OT: Robin Williams

[Icebear]

and that is why depression is such a difficult condition to treat. Most who are not afflicted cannot comprehend such things in others because of other characteristic traits, especially in someone such as Robin. It is not for us to understand, though, but to acknowledge. We do no have their perspective.

We took so much from him, that which he gave willingly. He spoke of his issues, which was therapeutic - or maybe cathartic, but certainly not a cure nor enough.

- My father once told me that when I was at my funniest, he know that I was in the most pain. He somehow understood this. He was wise. I wish there could have been someone like my dad to help Robin.

Rest in peace, sweet man. I hope that you have found peace.

I would, also, expect that Robin Williams was likely manic/depressive. The manic phase finding great expression in his bouncing off the wall stage personae. Frequently, this creates great complication in the treatment of the illness as many people value or use the manic phase to accomplish tremendous volumes that most would find unreasonable and want that energy to that end and then the crashes deepen even further.

 

[wallman]

I loved all his movies from Dead Poets Society to RV. Time to watch them all again in memory... Truly sad.

 

[UConnChapette]

I would, also, expect that Robin Williams was likely manic/depressive. The manic phase finding great expression in his bouncing off the wall stage personae. Frequently, this creates great complication in the treatment of the illness as many people value or use the manic phase to accomplish tremendous volumes that most would find unreasonable and want that energy to that end and then the crashes deepen even further.

Having a son with bipolar disorder combined with ADD, I see his daily struggles with managing simple tasks that others cannot understand why he doesn't just learn to manage. Take racking up $400 in overdraft protection fees. Why? Because he had been working weekdays during regular bank hours, would bring home his paycheck set it aside and then forget to deposit it and then forget that he forgot to deposit it. Do that for three paychecks and keep using your debit card for lots of small purchases and $400 in fees accumulate very quickly. He has bipolar 1 disorder, the less severe of the two, but nonetheless it has a profound impact on his day to day life. It took him 8 years to get his bachelor's degree and he is at a loss how to move forward, along with a healthy dose of lack of confidence and fear of failure because of the combined bipolar and ADD. When he is in his manic phase, though not as extreme as you see portrayed or hear about in the news, his mind nonetheless races, his sleep patterns are completely disrupted as in not sleeping, and he can't concentrate on anything for very long jumping from one thing to another. These are his times of greatest creativity. He has a keen sense of humor and while certainly no Robin Williams, is very funny in his own right. Then the depressive phase kicks in and he can barely function, sleeps all the time and can't wake up even with three alarms one of which rattles the windows. During these phases he lacks self confidence and can't make a decision on even simple things like what to eat - if he eats. Before he was diagnosed during college I assumed he was being a rebellious and moody teenager, making up every excuse in the book for his declining academics. I thought the tears and frustration were pure dramatics. The excuse that he didn't know why he wasn't doing or turning in homework didn't ring true to me. Little did I realize the hell he was going through. Until the day he said through his sobs that he just wasn't smart anymore. The absolute despair and misery in his voice convinced me there was something more going on than laziness or rebelliousness. Of course it took him three more years and nearly failing out of college for him to recognize for himself he had something wrong mentally and it was not a character flaw. Medication and therapy have helped tremendously, but the fact is this highly intelligent young man will struggle his whole life to do the simple things like get up each day, go to work and pay bills. I joke with my friends that he will be the 45 year old living in his parents house with their dead bodies rotting away. But this is dark humor with a sense that I know it is entirely possible. It is truly heartbreaking as a parent to see your child, at 26, truly incapable of living on his own, trapped in a body with a brain that doesn't allow him to function like "normal" people. And knowing there is absolutely nothing you can do to help him escape that world. Until you have been through a major depressive episode yourself (yes, I have been there and back a few times ) or watched a loved one suffer through it you cannot possibly understand how dark, lonely and painful it is. I never reached the point of really wanting to end it all, but I wasn't all that far from it. I can see how someone could reach the point where they cannot see any positives of continuing to live in a world of darkness and despair. Some commit suicide in a sense of revenge "I'll show them", but I think many do it out of a misguided sense that they will make the lives of those around them better by not being a burden. Depressed people do not make sound decisions. Unfortunately suicide is a decision that has long lasting ramifications and can't be reversed. Families are left behind with anger and guilt wondering why they couldn't have stopped it. That is the resulting tragedy that the severely depressed simply cannot comprehend during their final moments of pain and suffering.

