RIP Robin Williams

Simply Fated · August 2014

emcmac87 said:

So sad. BF and I were at Target Thursday and they had a bunch of $5 dollar movies and we decided to get one that wasn't for the 3 year old for once and got Mrs. Doubtfire. Want to watch it but also think there will definitely be a lot of sadness with the funny. Also this may be an unpopular opinion, not sure, but I'm kind of pissed at the amount of people I've seen saying things online like how it's not sad because it was his own fault, he was selfish and no one should be sad for him etc etc. Death is sad and death we see as preventable even harder to deal with sometimes but I feel like a lot of people don't understand what depression is and how serious it can really be and that it isn't so black and white.

While I do agree that suicide is very, very selfish, it's also one of the rare selfish acts that I find the most forgivable.

I mean, he's dead. That alone is sad. He is leaving behind a great legacy, and those who remember him for only his final act are completely missing the point of life.

NYCMercedes · August 2014

Great actor!

SmileDamnit · August 2014

Sorry guys - MFing knot ate all my paragraphs and jumbled together quotes and made it impossible to read. Clean response below...

SmileDamnit · August 2014

Simply Fated said:

emcmac87 said:

So sad. BF and I were at Target Thursday and they had a bunch of $5 dollar movies and we decided to get one that wasn't for the 3 year old for once and got Mrs. Doubtfire. Want to watch it but also think there will definitely be a lot of sadness with the funny. Also this may be an unpopular opinion, not sure, but I'm kind of pissed at the amount of people I've seen saying things online like how it's not sad because it was his own fault, he was selfish and no one should be sad for him etc etc. Death is sad and death we see as preventable even harder to deal with sometimes but I feel like a lot of people don't understand what depression is and how serious it can really be and that it isn't so black and white.

While I do agree that suicide is very, very selfish, it's also one of the rare selfish acts that I find the most forgivable.
I mean, he's dead. That alone is sad. He is leaving behind a great legacy, and those who remember him for only his final act are completely missing the point of life.

I'm actually going to disagree with this statement. I've dealt a lot with suicide the past year, and I've spent a lot of time confused and angry and heart broken and remorseful and CONFUSED by it. Damn it! How can such good people *do* such a thing?? Don't they know that they are leaving behind utterly heartbroken…devastated mothers and husbands and children? But then I came to learn more about severe depression, and learned that while I'll never really rationally understand how someone could think their loved ones - the world - is better off without them, they do. There in lies the ironic heartbreak.

Here is a good, albeit surface & sensational read about suicide victims and selfishness. And here's one about the stigma of mental illness. And a TED talk by a comedian who suffers from depression. And the story of the surviving husband who has made it his life's mission to honor memories and stop another life from being lost to these demons.

ashley8918 · August 2014

I too searched desperately for proof that this was just a sick hoax. I am so unbelievably distraught over this, and I am not one to get attached to celebrites.

If you need me, I'll be watching Patch Adams and ugly crying until I can't anymore.

Simky906 · August 2014

This is so awful! I keep picturing him in that science from Good Will Hunting, where he keeps telling Matt Damon's character that it isn't his fault until he finally gets through to him. Can't shake it.

falsara · August 2014

This made me and my FI so sad. FI is a comedian, this has devastated his community. There are just no words. FI has spoken to Robin Williams, its one of the stories he tells when people ask him "What's the coolest thing that's happened in your career?" They met at a comedy bar in AZ, and talked for 5 minutes. He's one of the reasons that FI continues to pursue comedy. I don't think it's fully hit yet, that every time I watch Aladdin, the voice of Genie is dead.

wandajune6 · August 2014

This makes us so sad. FI and I are watching "Popeye" now (FI's favorite Robin Williams movie) and "Dead Poet's Society" tomorrow night, my favorite. It just seems right.

rajahmd · August 2014

Oh man. DH and I are both sitting in bed crying. We loved Robin Williams. So many good movies. His influence will be missed.

lc07 · August 2014

afox007 said:

FI came outside since I was waiting for him to get off work and told me. It took everything I had to hold it together. @lolo883 ‌ that picture made me break completely. The worst part is everyone says depression is treatable when its recognized; i dont know how no one ever recognized it. I saw him on inside the actors studio when I was 12 and remember turning to my mom and saying "so safe to say he's as bipolar as I am?".

Mental illness is so complicated. I have been diagnosed with major depression and it takes 4-8 weeks for medication to start working. IF it's the right medication for you. If it's not, some of them you have to wean off of before you can start another one. My doctor wanted me to wean off Paxil for 3 months. Why? Because you can go through drug-addict-like withdrawal from it. And then you can find a medication that works but after a few years it doesn't work anymore. I'm currently at the one year mark from starting medication for depression (this time around) and I'm only just now getting relatively stable.

