Robin Williams dies.

People do say really mean unhelpful things sometimes without thought or care. Mental illness is complex though to understand. But,It can happen to anyone. And it's not to do with personal character. You can be really talented, have great qualities and be intelligent, strong, courageous, yet still struggle and suffer a lot.

((((((((( roads ))))))))

Very serious, indeed...I was trying to figure out what was going on with me the past couple of days. This might very well be what has been doing it to me...that realization that we're all so vulnerable - this disease does not discriminate in any way, shape or form...

You're much stronger than I am. I would've smacked her upside the head.

Originally Posted by roads
A neighbor, who used to be a pretty good friend--someone I did a lot of things with, but who started avoiding me after I spent a month inpatient in the psych unit--saw me today as I was coming back from seeing my T. She waited for me to get out of the car, then motioned me over to the outdoors smoking area where she and four others were smoking. "I certainly hope," she said, looking up at me over the cigarette, "if you kill yourself you'll have the curtesy not to do it here."

I wish her words had made me mad, but they didn't. Just sad. More sad. The others there don't know me very well at all, so I can only imagine the conversation after I left.

I'm so glad I have me therapy cat Charlie. I dread seeing any of those people again.

roads

You're much stronger than I am. I would've smacked her upside the head.


DITTO Mother Marcus! And Roads.....my thoughts and prayers are with you for healing. It's not you, it's the dummies out there, who make this world less than the beauty it was meant to be. Overlook them, and just keep on doing your thing...in balance and harmony<3
And Robin Williams, you are soaring amongst the true stars now!

I saw that post and couldn't believe it. I think I woulda smacked up side the head too.

This what I mentioned to my therapist. "what gives him the courage that I can not seem to find"

(((((((((((((((( Robin Williams ))))))))))))))

Wowza that's pretty ridiculous.

I agree that his death goes beyond depression hitting more into deeper levels of psychosis, like you say bipolar and paranoia

I feel the same way right now. I have PTSD and it reminds me of feeling that way in the past.

Roads, How are you doing today ?

I agree he had to be bipolar. I still have not heard much about his dx and treatment. I have not watched much though. It is getting more and more sensationalized. The depression phase can include an aweful lot of psychosis. I have been psychotic while deeply depressed. For someone to actually follow through with it I would say they have reached a psychotic state.

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Part of it might be that Bipolar is a form of Depression, use to be known as maniac depression....of course it is different from Major Depression or Clinical depression but it is still under the umbrella of being a depression disorder.

And not entirely sure what you mean by 'just' depression, almost kinda seems even if its not your intention that implies depression that isn't the bi-polar sub-type is somehow less serious or easier for an individual to deal with. Just depression can also make people suicidal and there is the risk of acting on it.

But people should certianly acknowledge the bi-polar aspect, just not sure it is entirely inaccurate to say depression since it is a type of depressive disorder. Also some people just might not know they can for sure say he had bi-polar....maybe they haven't seen documentation of this and wonder if its entirely accurate or potentially inaccurate second hand information that isn't uncommon when it comes to well known people.

I don't know if being in a psychotic state is a pre-requisite for following through at least not for everyone....i mean being in a depressed and psychotic state is obviously a very dangerous thing for the individual...but I know when I attempted I was not psychotic just didn't see what else to do cause I felt like crap, thought i was crap and the world would be better off....so psychosis is not exactly necessary to act on it though it certainly would not help matters.

Depression is the leading reason behind most suicides, including Robin Williams who was experiencing despair about financial issues and had drinking problem. Robin Williams must have been in severe depressive state. You don't have to be psychotic to be suicidal. Just really overwhelmed, trapped in difficult dark place and feeling hopeless.

I'm probably repeating a lot of what others have said, but I always sensed there was a darkness with Robin Williams, that his comic rolls were some form of mania, and that the drinking and addiction had to accompany depression. I've heard interviews with people that knew him saying that unless there was a third person in the room, he was quiet, shy... It really affected me that he went through with suicide. I've had my suicidal tendencies throughout my adult life, but I have always made a deal with myself that I wouldn't do it as long as my parents were alive, my husband, my siblings...I have dogs who are my children, and I could never leave them to an unknown fate. So, in that respect, pets save lives!

I found myself talking to him, telling him I was so sorry he had been hurting so much that he felt the need to do this.

No matter how much people say that mental illness needs to be discussed, brought into the light, etc., it is a difficult thing for people to acknowledge, deal with, etc. Even now, as I reach 50 years old, my parents don't want to hear me be honest about how I'm feeling; they change the subject. "Being happy" and "thinking positively" just aren't so easy for people like us, me. I even withhold how I'm feeling from my husband because I think it makes him feel so helpless, that this is such an ongoing issue for me and nothing he can say will make it disappear. I think that's true for friends and family; it makes them feel uncomfortable and helpless, to be made aware of the depression. So, at least for me, I go on suffering silently.

I fear for what my life will be like in my old age, should my husband die before me, and I end up alone and penniless....I wouldn't hesitate to leave the mortal coil at that point of my own volition. But I will try to hang on as long as there is anyone left who cares about me that they would be devastated by my leaving.

Robin Williams -- The Secret Room | Jerry Leichtling

I think its really bad that people feel they have to suffer in silence, hide their real feelings from others even people close to you. It doesn't have to be that way. Shouldn't really matter what others say, what they think. They are more interested in themselves, their own lives. Suicide is not the fault of the individual's character, its related to unbearable circumstances they find themselves in that can't cope with depressive illness that drives them to act on dark ideas. It can happen spontaneously, in the heat of the moment, without real thought just going by strong impulsive urge to end it all..while others plan it .

I completely understand where you are coming from. I suffer in silence because I don't want to upset those around me, and so I tell myself that I will "go" once my dogs "go." Then there will be nobody who is depending me.

I can imagine that Robin Williams felt so hopeless, like it was never going to change or get better and he had suffered long enough.

I don't understand and don't agree that people feel they should suffer in silence to sacrifice their own selves, because of fear of what others think/say. No one should suffer alone with illness have to hide/bottle up their feelings, that's really unhealthy. Would you want someone you love to do the same to keep things from you? Not tell you openly and honsestly. Its not the fault of person to have depressive illness and feel like ending life, sometimes acting on dark thoughts nor is it fault of others if they don't understand how difficult things can be with depression. Some people say things without care or thought. The depression must have been too strong for Robin Williams to keep going a long with his life issues that were troubling.

I feel the same way.

I learnt today that Robin was at a social event at an Art gallery with his wife day before he killed himself. And, he was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

Yes his wife announced he had Parkinson's but was not yet ready to share that. That could have been a big factor.