******TRIGGER WARNING******
The world lost a great man today. He was intelligent, funny and very much loved by a lot of people; not just his family. Robin Williams died today and the police suspect that he committed suicide. The online world has been shocked by this news and it was met with real sadness and love. I didn't know him personally and you probably didn't either but he made a difference to my life.
I often struggle to remember happy times during my childhood and off the top of my head I wouldn't be able to tell you any but this man was loved by all of my family. Sitting in front of a family show like Flubber or Jumanji was a peaceful time for our family but we especially loved Mrs Doubtfire and would always gather to watch it if it was showing on the TV at Christmas or throughout the year. There were many laughs to be had and mutual happiness to be felt. There was no abuse; no beatings, no shouting, nothing to make me cry from fear or pain. I can tell you that I was as happy as I could be during those moments when my family was doing what most families do; something normal.
Depression can affect anybody at any time of their lives and it doesn't matter where they live. There are children, teenagers, youths, adults and older adults committing suicide right now. Robin Williams was 63 and depression affected him; ending in the worst outcome but I hope he has found peace now and that his demons no longer attack him.
Robin Williams may have outwardly been one of the happiest and funniest people on TV but that doesn't mean that he didn't have problems. He was rich but depression doesn't care about wealth or status. I have seen comments from people saying that it can't be true for Robin Williams to have committed suicide because "he didn't seem the type". What does that mean? Is there a type for depression? Does a person look inside the bag of illnesses and think, "Yep, that's the illness to suit me". Nobody picks depression. Nobody chooses to feel so worthless that getting out of bed becomes a struggle.
If somebody dies from cancer, nobody says, "they didn't seem the type". Have some respect and take this illness with the severity that it demands. Depression takes more lives than cancer does but there is less funding for it and it is still very much a taboo subject. Don't underestimate this illness and don't just assume that somebody is happy and perfectly fine just because they appear to never stop smiling. We never know what goes on in people's lives unless we experience it ourselves or have an inside view.
Depression deserves to be seen and spoken about. Depression is an illness. It takes lives. It demands to be taken as seriously as cancer or raging wars. It can affect us all.
If you suspect that you or somebody you know suffers from depression, then please seek help. It is a sign of courage to ask for help; not a sign of weakness.
Numbers To Call
Please check the link below for links to suicide prevention lines.
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