I'm not an expert but I would be surprised if most people who commit suicide were not seeking help or showing obvious warning signs. It's a terrible illness and it's incredibly hard to treat.

mysticl · August 2014

lc07 said:

afox007 said:

FI came outside since I was waiting for him to get off work and told me. It took everything I had to hold it together. @lolo883 ‌ that picture made me break completely. The worst part is everyone says depression is treatable when its recognized; i dont know how no one ever recognized it. I saw him on inside the actors studio when I was 12 and remember turning to my mom and saying "so safe to say he's as bipolar as I am?".

Mental illness is so complicated. I have been diagnosed with major depression and it takes 4-8 weeks for medication to start working. IF it's the right medication for you. If it's not, some of them you have to wean off of before you can start another one. My doctor wanted me to wean off Paxil for 3 months. Why? Because you can go through drug-addict-like withdrawal from it. And then you can find a medication that works but after a few years it doesn't work anymore. I'm currently at the one year mark from starting medication for depression (this time around) and I'm only just now getting relatively stable.

I'm not an expert but I would be surprised if most people who commit suicide were not seeking help or showing obvious warning signs. It's a terrible illness and it's incredibly hard to treat.

I'm not an expert either but I am a Social Worker who has worked with children and adolescents with mental health disorders.

You make some good points about the medication. Another issue with the medications is they alter brain chemistry and sometimes they don't have the desired outcome, they can make the patient worse or cause a whole new set of symptoms.

Another thing is diagnosing mental health issues is difficult. There is no laboratory test to give you a definite diagnosis. Instead there is a manual with a list of symptoms and if you have X number of symptoms you have the disorder, unless you are under a certain age, or unless you also have A or B or C. And every so often this manual gets updated (as it was recently was) and some of the criteria for diagnosis get changed, some disorders get eliminated, and some disorders get added. And you would not believe how many clinicians I have seen make a diagnosis off of a single 50 minute session. There is no way they are getting the full picture in that period of time.

lc07 · August 2014

mysticl said:

lc07 said:

afox007 said:

FI came outside since I was waiting for him to get off work and told me. It took everything I had to hold it together. @lolo883 ‌ that picture made me break completely. The worst part is everyone says depression is treatable when its recognized; i dont know how no one ever recognized it. I saw him on inside the actors studio when I was 12 and remember turning to my mom and saying "so safe to say he's as bipolar as I am?".

Mental illness is so complicated. I have been diagnosed with major depression and it takes 4-8 weeks for medication to start working. IF it's the right medication for you. If it's not, some of them you have to wean off of before you can start another one. My doctor wanted me to wean off Paxil for 3 months. Why? Because you can go through drug-addict-like withdrawal from it. And then you can find a medication that works but after a few years it doesn't work anymore. I'm currently at the one year mark from starting medication for depression (this time around) and I'm only just now getting relatively stable.

I'm not an expert but I would be surprised if most people who commit suicide were not seeking help or showing obvious warning signs. It's a terrible illness and it's incredibly hard to treat.

I'm not an expert either but I am a Social Worker who has worked with children and adolescents with mental health disorders.

You make some good points about the medication. Another issue with the medications is they alter brain chemistry and sometimes they don't have the desired outcome, they can make the patient worse or cause a whole new set of symptoms.

Another thing is diagnosing mental health issues is difficult. There is no laboratory test to give you a definite diagnosis. Instead there is a manual with a list of symptoms and if you have X number of symptoms you have the disorder, unless you are under a certain age, or unless you also have A or B or C. And every so often this manual gets updated (as it was recently was) and some of the criteria for diagnosis get changed, some disorders get eliminated, and some disorders get added. And you would not believe how many clinicians I have seen make a diagnosis off of a single 50 minute session. There is no way they are getting the full picture in that period of time.

Excellent points as well. My doctors warned me that I may gain "motivation" from how tired and exhausted and beat down I felt before I became actually less depressed which is one of the reasons they think sometimes medications increase the risk of suicide.

And going through Paxil withdrawal was absolute Hell when my doctors decided to switch my medication. My anxiety and depression were not under control. And on top of that I had restless leg syndrome, extreme agitation/irritability, itchiness, I was simultaneously hot and cold. Not hot then cold. At the same time. It's so hard to explain, think when you stick your hand in burning hot running water and for a split second it feels cold. I was vomiting, I was shaking, I was having hypnic jerks, flashing lights when I closed my eyes at night, I was so dizzy I couldn't drive and I was an insomniac. All of these things were on top of dealing with the depression and anxiety and knowing my doctors didn't know how to help me. It's scary.

