pray people will reach out and support those who are silently struggling with mental illness.
I cannot speak with authority about all mental illnesses, but I can address depression. The stigma associated with depression is a real concern to those diagnosed with the disease, whether it’s clinical, severe, or chronic depression. Will it prevent me from getting a job? What if my current employer finds out? How will friends and family react? Are they going to start treating me like a hand grenade ready to explode? Will they distance themselves? When you get the diagnosis, you have an internal panic attack with all of these (and more) questions running through your mind.
You feel broken. You wonder where all the king’s horses and all the king’s men are, so they can put you back together again. You may be prescribed medications. You may have regular doctor / therapy sessions. But you still feel broken. And alone.
We’ll never know what Robin Williams was thinking before committing suicide. We won’t know for sure if it was brought on by despair over his Parkinson’s diagnosis, or if it was work related or something altogether different. That really doesn’t matter. It all boils down to an overwhelming sense of despair, and the belief that there really is no way out. No way, except suicide. He tried. He went back to rehab to get a handle on things before they spun out of control. But the spinning still got out of control.
The news cycle is fickle. In a few days they’ll stop talking about Robin Williams. In a few weeks, maybe, when the coroner gets his toxicology report back, it might hit the news for a few more minutes. Because of his celebrity status, he’ll be remembered in the upcoming Emmy Awards, and in a few months at the Oscars. And then he’ll slowly slip into the shadows of our memories.
As we watch his movies in the future, we’ll remember him with fondness. (I’m not sure I will ever be able to watch What Dreams May Come ever again) But will we remember his depression? Will we continue to talk about it? I hope so, but sadly, I’m not optimistic about it.
Prove me wrong. Let’s talk.