Robin Williams Bipolar?

Not "Depression": Manic-Depression and Robin Williams | Psychology Today

Short, very interesting read. But we knew this, right?

Hi Moose. I don't know if Robin Williams had bipolar disorder. I've read a lot of conflicting info about that. I agree that a lot of his behavior on screen and in public performances seemed manic-like and I once read a quote from him using the word "manic", but not directly in terms of a mental illness. I have definitely read him discussing depression and drug abuse.

I have read a biography on him simply titled "Robin" by David Itzkoff. The book mentions his past depression and struggles with drug abuse, but also that he developed Lewy body dementia in the end. Initially they thought he had Parkinson's. According to the biography and quotes from his wife, that disease's progression was quite disturbing for him. I certainly understand. A good friend of my husband died from Lewy body dementia. It's terrible! I certainly imagine that anyone prone to depression (or even not, originally) can succumb to suicidal tendencies under such circumstances.

In the book, his wife mentioned how he could "turn off" the manic comedy when home and with friends. That makes me scratch my head about a bipolar diagnosis for him, but how can I know. Maybe they did want to hide it because of stigma? Maybe they thought admitting mania would take away from his perceived comic genius a little? Maybe or maybe not. Anyway, a psychologist or psychiatrist can't really diagnose someone they've never officially examined/interviewed when not deliberately performing. Any psychiatrist or therapist he actually saw can't reveal his diagnosis.

I adored Robin Williams as both a comedian and dramatic actor. Based on the biography and friend/family statements, he sounded like he was a wonderful man all around. It is so sad how we all lost him. He is definitely missed!

Birddancer,

I am reading that same biography simply called "Robin" by Dave Itzkoff. Im in chapter 3- its a big book! I've read other writings about his life too but in MUCH less detail than this. I look forward to the rest of the book. Its interesting that he could "turn it off" when he wanted to and the book mentions that some things he'd likely thought about for a while before performi g them- like the spiff on a Coke machine while in college. A few people have said thry'd seen "the real robin". Of the i terviews I've seen, he starts off low-key but quickly switches to high-key - and he's "off to the races", as it were.

Whoops! I'm sorry if I gave away part of the book you didn't get to.

No problem. I already knew how he died and why from reading- I think- a People Magazine all about him.

I thought he had lewy body dementia?

My grandma had both dementia and bipolar. Though her geriatric psychiatrist said that it’s not uncommon for people with dementia alone to get depression.

FWIW, I think it’s VERY difficult to tease apart dementia and bipolar 1 w/ psychotic features. Common symptoms include sleep problems, delusions, hallucinations, depression (as I mentioned), anxiety, and loneliness. Sometimes they even appear “manic” because they’re confused and have difficulties with trying to piece their thoughts together. The only way you can really tell the two conditions apart is though long observation, typically in a hospital setting or through someone being with them 24/7 and reporting their symptoms to a psychiatrist.

I’m not saying he DIDN’T have bipolar, but it’s almost too difficult to actually diagnose him with it unless you’ve observed him 24/7 for a while.

Also, one of my great uncles had Alzheimer’s. He basically became a horny teenager again and was goofy. (He’d crack sexual jokes etc..) While he always liked to joke around, the sexual stuff was VERY unlike him. His behavior appeared “manic” in a way, but I don’t think that’s uncommon at all for people with degenerative brain conditions.

I now have the song " prince ali" stuck in my head (or at least I'm pretty sure he was in that movie)

urg someone post gangman style or something

prince ali is not a nice song to get stuck