Anyway, I feel really sad for his family.

holyguacamole79 · August 2014

@lc07, I went through similar issues with Cymbalta. I was miserable and would sleep 14-16 hours a day. I had a pretty major anxiety attack yesterday and was having serious suicidal thoughts. Today's news made me numb. A friend forwarded this to me and I thought some of you may appreciate it. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/theanchoress/2014/08/12/robin-williams-and-the-murderous-mendacity-of-depression/

lc07 · August 2014

sarahbear31 said:

@lc07, I went through similar issues with Cymbalta. I was miserable and would sleep 14-16 hours a day. I had a pretty major anxiety attack yesterday and was having serious suicidal thoughts. Today's news made me numb. A friend forwarded this to me and I thought some of you may appreciate it. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/theanchoress/2014/08/12/robin-williams-and-the-murderous-mendacity-of-depression/

Sarah, I am so sorry that you are struggling, too. I appreciate you being so candid about it.

Do you follow Allie Brosh's blog? I think she explains depression in such a genius way. In a way I've never seen it explained. It really really resonates with me. If you haven't already seen this, check it out, I'm interested in your thoughts:

Blog Post Part 1: http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2011/10/adventures-in-depression.html

Blog Post Part 2: http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2013/05/depression-part-two.html

And hopefully it will make you laugh a little, too

mysticl · August 2014

sarahbear31 said:

@lc07, I went through similar issues with Cymbalta. I was miserable and would sleep 14-16 hours a day. I had a pretty major anxiety attack yesterday and was having serious suicidal thoughts. Today's news made me numb. A friend forwarded this to me and I thought some of you may appreciate it. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/theanchoress/2014/08/12/robin-williams-and-the-murderous-mendacity-of-depression/

And this is why the medications are so difficult to figure out. I have Fibromyalgia. It often comes with depression and anxiety. My anxiety was intense at times. They put me on Cymbalta before it was approved for use in Fibro and for me it was a freaking miracle drug.

lc07 · August 2014

mysticl said:

sarahbear31 said:

@lc07, I went through similar issues with Cymbalta. I was miserable and would sleep 14-16 hours a day. I had a pretty major anxiety attack yesterday and was having serious suicidal thoughts. Today's news made me numb. A friend forwarded this to me and I thought some of you may appreciate it. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/theanchoress/2014/08/12/robin-williams-and-the-murderous-mendacity-of-depression/

And this is why the medications are so difficult to figure out. I have Fibromyalgia. It often comes with depression and anxiety. My anxiety was intense at times. They put me on Cymbalta before it was approved for use in Fibro and for me it was a freaking miracle drug.

Oh, and to make it more confusing, I had been on Paxil and stopped using it about 7 years prior (at the time was on it for 5 straight years.) And got off it in a week with just mild dizziness. Same drug, same person, just 7 years later and it was a completely different experience.

Edited: To fix mistake in years.

themuffinman16 · August 2014

It really upsets me when I see people call someone who has taken his life as selfish. People are all over fb judging Robin Williams. It makes me sick. Suicide is caused by a profound depression,and it seems to some of the mentally ill as the only way out. They are mentally ill, they cannot think rationally. If we cannot make someone stand trial, in this country, for a crime if they are mentally unsound, how can we judge them in their death due to mental illness? We should not hold them to a standard saying you would never do something. It is hard to say what you would never do, if you have never been there (dealt with mental illness). Suicide is not the answer, but it doesn't require judgement either. He was a manic depressive, he struggled with extreme highs and lows his whole life. It breaks my heart that this was the only way he felt he could end his life long battle with depression. I hope he has found peace. Usually I am not upset about deaths in the entertainment industry, but he was a remarkable man, and his death touched a scar on my heart that will never quite heal.

My grandmother is the least selfish person I have ever known and she took her life on Christmas Eve.

steph861 · August 2014

mysticl said:

sarahbear31 said:

@lc07, I went through similar issues with Cymbalta. I was miserable and would sleep 14-16 hours a day.

I had a pretty major anxiety attack yesterday and was having serious suicidal thoughts. Today's news made me numb. A friend forwarded this to me and I thought some of you may appreciate it.
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/theanchoress/2014/08/12/robin-williams-and-the-murderous-mendacity-of-depression/

And this is why the medications are so difficult to figure out. I have Fibromyalgia. It often comes with depression and anxiety. My anxiety was intense at times. They put me on Cymbalta before it was approved for use in Fibro and for me it was a freaking miracle drug.

My mother has fibromyalgia along with moderate to severe depression as well (though the depression preceded the fibromyalgia). She was on Cymbalta as well, though I'm not sure if she still is. She's had a hell of a time trying to find the right combination. That's hard enough with depression on its own, but to add fibro and the meds (and side effects) and it's a miracle she's able to function.

