On Aug. 11, 2014, the world lost one of the most iconic faces in comedy and film. Robin Williams, an actor and comedian most well-known for his incredible sense of humor and his inspiring roles, took his own life after years of battling depression. Behind his smiling face and sunny sense of humor was a man tortured by the darkness within the depth of his soul, which caused to him feel that life was no longer worth living. One year after the loss of this beloved funnyman, depression is still trying to infiltrate the lives of millions of people around the world, while viciously affecting every aspect of the way they see the world.
Depression is a mental illness that overtakes every aspect of a person’s life. Suddenly, things and people that once brought feelings of happiness can no longer do so. Life seems dull and hopeless. Smiles become fake, laughs become forced, and joy becomes nonexistent.
More than 350 million people of all ages, races and genders suffer from depression all over the world, and it’s grown to be a ruthless and evil character. Many people who suffer from depression are reluctant to seek help or treatment because of fear, lack of motivation and hopelessness. Because of these feelings, many people, like Robin Williams, hide behind the façade they are forced to create; they become a shell of the true version of themselves, desperate to pull themselves up from the unforgiving abyss.
While the death of Robin Williams was an incredibly tragic and unpredictable event, some light has broken through the darkness since his passing. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, traffic to the site has increased up to 60 percent. This means that people are becoming more aware of the secrets depression holds, and the silence is swiftly breaking. Robert Gebbia, the CEO of the AFSP, had said, “We saw increases, at the time, in calls to the crisis line and visits to the website. Like most things, it certainly waned a bit. But I think there was a lasting bump in interest in our society by people around the country.” This increase in interest is extremely important, because if more people are aware of the causes and treatments of depression, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel for millions of people who feel that there is no where left to turn. It’s still undetermined if William’s suicide was the cause of this spark in interest and awareness, but it definitely caused people to open their eyes to how powerful depression really is. Newsweek had reported that, “on August 12, the day after Williams’s death, calls to the lifeline more than doubled from a typical 3,500 a day to about 7,400.”
In the 365 days following Robin Williams’ passing, we are left with only the memories of all the goodness he gave to the world. It is because of people like Robin Williams that we believe there is hope out there. While there are millions of people who feel like the darkness is overtaking every step they take, there are also many people who are battling the sadness every single day. We’ve always been told that laughter is the best medicine, and Robin Williams was the best example of that. He once said, “I think the saddest people always try their hardest to make people happy because they know what it’s like to feel absolutely worthless, and they don’t want anyone else to feel like that.”
Even though he felt lost and alone, he still found it within himself to make other people laugh. His legacy and passion for his career will live on forever in the characters he portrayed, and with time, depression will be defeated by the hope and perseverance of humanity. Always remember that someone loves you. You will always matter to someone, and it does get better.
If you or someone you know is suffering from depression, please don’t hesitate to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
