The man that made us all laugh suffered from depression. How ironic. How sad.
But do we all realize that depression is much more than sadness?
Never equate having a "feeling blue" day as being depressed. It simply does not compare. Feeling blue does not even begin to encompass all that real depression involves. You can't just snap out of depression and choose to cheer yourself up.
Tell me, when you last felt sad or blue, did you also wish you were dead? Not likely but severely depressed people do.
Have you ever felt like you were stuck in a deep pit that was cold and dark and lonely? The emotional pain was impossible to bear and there was no way out? You just wanted the pain to go away so suicide seemed like a viable option? If so, then you do know what depression is. And I am so sorry you had to experience it.
Many today are still so naive about depression. Only if you have been severely depressed or know someone close to you who has can you grasp the enormity of the emotion. It does not matter how smart you are, how rich you are or how many friends you have, depression can still come down on you like a ton of bricks.
I loved watching Robin Williams entertain me from the very beginning with the TV show "Mork and Mindy". And what about "Good Morning Vietnam" or "Mrs. Doubtfire"? However, perhaps my favorite movies were not comedies but rather dramas called "Good Will Hunting" and "Dead Poet's Society".
"Dead Poet's Society" is a movie about young students at an elite prep school with Williams portraying their English teacher. It is a drama full of emotions and even the ugly reality of suicide.
In "Good Will Hunting" Williams played a psychiatrist helping a young troubled and brilliant mind. So since he played the role of a psychiatrist, don't you think he knew all about getting help? Of course he did. Unfortunately psychiatrists and medications do not successfully help everyone with severe depression.
There is a chemical imbalance in the brain that causes depression. The anti-depressant medications attempt to balance that imbalance although they often fall short. 25% of people worldwide have suffered from depression. That is one in four so you likely know someone who has experienced severe depression at one time. It is very common yet usually suffered in silence and shame because it is so misunderstood.
Famous people have gone public about their experience with depression to increase awareness and diminish the stigma. Olympian Clara Hughes has been a recent spokesperson. Household names have suffered from clinical depression such as Billy Joel, Princess Diana, Jim Carrey and many more.
I would rather have a physical illness then depression. At least physical ailments are visible and tangible to those around us and easy to understand. People with depression are afraid to admit their pain for fear of being judged and ostracized for being "crazy".
I know because I have suffered from severe depression. So I get it.
I can only hope that many of us will seek to understand it better.
The stigma needs to be torn down. Those suffering need to feel free to come out of hiding and seek help and love and compassion from those around them.
Hopefully it will not take a huge spike in suicides to achieve this.
No one is immune to suffering from depression. Situational depression can happen to any of us.
Today I am grateful that my experience with depression is in the past.
Someone you know has been depressed or is depressed right now. Find out who it is and seek to understand them and love them.
Give Thanks!
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