Most of you know by this point that actor Robin Williams was found dead of an apparent suicide today at the age of 63. What you may not know is that Mr. Williams, like many people, had a documented history of bipolar disorder, and I wanted to take a moment to talk about this in terms of mental illness and suicide. Chronic mental illness, like any chronic invisible illness, is not something that resolves spontaneously (at least in the vast, vast majority of cases). It can be successfully treated, and people may be in remission for years at a time, but it can and does reemerge at any time, for any reason. If you have a chronic mental illness, a significant part of managing it is learning coping strategies and knowing your warning signs, so you can ask for help before you reach a crisis point. This takes time, however, and, if you’re like me, you can be really skilled at convincing yourself there’s an alternative explanation for your warning signs because you don’t want to believe they’re warning signs. Don’t. Learn to listen to yourself and not to doubt or try to explain away those feelings, and don’t be afraid to ask for support. If someone you love has a chronic mental illness, it can be difficult to know how to help, and people with chronic mental illness can do a spectacular job of concealing their symptoms for a number of reasons. You can help by checking in with them, making yourself available, and making sure they know that they can trust you to come to you for help (within the limits of your own psychological resources, of course). Most importantly, if someone you love attempts or commits suicide, know that it is not your fault. You cannot hold yourself responsible for the actions of another person. Most importantly, we all need to work toward removing the stigma associated with mental illness. It is too late for Mr. Williams and countless others, but we can help ensure a future where people don’t feel they have to suffer in silence.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 05:34:28 +0000
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