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I was stunned to tears last night when I read the notification on my ABC app that Robin Williams was dead. I couldn't believe it, didn't want to believe it at first. Why would a man who seemed to have it all want to commit suicide? Because depression is real.
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This man, who was a comedic legend, a praised actor who'd won numerous awards for his work was battling depression and we never knew. He'd mentioned in an interview in the past about his struggle with drugs and alcohol, but that was back in 2006 and it seems like it wasn't brought up after then. Now I'm not saying that we needed to air his dirty laundry out for the world to see on a regular basis, but I think that as a society we shouldn't make it seem so bad for a person to admit that they need help with their mental health.
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For some odd reason the topic of mental illness is something seen as taboo in our society, especially in the African-American culture. I can't tell you how many times I was told that I didn't need to see a therapist after my mom passed, that I should go to God in prayer. Now don't get me wrong, I know that prayer works, but there's a reason why this profession is not only still around after all these years but it's flourishing. I feel like we should encourage others to seek professional help and not make them feel like ashamed. It takes so much for someone to admit that they need help, whether it be for depression, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia or any mental illness and they shouldn't be scolded for doing so. And I want to be clear, depression isn't a phase, it's not something that you can grow out of. A person isn't given funny looks or talked about when they go to the doctor for a cold, so why does that happen when someone goes for depression?
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Fear, embarrassment and ignorance on this subject need to be eradicated. We've lost another legend to this disease. You'd think that after the deaths of Philip Seymour Hoffman and Heath Ledger people would stop associating this with the fame of Hollywood and call it what it is, but that hasn't happened yet. We spread awareness about diseases like cancer, diabetes, ALS, MS, etc all the time but refuse to discuss something that's just as dangerous. I say we change that, the time to speak out is now.Many prayers to Robin's loved ones and may he rest in peace.
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Genie, you're free.
