by designs 74 Replies latest social entertainment
He was part of the Hollywood comedy club scene in the late 70's and we saw him several times. You didn't know what hit you when you saw his live show, as was with any of his live appearances. Those clubs were/are small and intimate, and you would many times have contact with the performer. Of course he wasn't a personal friend, but it feels a little like he was, we were all so young once.
He was well loved by those that knew him...which in and of itself is a great legacy.
Loved him.
So funny in Mrs Doubtfire. Liked him in Dead Poets Society and Jumanji.
RIP.
X
Remember that mental illiness is a brain disease similar to cancer or other physical diseases. There is no cure, just medications and alleviate some symptoms (and gives you others).
He was my age.....
Blondie, I agree, depressionis not always just overcome by determination as some people believe. For some there just isn't enough determination to ovvercome it. Robin was a man of huge determination, yet, he was ultimatly unable to overcome the grips of the depression.
The news saddens me deeply, but does not suprise me.
I don't have anywhere else to write this, so I'm going to write it here.
"Mental illness" is many times used for suicide for the benefit of the survivors, not the suicide victim. There can be depression, manic behavior, etc... YES. But in general these are treated with some regularity these days.
Anyone who does a large number of drugs over an extended period of time is very comfortable with death, and even more comfortable with suicide. This is the same with all adrenaline junkies. No one goes skydiving with an irrational fear of death, you know? It's just in their (our) minds that all drug use is some sort of slow suicide ANYWAY... so why worry about it?
Hunter S. Thompson stands out of a person of similar mind and drug history who also took his own life after a really nice weekend with family. In this case ALL the family knew that he didn't shoot himself out of depression or mental illness, he did it because he wanted to. And this was later confirmed by things he had told others.
I can't say that is what happened here. I can just say that there are many who battle depression, sobriety, and stress, but mostly they battle those around them that are perpetually concerned with their depression, sobriety, and stress. You know, some people just like to LIVE, not be reminded of everything that is wrong with them. When you have desperate need to answer the unanswerable, you get Rick Warren with the death of his son claiming mental illness when, in reality, there isn't a pill that makes having RICK WARREN as a father tolerable. When you have understanding, you get Hunter S. Thompson who died on his own terms with the blessing of his family.
It is very difficult to speculate what it is like to be Robin Williams, but there is a lot about this that is completely understandable. The louder the comedian, the more tender their hearts are. Everything from falling off the wagon with public scrutiny to expectations of what everyone wants as soon as you walk into the room. It's all too much... and there is no drug, prescribed or poured, that can help make that tolerable... there's just not. So in whatever moment he had whether it be frustration, exhaustion, trapped, or alienation... I know he did what he did to solve a problem. It's not what everyone wants, but sometimes you get tired of giving a flying f**k about what people want.
He gave us all an incredible gift. We were lucky just to have him this long. But now it's HIS time and he solved his problems... his way.
For that, I say good for him. :-)
BackseatDevil, I agree with everything you said. That, stated better than I, is my speculation. We probably will never know the "why" from him. But I understand "how" this could very well be true. Well said.
The entertainment industry is very demanding from the within the industry itself with expectations and compiling pressure from the individuals themselves,
particularly on to those who've gained a high level of respect and expectations.
When some of these artists get older and loose some their talent which they once had, this puts these people many times into a state of depression.
The ending result is alcohol or drug problems.
Add some other personal problems on top of that such as divorce, health issues and things get too overwhelming for some.
I used to love watching Williams on The Tonight Show or on Letterman, he kept people laughing throughout the entire segment.
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A real shame he had to go like this, sad really.
Thanks for the laughs Robin.
He just had the biggest heart. Actress Jessica Chastain said that she owed her career to Robin Williams though they had never met. He set up an endowment at Julliard and Jessica was one who benefitted and was able to go to that prestigous school. The grant even covered trips home to see family during semester breaks.
I feel bad that he chose such a painful way to go, it must have been a sudden decision as in there are much more easier ways to end one's life that require almost no pain and don't leave a big mess. A turkey bag over the head hooked up to pure nitrogen gas put one gently to sleep and brain dead in 2 minutes, it's cheap and no pain and would be my choice if I ever got so depressed or feeling as hopeless as perhaps Robin felt.
Robin stated that cocaine slowed him down and that is why he took it. This strikes me a very pecular as cocaine usually speeds one up. I wounder if this is indicative of some type of dopamine disorder in the brain?
http://voxxi.com/2014/08/12/robin-williams-cocaine/
“Cocaine for me was a place to hide. Most people get hyper on coke. It slowed me down,”Williams told People in 1988. The actor had been struggling with his addictions for years at that point, and even the deaths of close friends like John Belushi were not enough to turn him completely from the path.
Cocaine addiction manifests as a strong desire for the drug, one that increases the more frequently it is used. Depending on the purity of the drug, the side-effects can vary significantly by individual, but often include:
- Elevated heart rate
- Increased body temperature
- Increased blood pressure
- Constriction of blood vessels
- Dilated pupils
- Headache
- Malnourishment
- Severe paranoia
- Psychiatric problems like depression
Because cocaine addiction is primarily psychological instead of physical, withdrawal from the drug can lead to a number of mental health issues like anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and irritability. Robin Williams had just recently been released from a bout in rehab for his addictions, and it is possible he was still experiencing the psychological issues associated with cocaine withdrawal.
I loved his boyish expressions on his face!
