OT-Robin Williams - Dead

[Runscott]

It's great being part of a forum with so many intelligent passionate people who share interest in the same hobby. But it's good to remember where our areas of knowledge lie - I would be an idiot to get involved in a discussion about lawyering, and subjects like politics and religion get touchy. Mental illness involves a little of both areas where it would behoove us to be careful about what we say, or we are often going to sound like uncaring morons. Mental illness affects almost everyone in some way, but there are a few here who still obviously think they are immune.

Clinical depression is another form of mental illness, meaning that comments about Williams being selfish and not controlling himself, are as ignorant as using words like 'bipolar' or 'schizophrenic' to describe people who you disagree with in forum arguments. I guarantee you there are people on this forum who have bipolar disorder, schizophrenia AND clinical depression - some of these people are people who some of you have a great deal of respect for, and who you are unwittingly offending at times.

There are such things as situational depression, but that's not what Williams had. Clinical depression is usually 'there' for a long time - before the addictions start;in fact, the addictions are often a 'self-medicating' form of treatment. Obviously a bad choice, but it's common. If anything, Williams should be applauded for maintaining the good parts of himself, and for his amazing coping skills - not the bad choices of drugs and alcohol, but his work ethic. He worked non-stop, as a way to battle depression.