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I wanted to talk about Robin Williams’ tragic passing. I’ve always viewed Robin Williams as this incredibly creative, hilariously destructive kind of guy; obviously I don’t actually know him. I am saddened not only because a figure like himself has passed, but also for everyone who knew him and how they explain how he’s touched their hearts. ( Conan O’ Brien, Jimmy Fallon etc. ) I think his passing has really brought a lot of focus on mental illness and unfortunately has spun off to debates about the reasoning behind his suicide. I think this is a major problem especially in the media and here’s why: First off, he has passed away for reasons we do not and choose not to understand. We shouldn’t then try to debate the reasoning or make assumptions, neither will bring him back. We view celebrities as infallible. I mean how could someone with such fame, money, and success ever be so unhappy that they took their own life? When we hear “Robin Williams suffered from mental illness and battled it for years”, we accept it immediately. But we almost never choose to even try to understand why. Robin Williams could have been very happy, by what the people who actually know him have said, he was. Mental illness isn’t a condition that just happens to people, it is a reflection of our mental health, and anyone can succumb to it. We need to eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness if we are ever going to be able to help people. This is something I learned from Clara Hughes and the Canadian Mental Health Association when we spoke for Clara’s Big Ride. If someone suffers from anxiety, depression, or other “illnesses” it doesn’t mean they are different, it just means their mental health is asking to be nurtured. But if they feel like outcasts, then they are going to feel alone and they won’t seek any help or answers for the reasons they are feeling this way. If we just accept that Robin Williams took his own life due to his “suffering from inner demons” (As one report read) and we take that as a basis for our understanding, then we won’t be able to help other people that are in his exact same shoes. Everyone has a brain, everyone has mental health. End the stigma surrounded around mental illness and understand why people can end up in such a situation as this one rather than just assume. You can always be the reason someone smiles today, and you can always be there to help people when they need you. My favorite tribute: You’re free now, Genie RIP Robin Williams

Posted on by Jay
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