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Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Crackle & Drag

The whole world is reacting to the suicide of Robin Williams. Shocking. Tragic. Horrible.

I concur.


I have been a big fan, since I was a kiddo watching Mork & Mindy. Some of my favorite movies starred him-Good Will Hunting, Dead Poets Society, What Dreams May Come, Good Morning Vietnam, Jumanji. I loved his craziness and stand up routines too. He was one of the greatest spokespeople that the Episcopal church could have ever asked for.

He also battled both addiction and depression. Those twin dragons are quite common, because many folks dealing with depression self medicate to relieve the pain. There is so much stigma with mental illness. Discriminatory insurance coverage can limit treatment options. Lack of professionals and clinics also make it challenging to seek help, especially in rural communities. Then there is the stigma of mental illness itself. 


My aunt battled schizophrenia and bipolar disorder for years. We could never talk about it, because there was so much shame associated with it. After my aunt died from cervical cancer, my grandmother said she felt relieved because no one questions cancer. She spent much of my childhood and teenage years cycling in and out of hospitals, battling the demons within. There were glorious moments of which I have incredible memories, and there are moments of darkness I try to block from my mind.
Depression is a real disease. It's not that you're sad or having a bad day. It's a chemical imbalance in your brain, Much like diabetes being a chemical imbalance in your pancreas. We don't tell diabetics to buck up, it's not that bad...yet it's ok to say that to someone dealing with mental illness.

1 in 10 Americans will deal with depression at some point in their lives. Eighty percent of them will not seek treatment. There are treatment options available, unfortunately none are a "quick fix". A combination of talk therapy and medication seems to have the best success rate, but experts caution there isn't a one size fits all option. Like cancer, depression can go dormant, but it's always there. 

Many of Williams' movies touched on suicide, including Dead Pets Society and What Dreams May Come. It's unfortunate his pain was so great he chose to end his life. According to SAVE, the statistics for suicide are quite chilling (http://www.save.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=705D5DF4-055B-F1EC-3F66462866FCB4E6). 

My hope is that out of a celebrity death comes a very real conversation about the circumstances. Maybe there will be a dialogue on mental health and suicide. Maybe this will cause some to seek help. Maybe there will be more opportunities for folks to seek care.

As always, let those around you know you care. Find your tribe. Carpe diem. Live each day as a gift. If you need help, ask and seek it out.
Be kind, for you don't know the paths others walk. For we are all just walking each other home.  

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