What a tragedy – the death of Mr. Robin Williams. :( In 2013, Lee Thompson Young, a young, STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL, supremely talented actor took his life at the tender age of 29. What a time for us all to acknowledge mental illnesses such as CLINICAL depression! I’ve tried to explain to my son what clinical depression is for several years now, and, unsurprisingly, it’s difficult for him to conceive. I laugh all the time, sing, dance, play, and succeed in most of my life’s ambitions. I work on myself daily as well and see a therapist routinely, so, in my son’s mind, I’m doing just fine and dont SEEM depressed. It’s oxymoronic to link depression with any sort of activity or success in his mind – in MOST minds. I’d like to share with you some of what Ive learned throughout the years. I hope it helps you to understand your loved one or workmate better if he/she suffers with clinical depression. :) As a person who is clinically depressed, I can tell you that, although trauma was the catalyst for MY diagnosis, depression does not necessarily come from loss or the LACK of THINGS outside of oneself when it’s considered clinical depression - though these may ADD to the dilemma. Unlike the “everyday” depression that we all experience and can talk or play ourselves out of, with CLINICAL depression, there is an actual IMBALANCE of the everyday brain precursors and synapses (synaptic relays), that are often taken for granted, which produce chemicals that make us energetic, happy, and those that make us FEEL capable or worthy of the life we lead for long enough periods of time. And in this way, depression can be and IS termed a diseased state of being to the extent that death is the inevitable outcome by various means, i. e., weight loss or gain, extreme and/or prolonged anger, irrational behaviors, and even suicide, IF THE AFFECTED DOES NOT SEEK AND RECEIVE HELP. You CANNOT look at the death of Robin Williams in understanding unless you see what he died from as it truly is: A DISEASE. Otherwise, it DOESNT MAKE SENSE - he had everything most of us would be happy with!!! You can no more “talk” or “play” yourself out of clinical depression than you can talk or play yourself out of a broken leg or heart disease. Does this mean that all depressed people - clinically depressed or otherwise - will kill themselves or hurt you? Of course not! But this illness is real. It is valid. And people who suffer with it or its sister diseases such as bipolar depression, chronic depression, or postpartum depression should not be condemned. They should feel safe enough to say OUT LOUD that I need help or that Im being helped, and Im just as worthy of your love, your prayers, and your SUPPORT as is a person with diabetes, cancer, or hemophilia. We can all assist others to want to survive by: showing support for those that seek help for mental illnesses of any sort, by possibly suggesting that they seek help instead of assuming that all theyll need is a ‘quick fix’ like being taken out to dinner or to a party, and by applauding them when they take the necessary steps to better themselves even if it includes taking medication. Let’s salute this wonderfully hilarious man, Mr. Robin Williams, by making it our aim to recognize mental illness not as a failure of the one afflicted, but as it truly is: a part of life. And let’s try and keep those around us aware of what we, the sufferers of this affliction called depression, may be going through while we seek the most necessary emotional/mental help that we need. Mental illness DOES NOT make me less than a human being. It just makes me flawed. And in this truth, how are you and I or ANYONE ELSE ON THE PLANET any different? ;) Thanks for reading this!!! Rest in Peace, Mr. Williams, because your death, though extremely tragic, may be the catalyst to giving the WORLD true understanding of your illness.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 00:01:55 +0000
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