Simply Fated · August 2014

themuffinman16 said:

It really upsets me when I see people call someone who has taken his life as selfish. People are all over fb judging Robin Williams. It makes me sick. Suicide is caused by a profound depression,and it seems to some of the mentally ill as the only way out. They are mentally ill, they cannot think rationally. If we cannot make someone stand trial, in this country, for a crime if they are mentally unsound, how can we judge them in their death due to mental illness? We should not hold them to a standard saying you would never do something. It is hard to say what you would never do, if you have never been there (dealt with mental illness). Suicide is not the answer, but it doesn't require judgement either. He was a manic depressive, he struggled with extreme highs and lows his whole life. It breaks my heart that this was the only way he felt he could end his life long battle with depression. I hope he has found peace. Usually I am not upset about deaths in the entertainment industry, but he was a remarkable man, and his death touched a scar on my heart that will never quite heal.
My grandmother is the least selfish person I have ever known and she took her life on Christmas Eve.

I'm not judging him, not for this, anyway.
Obviously he was in a very dark place and I would never judge him for that.

themuffinman16 · August 2014

I was more judging my friends on FB for making heartless comments, and venting here. I didn't even read comments. I just commented and ran.

No one knows about my grandmother besides close family members. I keep it that way, because I can't bear to hear people's judgement. I hear judgement, anyway, but I feel if they make it about some random person and not my grandma, it would hurt a lot less.

climbingsingle · August 2014

Totally heartbreaking. RIP.

ashley8918 · August 2014

themuffinman16 said:

It really upsets me when I see people call someone who has taken his life as selfish. People are all over fb judging Robin Williams. It makes me sick. Suicide is caused by a profound depression,and it seems to some of the mentally ill as the only way out. They are mentally ill, they cannot think rationally. If we cannot make someone stand trial, in this country, for a crime if they are mentally unsound, how can we judge them in their death due to mental illness? We should not hold them to a standard saying you would never do something. It is hard to say what you would never do, if you have never been there (dealt with mental illness). Suicide is not the answer, but it doesn't require judgement either. He was a manic depressive, he struggled with extreme highs and lows his whole life. It breaks my heart that this was the only way he felt he could end his life long battle with depression. I hope he has found peace. Usually I am not upset about deaths in the entertainment industry, but he was a remarkable man, and his death touched a scar on my heart that will never quite heal.
My grandmother is the least selfish person I have ever known and she took her life on Christmas Eve.

Oh god, I am so sorry. It was heartbreaking to read that last sentence. I am very sorry for your loss.

Peaseblossom55 · August 2014

I am so saddened over this, I cried over it several times last night. :-(

wandajune6 · August 2014

Thoughtless comments come from people who don't understand mental illness as a true disease. The same goes for addiction.

One of my close friends took her life as we were graduating college, about 13 years ago. The counselor I went to about it said something that helped a lot- it wasn't her making the decision, it was her illness.

She's why I go for counseling whenever I go through life turmoil or periods with any symptoms resembling depression. I'm not prone to depression but there's a lot in the family. I consider it a "tune up" to make sure I'm taking care of myself and that there's nothing I'm missing. I recommend it.

MrsMack10612 · August 2014

wandajune6 said:

Thoughtless comments come from people who don't understand mental illness as a true disease. The same goes for addiction. One of my close friends took her life as we were graduating college, about 13 years ago. The counselor I went to about it said something that helped a lot- it wasn't her making the decision, it was her illness. She's why I go for counseling whenever I go through life turmoil or periods with any symptoms resembling depression. I'm not prone to depression but there's a lot in the family. I consider it a "tune up" to make sure I'm taking care of myself and that there's nothing I'm missing. I recommend it.

It's interesting you say this, because apparently RW had just been back in rehab to do something similar and keep his sobriety in check, and that was just in July.

This is a really good article from Cracked.com about comedians and depression.

theartistformerlyknownas · August 2014

I'm mourning via gifs. And my elephant shirt I'm wearing in homage to Jumanji.

sarawifenow · August 2014

This is so shocking. I am having such a hard time wrapping my mind around it.

loveislouder · August 2014

His death proves one thing to be - those who spread the most happiness are the ones harbouring the most pain.

sophhabobopha · August 2014

I've never felt so personally effected by the death of someone I didn't know. Cried last night so hard because I can't shake how sad it is that he still felt so alone despite having so many people who loved him.

theartistformerlyknownas · August 2014

OMG the church bells across the street are playing Amazing Grace today instead of the normal hourly bell toll. I just can't.

RIP Robin Williams

Re: RIP Robin Williams

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