Robin Williams dies

[tammyy2j]

Robin Williams was found dead on Monday (August 11), aged 63.

The cause of death is believed to be suicide via asphyxiation, according to the coroner's office in Tiburon, Calif. He was found in his home.

RIP

[Perdita]

That is so sad.

RIP Robin

[Perdita]

That is so sad.

RIP Robin

[sarah c]

shocked at this??!!

RIP

[Dazzle]

Very upsetting

[Perdita]

Robin William's cause of death has been confirmed.

The beloved actor and comedian hanged himself at his home and died by asphyxia.

Marin County's assistant chief deputy coroner Keith Boyd said Williams, who had been seeking treatment for depression, was found dead at around noon on Monday (August 11).

His wife last saw him on Sunday evening, and left their home at 10.30am on Monday morning, believing that he was asleep in another room.

He was found by his personal assistant after there had been no response to her knocking at the door.

Boyd added that a full toxicology report will take several more weeks, and that the investigation is continuing.

[lizann]

really saddened and shocked by this he made so many people old and young laugh RIP, depression such a bad illness

at least he only took his own life and not anyone else with him sorry if that sounds cruel by me because you hear of some many killing others from depression especially kids which really angers me

[lizann]

really saddened and shocked by this he made so many people old and young laugh RIP, depression such a bad illness

at least he only took his own life and not anyone else with him sorry if that sounds cruel by me because you hear of some many killing others from depression especially kids which really angers me

[Ikablondie]

Rip robin

[Dazzle]

really saddened and shocked by this he made so many people old and young laugh RIP, depression such a bad illness

Totally agree.

at least he only took his own life and not anyone else with him sorry if that sounds cruel by me because you hear of some many killing others from depression especially kids which really angers me

You had to go and spoil it!

Most people who kill their children are just abusers plain and simple. I'm afraid your comment just perpetuates the myth that sufferers of mental illness are more likely to commit acts of violence, when in fact the opposite is true. Simon Lawton Smith, from the Mental Health Foundation, said: "...people living with mental illness are 10 times more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators." (See more here)

From this site: "The majority of violent crimes and homicides are committed by people who do not have mental health problems...People with mental health problems are more dangerous to themselves than they are to others...In 2009, the total population in England and Wales was just over 43 million. It is estimated that about one in six of the adult population will have a significant mental health problem at any one time (more than 7 million people). Given this number and the 50–70 cases of homicide a year involving people known to have a mental health problem at the time of the murder, clearly the statistics data do not support the sensationalised media coverage about the danger that people with mental health problems present to the community."

When people kill members of their own family (technically called "family annihilation", which is committed overwhelmingly by men): "So-called ordinary men who were loving husbands and fathers could do quite extraordinarily appalling things to their partners, ex-partners and their children. Family annihilators were overwhelmingly not known to criminal justice or mental health services. For all intents and purposes these were loving husbands and good fathers, often holding down high profile jobs and seen publicly as being very, very successful. Family break-up -- including related issues, such as access to children -- was the most common cause of family murders, followed by financial troubles, honour killings and mental illness." (Note mental illness is last on the list.) (quoted from here)

"The massive majority of fathers who are separated from their children by relationship breakdown do not go on to kill their children or themselves. They’re also sad, angry, upset, miss their children and the family home, are shocked, anxious, depressed and sometimes even panicky about suddenly being alone in the world. But they don’t kill their kids. This is overwhelmingly an issue of angry men who treat people as things they own." (quoted from here)

Sorry for the long post but this is an issue that's very close to my heart. I'm a long-term sufferer of mental health problems, as was my father (who committed suicide over 20 years ago). There have been lots of horrible comments about Robin Williams on social media in the vein that he was a coward and selfish to kill himself. People who say things like that haven't a clue what it's like to suffer from depression.

Imagine the worst grief you've ever felt and then imagine that's what "normal" feels like to you. Imagine that every breath you take is a monumental fight to go on living and to break free from a prison of torment. Imagine that even to get up in the morning takes an unimaginable degree of motivation. Imagine that you have no hope left that you'll ever be cured. Imagine that your self-esteem is so low that you believe yourself to be nothing more than a burden to the people you love, and that they'd be better off without you. Imagine that going on for year after year with no respite. The people who live whilst suffering from mental illness have more courage than the most lauded heroes IMO. Committing suicide goes against every atom of our evolutionary survival mechanisms and is only done out of complete and utter desperation, often after many, many years of such hell. Calling people who do so cowards and selfish is blaming the victims of tragic circumstances.

If anyone's interested in supporting Robin Williams and his family, there's a petition going around calling for the firing of a Fox News anchorman who called him a coward. The author of the petition says: "This one's personal for me. My partner Aaron killed himself exactly 20 months to the day before Williams did. Like Williams' family, I may never know exactly why. But I know this: He was no coward."

Nor was my tragic father, who was the gentlest and bravest person I've ever known.

Tl;dr: don't blame the victims!!!

[Congratulations to anyone who got to the end of this long post ]