Robin Williams Death: Depression Is A Real Illness And It’s Killing People
Robin Williams Death: Depression Is A Real Illness And Its Killing People
The tragic death of the 63-year-old comedian can help humanize a deadly disease that has for too long been swept under the carpet
By Sophie Tighe, #ICYMI (Reported by Yahoo Shine), August 12, 2014
The world has been left reeling following devastating news that Robin Williams had died at the age of 63 from an apparent suicide, following a long battle with severe depression.
I always hated the term battle when it comes to fatal diseases like cancer and depression the implication that the victim somehow lost is dehumanizing and makes incredibly strong people seem weak.
Many people are shocked that someone as hilarious and charming as Robin Williams could be battling such a dark illness.
Despite its high profile in the public arena, it seems that a large number of us are in denial or simply ignorant about just how pervasive an illness depression is or what kind of people can suffer from it.
The short answer is: everyone.
Depression doesnt discriminate between age, gender, race or religion. Rich or poor, old or young, comedian or CEO all of us have the propensity to fall into that deep pit of despair that you feel youll never climb out of.
Depression, in various forms, has been classified as a mental disorder since 1952 by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) as a chemical imbalance in the brain that can be triggered by genetic vulnerability, stress, medications and medical issues.
Harvard Medical School released a report in 2011 that emphasized the complexity of an illness that affects 350 million sufferers worldwide and yet there is still a stigma attached to it like its something that can be switched on or off.
Cheer up is still used as a throwaway comment, as if depression is something that can be snapped out of.
Click this link to read the rest of this article, see the photos and video:
https://ca.shine.yahoo.com/blogs/icymi/robin-williams-death--depression-is-a-real-illness-and-it-s-killing-people-115213458.html
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Great picture to go with the article, Buzz.
We all need to be aware that getting treatment for depression SHOULD be as easy as getting treatment for a broken leg, and bears as little stigma.
Thanks for this article!
Bravo, Buzz!