Depression Is Not A Laughing Matter
Tuesday, August 12, 2014 at 8:16PM It was really sad to hear about Robin Williams' death. Really sad. Normally celebrity deaths don't usually concern me that much. It's not that I don't care, it's just they don't really affect me - I don't know them.
But for some reason Robin Williams is different. Not that I knew him either.
I think maybe because he was a big part of my childhood, it now feels like something is missing. He might not have been revered as a great classic actor, but he was damn good at what he did.
And so many of my favourite childhood films were so good because of him: Aladdin, Jumanji, Hook, Mrs Doubtfire. (I cannot believe they were planning a sequel to this!)
Then there were the less well known films which showed a great side of Williams: Bicentennial Man, Patch Adams, Insomnia, and Jack.
And the classics: Dead Poets Society, which I've never seen but now must, and Good Will Hunting, which I need to rewatch. And where it all properly began...Mork and Mindy.
Was Miley Cyrus a bit over the top when she tweeted how she couldn't stop crying over someone she'd never met? Maybe a tad yes. But, it does go to show how much of an impact he had on people.
And that's the sad part.
Did he know? Did he know how he affected so many people? How much he meant to people around the world? How many tributes would come pouring in for him?
If he could have known, would it have changed anything?
Depression, in its truest, deepest form, is a terrible disease. But it's probably one of the diseases of which the least is known. And one of the most stigmatised. It's highly likely that knowing how much he was appreciated wouldnt have made any difference to Robin Williams. Because, from what I know about it, depression is hard to cure.
Because Williams did have help. He was open about his illnesses and his problems, he sought help and he spoke about it, and joked about it. He wanted to help others.
But sadly, he couldnt help himself, and the disease got the better of him.
Perhaps one good thing can come of this. Perhaps his death will draw more attention and focus to depression as an illnesses, and more research can be done to cure it.
Who knows, maybe laughter could be part of the cure?
Reader Comments (1)
Yeah, it's so sad that he's already leave us
Hope they'll give more concern about this illness through his death :)