When depression and suicide become the lead story

[rocktivity]

"As someone who battles depression, it scares me to think about it getting so bad that he committed suicide."

I read that about Robin Williams on another message board. And it scares me to think about all the others who are scared, too: "If he, of all people, couldn't win the battle -- despite his fame, fortune, and access to mental health care -- why should I expect to?"

Hopefully there's been an upsurge in requests for mental health care in the past few days -- that, at least, would something to feel good about.


rocktivity

[Tobin S.]

1. What those people should understand is that it's not a matter of wealth and social status.

It's mostly, and probably in Williams' case, due to abnormalities in the brain. There are situational cases that cause depression all the time. But when someone who seems to have it all dies by his or her own hand, my guess would be that there's some faulty brain chemistry involved. Williams did have situational reasons to be depressed, it turns out, but those things alone wouldn't cause a rational person to commit suicide.

My brain chemistry is apparently normal thanks to my meds. I lead a somewhat stressful lifestyle. I work 50-55 hours a week and take three classes a semester at college. I've been doing that year round since May of 2012. I am also not in the best place financially, having to take on debt from school and a condo that won't sell. That stuff weighs on me, but I'm not really depressed and I'm certainly not suicidal. But if I was prone to depression and I was doing those things, the pressure might weigh much more heavily on me if I wasn't in treatment.

Healthy people do not commit suicide, and having a biological problem in your brain is not restricted to ordinary people. An illness like that can take anyone down just like cancer and diabetes.

I agree with you in that hopefully something good will come of Robin's death and more people who need treatment will get it now.

[rocktivity]

3. "My guess would be that there's some faulty brain chemistry involved.

Last edited Thu Aug 14, 2014, 05:15 PM - Edit history (2)

Williams did have situational reasons to be depressed, it turns out, but those things alone wouldn't cause a rational person to commit suicide."

These two concur with your diagnosis:

"Ironically, most people can successfully recover from addictions and depression, though that wasn't the result in Mr. Williams' case...(He) suffered, if press accounts are correct, from clinical, severe depression. That's a chemical imbalance. Not enough money is spent on researching or treating that," (said) Bob Davison, a Codey Fund (for Mental Health) board member and the executive director of the Mental Health Association of Essex County (New Jersey)...

Moustafa Shafey, a psychiatrist and medical director of CentraState Medical Center's Mental Health Department...said the death of Williams underscores the connection between depression and addiction. (He) said depression and addiction are both "diseases of the brain that endanger nerve cells, disrupt brain functioning, and damage the heart and blood vessels and other vital organs, but they also alter personal perspective and judgment."

So it's a question of what effects the brain's internal chemical imbalances and the substance abuse have on each other. Are you studying psychology, by any chance?


rocktivity

[Tobin S.]

4. No, I'm not a student of psychology. But I am a long-time patient.

You pick up a few things along the way.

[rocktivity]

2. DING DING DING! Rocktivity, you're our grand prize winner!

Hopefully there's been an upsurge in requests for mental health care in the past few days -- that, at least, would something to feel good about.

If a story I found for my New Jersey health blog is any indication:

The average number of daily calls to NJ Hopeline (1-855-654-6735) is 63, but the death of comedian and actor Robin Williams has pushed the number closer to 100 daily.

rocktivity

[MohRokTah]

5. There hasn't been a year since 1978 that I haven't had some level of suicidal thoughts.

I cope my way through the thoughts. Haven't completed a suicide to date, regardless of thoughts.

I've had depression the vast majority of my life. I've never been treated, really.

My father was bipolar his entire life. He died of cancer two years ago.

[Tobin S.]

6. I urge you to give treatment a shot.

It could change the way you see the world, and it might save your life.