Robin Williams and Suicide—It was his decision

By Otto

As with many people, I was a fan of Robin Williams. I like a lot of his movies, whether comedies or dramas. He was good in all of them.

As with a lot of people I first became aware of him from Mork and Mindy. It is sad that he committed suicide, but as a person who has experienced depression and suicidal thoughts I realize how difficult that is.

Recently I heard a woman on NPR radio who complained that people have said positive things about his suicide such as “he is free now.” Supposedly they are afraid that some people will take such comments as an incentive to end their own lives if they are feeling suicidal thoughts.

I don’t think we can stifle every commentary because someone might draw the wrong conclusion from them. John Lennon was once asked if he felt bad about the Beatle’s song Helter Skelter, since Charles Manson took inspiration from that song to commit murder. Lennon shrugged it off and said the song had nothing to do with murder and he was not responsible for someone who drew a totally wrong interpretation from it. I think he was right.

Another NPR comment was that suicide is never the right decision. Like most people I think it is tragic when people take their own lives. But there are conditions and circumstances that make that an attractive choice and I think it is a person right to make that decision.

While it is extremely tragic when a teenager or younger person takes their life, older people face a lot of difficult decisions and conditions that sometimes make suicide an attractive and logical choice. Some older people find themselves faced with terminal diseases that will leave them in great pain or dementia. In this dog-eat-dog society we live in, some older people find themselves homeless, lacking needed health care and situations that are just too discouraging to go on. As for depression I am very aware of what that is like. The best thing is to find a cure or a treatment that works. If that isn’t possible—depression is like a horrendous pain that won’t let up and eventually consumes its victims.

It is tragic that we lost William and I will miss him. It was his decision to take his life and I respect that. 

Pix from Time.

Pix from www.fanpop.com.