Yesterday the world lost one of the funniest men who ever lived, one Robin Williams, better known as Mrs. Doubtfire, Patch Adams, the Genie from Aladdin, and Mork from Mork and Mindy. He was also an unsurpassed impressionist, great with improv, and a great comedian both on the silver screen and on our TV sets. He was 63 years old when he passed. I don't usually cry for celebrity deaths, but this is the first time I felt genuine sadness for a dying celebrity. The man was a big part of my childhood, and Mrs. Doubtfire still remains one of my top 5 favorite comedies of all time.
The comedy world is weeping over its loss, but what did him in? Reports have said that he supposedly committed suicide after losing a battle with severe depression, despite being put on medication for it as well as seeking mental help. However it wasn't enough, or else he'd be alive and breathing today and I wouldn't have to write this.That said, the death of a legend isn't the only thing that prompted me to write this, as I feel a lesson can be learned from this about depression and mental illness in general.
What exactly do I mean? Just because someone isn't showing obvious signs doesn't mean they're not depressed or on the brink. In fact studies show that most suicides have no prior warning or if there was one, it wasn't taken seriously. Think about it, anyone who didn't know Williams personally thought that he had it all, but were shocked to hear he did himself in. Now what about if one of your best friends committed suicide and you had no prior knowledge. Same feeling, you'd assume he/she was perfectly happy or at least content, but never saw the internal suffering, the mental anguish, the emotional pain that becomes too much to bear.
I myself suffer from depression, anxiety (Both general and social), and hypochondria, so I see the world through a different set of eyes than other people, just as everyone has a differing perspective on things. Just because someone isn't constantly crying doesn't mean they're not depressed. Just because someone looks healthy doesn't mean they think they are. You can never judge a book by its cover and assume that a person is A'OK just based on appearances. Focusing on depression alone, people handle it differently. Some people express anger with their depression, some use humor and a false smile to conceal their pain, much like Williams. Then there are some who use drugs to cope, from alcohol to hard drugs, in some cases mixing the two. There are antidepressant drugs out there which work in some cases, but other treatments are there in case medicine doesn't help.
Anyone can suffer from depression, despite studies suggesting that women are more likely than men to do so. Rich or poor, young or old, black or white, male or female, nobody's safe. However, just because you or someone you know are diagnosed doesn't mean there's nothing you can do. Depression is a treatable disease, with some cases even showing a full recovery, but those are few and far between. One thing you can do is open up or encourage someone to let you in so you can communicate and not suffer in silence. Sometimes the support of a friend is the best antidepressant you have. Better than drugs at any rate.
So what exactly is the lesson I can end this on? Looks can be deceiving. That's the big issue I want to stick in your heads as you read this. Don't assume someone's not suffering or faking because they don't have external signs. Talk to someone, let them know they're loved instead of just another faceless acquaintance on a social network.
I've taken the liberty of providing a couple of links that can explain this better than I can:
http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-facts-everyone-gets-wrong-about-depression/
http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/9-myths-depression
http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2014/03/24/10-common-myths-about-depression-debunking-the-misconceptions/
