Well, I guess I'll watch Dead Poet's Society to honor his work.
Awakenings was equally great but it's extremely depressing. I'd recommend Awakenings to everybody else, but going to watch DPS as I haven't seen it for a long time.

What a shock.

He came across as someone grounded and indeed a few of the characters he played seemed to be quirky, but sound.

It just goes to show the power of mental illness and its ability to hit even the most talented.

Sad day.

To those who have never experienced "depression", all I can say is how lucky you are.

There is a vast difference between just feeling down and struggling with depression. Vast. It engulfs you entirely and fills every minute of your day to the point where you feel you can't escape. That's when tragedies like this occur.

Understanding is hard, but having a little humanity is easy.

My thoughts are with his family.

I recall Jumanji giving me a good edge of the seat run back when I was little. Such a shame. Undoubtedly a good actor whose legacy, especially all the family friendly comedies so many have grown up with will live on. RIP.

My daughter suffers from severe depression. I just got her out of the hospital yesterday, actually, after being admitted for the 6th time in 5 years.

Severe Depression is an illness. It's a chemical imbalance in your brain. Because it's in your brain, you don't have normal thoughts. It shouldn't be mistaken for being "bummed out". That's not what it is. Anyone who knows a person who suffers from "clinical depression" can tell you it's an illness. It requires the right combo of medication, which is half the battle. The other half of the battle is that also requires constant maintenance --- which is where the problem lies. As we all know, it's hard to get motivated when you're feeling down. Magnify that 100 times and then try to take care of yourself.  That's why a lot of people with severe depression end up addicted to something. To numb themselves. Problem is...their medication no longer works and whatever their addicted to takes them deeper into a black hole.

My daughter is 19 now and has been involved in Improv comedy since she was 12. She's really funny. She's taken classes and done shows at the UCB Theater in NY. For whatever reason, who knows why...a lot of comedians suffer from depression. Seems strange but it's true. Jim Carrey is someone who's been very public about his struggles. So before you call someone selfish for taking their life, educate yourself on this illness. It's a killer. I worry for my daughter 24/7. I feel for his family but they knew what was lurking within him...because it's always there.

There's been god botherers round these parts before. Funny how they all sound the same.

God forbid we might talk about Robin Williams on a thread dedicated to him.

I suggest watching the man himself in Good Will Hunting. An Oscar winner, bless.

RIP Robin, whether you believe in an afterlife or not. And peace to all men. And women. Even on the internet.

Thank Christ it's not as bad as Twitter.

R

Quoted from mmmarnie My daughter suffers from severe depression. I just got her out of the hospital yesterday, actually, after being admitted for the 6th time in 5 years. Severe Depression is an illness. It's a chemical imbalance in your brain. Because it's in your brain, you don't have normal thoughts. It shouldn't be mistaken for being "bummed out". That's not what it is. Anyone who knows a person who suffers from "clinical depression" can tell you it's an illness. It requires the right combo of medication, which is half the battle. The other half of the battle is that also requires constant maintenance --- which is where the problem lies. As we all know, it's hard to get motivated when you're feeling down. Magnify that 100 times and then try to take care of yourself.  That's why a lot of people with severe depression end up addicted to something. To numb themselves. Problem is...their medication no longer works and whatever their addicted to takes them deeper into a black hole. ... '

Yep. Until you've walked a mile in someone else's shoes.

Celebrity does not make you immune.

Some people go through life never having something like this touch them. Others are sadly all to familiar with it. Enough said. From me, at least.

Yeah, I've studied the chemical imbalance theory before, quite a few years ago in fact. It's very rare that I say things without researching first. My conclusion is that depression is all in the mind. It is made up and often encouraged when all the person needs is a damn good reality slap.

Pick them up and take them to a third world country. Show them real suffering. I'm pretty sure that would cure most.

Robin Williams was a drug addict that believed his depression wasn't his fault. Doubtless he would have been given prescription drugs that make the situation worse, especially with his illegal drug use to match.

antidepressants are not a cure... they often simply exacerbate the problem. The drug companies don't give a fook. They make billions from the psychosis and deaths caused by their concoctions every year. You can chalk this up as another one. Plenty of suicides have been chalked up to anti-depressants:

http://www.drugwatch.com/ssri/suicide/

Unfortunately, SSRIs, a relatively new class of antidepressants, have been associated with an increased risk of suicide. In tests of Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro and Luvox on children with major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and other psychiatric disorders, about 4 percent of patients experienced suicidal thinking, behavior or attempts. In the placebo group, 2 percent of the participants experienced similar problems.


Kinda says it all... but people won't see it. Pharma need their profits and doctors need their bonuses for selling harmful drugs that kill people.People that give their children drugs like these rather than educating them are doing so much harm (in my opinion) it is almost criminal.

Quoted from DustinBowcot . My conclusion is that depression is all in the mind. It is made up and often encouraged when all the person needs is a damn good reality slap. Pick them up and take them to a third world country. Show them real suffering. I'm pretty sure that would cure most.

Dear. God.

Really?

It took me two years to finally cave and allow my daughter to go on meds. I felt horrible for not allowing it sooner. Meds brought her out of her darkness.

It would never by my impulse to slap someone who is in pain...especially my kid.

Debates over religion, depression or suicide are not appropriate when a family has lost a beloved member.

Good Will Hunting is one of my all time favorite films and his performance made me view him completely different, He was more then the family friendly comedian I grew up with.

I feel for his family, As someone who recently lost a family member to death I feel their pain and hope they can focus on the good memories and recover quickly.

Let's keep this about Robin Williams please.

Your friendly Angry Bear.

Start a different thread in General Chat about depression and drugs if you want, but lets keep this thread talking about Robin Williams. That was the intent with this thread, I'm sure.

I thought David Wong's piece for Cracked was quite nice:

http://www.cracked.com/quick-fixes/robin-williams-why-funny-people-kill-themselves/

I've removed all the posts that contain a pot shot at anyone else or were off topic.

Don