Anger is a common, natural and understandable response to suicide - I have felt it more often than I would like to have to think about. I don't blame Kevin for his reaction, and I experienced it myself today a few times, especially when thinking about his three children - all grown now, but the youngest two about the same age as my oldest two.
I would point out what I am certain Kevin already knows, which is that anger, even when justified, does not cancel out all of the other components of a complex life - and death. Just as we should not cover up the things that make Kevin angry, so we should also not forget the many moments of joy, insight, brilliance and kindness in the life of Robin Williams. I do have a problem with referring to depression (in its various forms) and other types of mental disorders as "illnesses" or "diseases". If these terms are only used informally to refer to something which is seriously out of whack, then they are harmless I suppose. But often they are used reductively, to imply that clinical depression is physical illness in the same way that diabetes or cancer is, and indeed this seems explicitly to be Trevor's intent. There is no real evidence to support such a claim, though the huge pharmaceutical corporations do spend billions of dollars to persuade us otherwise. Yes, there are physiological and chemical correlates to depression - and genetic ones as well (and for no disorder is this more true than the one Williams had - Bipolar Disorder). But there are physiological, chemical and genetic correlates to every single behavior, feeling and thought we have. There are effective interventions for depression; Robin Williams was well aware of these interventions - some reports indicate that he would take himself off his medication at times in order to experience his mania, which he may have believed enhanced his creativity (and there is some evidence that, in moderate levels, it just might). As I say, Williams was also an addict, and while I don't want to assume that he was using again, that does increase the risk for suicide. Many like to refer to addiction as an illness or a disease, but again, I do not. Life is hard, and often sucks, even for those who are wealthy and influential. Our greatest strengths are also too often our greatest weaknesses, and it is all too easy when walking the relatively narrow path of normality to slip, and when we do, we sometimes fall. It helps to have people around that you can count on, and it helps not to get too proud or stubborn or exhausted to turn to them when you need it. Robin Williams appears to have slipped and fallen today. He was not a personal friend of mine, but for a constellation of reasons, including having seen him in passing a handful of times and saying hi to him once, I am sad about that. At times like this I find myself thinking of (and listening to) that old, sad song by Jackson Browne - "Song For Adam" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb75Jwil0Zg On Mon, Aug 11, 2014 at 8:37 PM, Trevor Tymchuk <[email protected]> wrote: > Kevin, it sounds as though, on the one hand, you recognize that mental > illness is an illness, and that it needs more resources to be > effectively treated. On the other hand, you say that Williams gave up > the fight, as though it were somehow something he controlled. Mental > illness is an illness. If someone dies of cancer, I don't blame them > for not fighting it hard enough. Saying that he gave up makes it sound > like his illness was not an illness. You seem to say that mental > illness, in this case, depression (specifically the depression part of > bipolar), is something that should only affect people who have a > reason to be depressed. To be blunt, this shows a complete lack of > understanding of depression. If a person has a reason to feel > depressed, it's not usually due to clinical depression. Clinical > depression can be found in many people who have no reason to be > depressed. That's what makes it clinical depression. Your life can be > great, and you feel like shit. That's the illness. > > Mourn or don't mourn, but don't blame the victim, blame the illness. > > > On Mon, Aug 11, 2014 at 11:20 PM, Kevin M. <[email protected]> > wrote: > > My single personal encounter with Robin Williams was very brief, > backstage > > at the Tonight Show when I was an NBC Page (15 years ago... or more). He > was > > walking in from the Midway parking lot and heading to his dressing room, > and > > he moved past a few of us like a true force of nature. His internal dial > > wasn't cranked up to 11 (no doubt saving energy for the show itself), > but he > > still possessed a swagger. He shook hands with everybody and said a few > > words but never seemed to break his stride. And then he was gone, tucked > > away in his dressing room, and all I could think was how amazing it was > that > > someone so short could still command any room (or hallway) he walked > into. > > > > Amidst all the celebrations there will be of the life of Robin Williams, > I > > confess it is hard to ignore the way he died. I mourn his loss as I mourn > > the loss of Richard Jeni, Mitch Hedberg, and way too many other funny men > > whose smile didn't last off stage. But while the film festivals and TV > > mini-marathons will take place over the coming days, I fear I won't be > > partaking in them. Robin Williams hurt himself, and in doing so he hurt > his > > family, his friends, and everyone who cared for and respected him. So > > forgive me but I'm angry that this happened... that it keeps happening. > I'm > > angry at Robin and I'm angry at the world. > > > > Just as it is always "too soon" after a spree-shooting to talk about gun > > control, it is also always too soon after a suicide to talk about mental > > health issues. Mental illness is probably the least treated form of > illness > > in America, if not the world, and every politician who voted against > > universal health care needs to be taken out behind the capital and > spanked. > > Mental health needs to be as front-and-center as fighting tooth decay or > > checking for breast or prostate cancer. Because I'm sick and tired of > good, > > strong, loved people giving up the fight... even after they've already > won > > the fight. For those of us on the losing end of life, it doesn't fill me > > with much hope. > > > > > > On Mon, Aug 11, 2014 at 7:46 PM, PGage <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > >> It has been a particularly sad day here in Northern California, where we > >> saw Williams as a home boy. He died in his home in Tiburon (Marin > County, > >> north of San Francisco), but he also long has had a home not that far > from > >> mine (though of course on a much grander scale) in Napa Valley. Over the > >> years many locals have spotted him around town, and the stories of his > >> kindness and goodwill are many. > >> > >> Suicide is not uncommon among those diagnosed with bi-polar disorder; > this > >> is increased among those who also suffer from substance abuse disorder. > >> Perhaps we will learn more about what precipitated this in the future, > >> perhaps the public will never know - perhaps nobody knows. I have worked > >> with more than a few older men who have found themselves relapsing one > too > >> many times, and can no longer live with another round of disappointing > and > >> hurting those they love. Of course this is tragically silly - those who > love > >> them almost always would encourage them to get up and try again. With > >> someone as well known as Williams, it is particularly hard to > understand, > >> since so many are so grateful for the joy and laughter he brought into > their > >> lives, and so appreciated his many talents. But that is really hard to > hear > >> when you are down deep in the hole - and the adoring masses make > admitting > >> and facing up to yet another round of failure that much harder. > >> > >> > >> > >> On Mon, Aug 11, 2014 at 7:07 PM, Joe Coughlin <[email protected]> > >> wrote: > >>> > >>> Seconded. > >>> > >>> On Mon, Aug 11, 2014 at 9:44 PM, M-D November <[email protected]> > >>> wrote: > >>> > I'm normally fine with a snarky comment or two, but I feel like the > >>> > thread > >>> > title might be a little insensitive here. > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > On Monday, August 11, 2014 7:31:55 PM UTC-4, Bob Jersey wrote: > >>> >> > >>> >> Robin Williams was found dead in his Bay Area home this morning. > >>> >> > >>> >> County sheriff said asphyxia was the cause. > >>> >> > >>> >> Many reports said he had just gone into rehab. 63. > >>> >> > >>> >> Entertainment Weekly (link) > >>> >> > >>> >> B > >>> >> > >>> > -- > >>> > -- > >>> > TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! > >>> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > >>> > Groups "TV or Not TV" group. > >>> > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > >>> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >>> > [email protected] > >>> > For more options, visit this group at > >>> > http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en > >>> > --- > >>> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > >>> > Groups > >>> > "TVorNotTV" group. > >>> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, > send > >>> > an > >>> > email to [email protected]. > >>> > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> -- > >>> +++++++++++++++ > >>> Joe Coughlin > >>> http://www.twitter.com/inturnaround > >>> > >>> -- > >>> -- > >>> TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! > >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > >>> Groups "TV or Not TV" group. > >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >>> [email protected] > >>> For more options, visit this group at > >>> http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en > >>> --- > >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups > >>> "TVorNotTV" group. > >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send > an > >>> email to [email protected]. > >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > >> > >> > >> -- > >> -- > >> TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! > >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > >> Groups "TV or Not TV" group. > >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >> [email protected] > >> For more options, visit this group at > >> http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en > >> --- > >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups > >> "TVorNotTV" group. > >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send > an > >> email to [email protected]. > >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > > > > > > > > > -- > > Kevin M. (RPCV) > > > > -- > > -- > > TV or Not TV .... 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