STAND-UP TUESDAYS: Paying Tribute to Robin Williams

August 12th, 2014

Angie Frissore

Stand-Up Tuesdays is a weekly comedy spotlight written by the wonderfully talented Angie Frissore. Covering both known and unknown comics, Stand-up Tuesdays is your new source for all things funny.

This week, Angie puts a spotlight on the tragic death of Robin Williams and the stigma of mental illness. If you or your comedy troupe would like to be featured on Stand-Up Tuesdays, please email utgjames@gmail.com.

The last column I ever expected to have to write would be one on the death of Robin Williams, apparently by suicide. The beloved comedian and actor was found dead at his home yesterday at the age of 63, and the nation is in a state of shock, devastation, and mourning. The high-energy, lovable star remains one of the most influential stand-ups of our time, and his passing will hopefully shed some much-needed light on a disease that is far more widespread than we’d like to accept: clinical depression.

There are often news reports of anonymous individuals who have decided to take their own lives as a result of abuse, depression, or desperation; but the plights of these individuals never reaches us on a personal level. As a society, we call them ‘weak’ or ‘selfish’, often chastising them for lacking the emotional fortitude to ‘suck it up’ as the rest of us seemingly do. When someone of Williams’ stature and talent makes such a decision, we are finally touched. We are affected. We are faced with the same answerless questions the loved ones of suicide victims live with daily: why and how did it come to this? What tortured Williams so much that ending his life was the solution?

Unfortunately, we will never have those answers, and the opportunity for healing Williams has slipped by – but there is a great deal to be learned from this tragedy. Most of us have dealt with a bout of depression over the course of our lives, but the larger percentage of us are able to come out of those times healthy and happier – or at least retain ourselves in the process. Clinical depression does not afford its victims this opportunity; instead, it systematically chips away at the core of a person’s being, robbing them of the light that shines within them. It distorts one’s thought processes, presenting worst-case scenarios that are not only invasive but known by the sufferer to be symptoms of depression. It’s akin to having asthma – you may grow to have a good amount of control over it, but it’s not necessarily going away any time soon. An ‘attack’ can happen at any time, leaving the sufferer utterly helpless – and often, it’s this helplessness that leads to a decision of suicide.

Abraham Lincoln notoriously suffered from depression, and articulated his thoughts on not only his experience, but his thoughts on suicide – shedding some light on what drives a person to even consider such an option.

“I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on the Earth. Whether I shall ever be better I cannot tell; I awfully forebode I shall not. To remain as I am is impossible; I must die or be better, it appears to me.”

Many wonder how those suffering from depression can’t find something to hold on to, something to live for. Imagine that you had a hill to climb, and every time you made that trek, you progressed a little further each time. Unfortunately, just before the top of that hill is a man with a baseball bat, waiting to knock you back to the bottom. Such is the struggle of those battling depression – the nature of the illness allows it to show up, unannounced and uninvited, just when you’ve made significant progress. It is not a lack of something to live for – it is the wearing down of one’s psyche and destruction of self that depression accomplishes.

Robin Williams’ tragic death will hopefully inspire millions to take a closer look at those around them and realize that depression does not care who you are or what you’ve accomplished. It doesn’t care how many people love and adore you, or how many people need you. Its sole purpose is to destroy one’s hope. Don’t simply encourage someone to ‘get help’: sufferers of depression have most likely already sought help in one way or another. Getting help is not a concept that is foreign to someone in the throes of depression – instead, it may be something that the depression simply won’t allow them to do as it holds them hostage.

How can you help? Practice empathy. If you see someone who seems to be struggling, let them know you care. Be patient. Recovery is not something that happens quickly, and as with most mental health issues, treatment is not always a one-and-done fix. Depression is a complex beast whose mission is destruction – of self, of perceived reality, and of hope. Let’s work to give some of that hope back.

While scores of celebrities are paying tribute to Williams after his death, you’d be hard pressed to find any stand-up comedian who doesn’t credit Williams as a massive influence in their own pursuits. His talent and warm, compassionate nature made him one of the most beloved entertainers of our time, and he will be sorely missed.

If you are struggling with depression, anxiety, or any other form of mental health issues, I welcome you to contact me (as I have battled depression in my own life for over 20 years), whether it’s to vent, to cry, or simply talk about life. However, if you or a loved one has considered suicide, please call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Resources:

Psych Central Online Support Groups
Depression Resource Center
Suicide Prevention Support