They say that due to depression, Robin Williams likely took his own life.
Depression? You say, “but he was the funny guy!” He was remarkably talented, blessed with the gift of humoring others. He made us laugh. Laughter makes us feel good.
So we all ask, “then why?”
Depression is a terrible malady that overtakes many people in many walks of life. Pastors, therapists, CEO’s, actors and actresses, comedians, young people, and on we go. Many of us (humans) mask our feelings of loneliness, sadness, grief, disappointment, discouragement, and emptiness. We pretend that everything is okay, alright, going just right. Little sentences or one word syllables in our texting display a certain amount of connection; Facebook-ing feelings or thoughts and checking to see how many “likes” were generated makes us feel that people know we are alive. But who really knows what is “going on inside of us”? Hopelessness and sadness can dwell in each of us. Those internal thoughts, the conflicting thoughts, that make us spiral down into the worst case scenarios, are the thoughts no one really knows about.
That, my friend, is depression.
Then there is the other kind of depression, the clinical depression; the kind the doctors need to medicate because a person’s brain is chemically imbalanced. But that isn’t enough. This insidious imbalance has caused us to think negatively, and spiral downward in our negative thoughts. There is a scream inside, crying out for help, but it is only on the inside, and how can anyone hear us?
This is a plea for you who identify with this description to reach out to someone who understands depression; someone who can help you by listening, and actively help you discover new ways of thinking and being in the world. Don’t hide out anymore. Don’t try to explain what you are feeling to someone who isn’t able to hear your pain, and to selectively guide you.
One resource you can start with is to check out the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA).
Find a professional to help you to find the support you need.