Robin Williams’ Final Act Could Save Millions of Lives

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/robin-williams-final-act-could-save-millions-of-lives.html

AgingCare.com August 12, 20147:35 am

He’s played nearly every role in the books: a larger-than-life cartoon genie, a grown-up Peter Pan, a divorcee who resorts to cross-dressing to win his wife back, a quirky alien, an inspiring English teacher and a brutally honest therapist who helps a genius in denial find his true love.

But legendary actor Robin Williams’ tragic passing by apparent suicide shines the spotlight on a much more dangerous kind of act that millions of Americans put on every day, in an effort to hide their internal struggles with depression and other mental illnesses. While the definitive cause of Williams’ death remains under investigation, the almost inconceivable passing of such a well-beloved icon draws attention to those among us who are also be suffering in silence; waiting to be heard.

After all, who would’ve thought that the man who portrayed the real-life doctor who showed the medical profession the healing power of laughter could only see a future so dark that he no longer wanted to live? How could the actor who delivered the above speech with such gusto feel that life had left him with no other options?

Knowing when to intervene

The act of suicide claims the lives of over 39,000 Americans each year—a number that almost equals those who die from breast cancer, according to figures from the American Association of Suicidology (AAS).

FULL story at link.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/robin-williams-final-act-could-save-millions-of-lives.html#ixzz3BMDf2m3f

[ybbor]

1. He inspired me to take actions this week

Just letting others know how I have been feeling and their complete understanding has already helped me. They also shared with me their experiences with me.

It is such a shitty disease and the loneliness that comes with it is horrible. It sucks that it had to take such a terrible loss to get me to address it.