 

[Icebear]

UCChap, I really feel for him and your family. I have walked with a couple of families through these things and it is horrendously difficult. You have my thoughts and prayers.

 

[Dove]

The first time I saw Robin Williams (pre-Mork)

"Free cocaine!!" and "My Kingdom for a quelude!" are still daily exclamations in my life.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I have a good friend who is a psychiatrist -why he would befriend a nut like me is another conversation - who just recently let me in on a dark statistical secret of the profession. It is the high achiever, high functioning among us who slip off the rails so often. He gave me an example from his own practice. For many years, until he gave it up out of I don't know why, he had a consulting contract with a huge technology company to keep an eye on, care for, company executives who did a lot of international traveling. Why? Because there is a high correlation between high functioning (really hard charging smart folks) , sleep deprivation (the int'l traveler plague) and mania. He said he lost count of the people who would come off a plane and go with him to a "rest center" where they would go into a profound sleep (drug induced of course) for several days to awake being fine. He told me that at least 40% of the high functioners (spell check rejects the word but you get it) in society are built this way and a huge % self medicate with exercise or booze or drugs. Us humans, we be a work in progress. Be kind to yourself and get a good night's sleep.

 

[Aluminny69]

Did Robin Williams hang himself over financial troubles?

 

[RadyLady]

In light of the news that Robin Williams likely hanged himself, suffering from depression and NOT speculating as to why, because it is not important at this time, I post this picture with important information for anyone who like Robin and many others, need a lifeline...

 

[willtalk]

Unlike some other zany comics he seemed to be a really nice guy. But suicide shouldn't be that much of a shock considering his history. People often use jokes to deflect depression. Probably comedy was used to enervate the unhappiness his soul sensed inhabited this world. When that no longer works then there is nothing left.

 

[ballhawk]

My wife and I went to a comedy show in Marin County on New Years Eve 2 1/2 years ago and Robin Williams showed up unannounced, as he often did, and just riffed for 40 minutes. He stole the show. I couldn't have been more shocked when I heard of his death. How sad.

 

[RadyLady]

Just had a rather heated discussion with a family member on suicide and selfishness. Suicide is not selfish. I found some information and articles (that fell on deaf ears, but nevermind) to share. If you know of someone, or if you are that someone, reach out and give/ask for help.

http://www.uic.edu/orgs/convening/depress.htm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/katie...ide_b_5672519.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000046

http://www.theguardian.com/science/...cide-and-depression-are-not-selfish?CMP=fb_gu

 

[Icebear]

The problem in dealing with suicide is in attempting to define it by generalizing. Suicide can be an incredibly selfish act. Most often it is not. Suicide is often driven by mental health issues but not always. Suicide can be many things but reductionism and the temptation to say it IS that or that rarely is accurate or helpful.

 

[Striper69]

I worked in a county correction center when I got out of the Army year ago. One day I was serving food to the inmates and someone yelled out that one of the guys was trying to hang himself. He had a sheet tied to the grating of an air vent and was hanging off it.

I had to hold him up and get the sheet off him. Luckily he was smaller than me and I could lift him. Other guards took him to an isolation cell where he could be watched 24 hours.

A different inmate hung himself in the middle of the night while I worked there.

 

[UConnChapette]

What to make of the fact that Robin Williams was found slightly suspended in a seated position on a chair? Was he conflicted about actually committing suicide? Or was it his last act of crazy, dark humor - he hung himself sitting in a chair? How can you hang if you are sitting. I know that sounds kind of nuts that he might actually think it out enough to think "wouldn't it be funny if". For some reason the circumstances had struck me as highly unusual and in a tragically dark way, morbidly "funny".

 

[uconnell]

What to make of the fact that Robin Williams was found slightly suspended in a seated position on a chair? Was he conflicted about actually committing suicide? Or was it his last act of crazy, dark humor - he hung himself sitting in a chair? How can you hang if you are sitting. I know that sounds kind of nuts that he might actually think it out enough to think "wouldn't it be funny if". For some reason the circumstances had struck me as highly unusual and in a tragically dark way, morbidly "
funny".

had the same thought Chapette

 

[alexrgct]

Sorry if this was already posted, but I love this tribute to RW in Boston:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/krystieyandoli/robin-williams-fans-spontaneously-turned-the-good-will-hunti