Today we have been reeling from the shocking news of Robin Wiliiams' untimely death. At this moment in time it looks like the legendary funny-man decided to take his own life. All the news reports have told of the Oscar winning actor's struggles with addiction and severe depression. The health/mental battles he faced during his life have been the topics to monopolize social media, with many tweeters, bloggers and celebrities choosing today to speak out about the affect mental illness has on daily life, as well as its indiscriminate nature.
Unfortunately with the outpouring of love for the man with a millions voices, there have been frequent reminders of the misconceptions, with some describing the actions he took in his moment of intense darkness as selfish.
It's such a shame that it takes the death of a hugely famous actor/comedian to get the conversation happening to such a level. However, if we must find a positive from this tragic tale, the exposure of his struggles may leave some people with a greater understanding of the illness, and those who are masking their troubles may be encouraged to talk.
I wanted to post this video where I talk about my personal relationship with depression. Today seemed very fitting....Lets keep this conversation going.