Robin Williams found dead in his Bay Area Home...

[DeistPaladin]

It's sad that there's this taboo against mental illness. Even if they seek help, they may still be looked down on or mistreated. That just makes suicide all the more appealing.

I sincerely hope that once we're past mourning our loss and the passing of such a great man, his tragic story helps to generate further awareness of the subtle-but-grave dangers of depression.

This disease can be a quiet killer. Some of the preliminary testimonies I've heard are that people are shocked by this, that no one saw this coming. People who are depressed and on the verge of suicide often show signs of recovery outwardly, but this is only an illusion. My understanding is that people at this terminal stage of depression feel a sense of emotional relief because they think they have a "solution" to all their problems. Anyone who's been profoundly depressed who suddenly seems cheerful or otherwise rebounds for no apparent reason may be in need of an intervention.

Whatever the details turn out to be, Robin Williams died of an illness. We're starting to understand that more. Perhaps if his tragic end helps us to see depression for what it is, others might be saved.

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Robin Williams was a comedy legend and spread laughter around the world. He gave so much yet forgot to save some laughter for himself.

He was a multi-dimensional man, manic yet deeply reflective, joyous yet melancholy, wore his heart on his sleeve and yet his demeanor was clearly different from his nature.

These apparent paradoxes shouldn't be surprising. Comedy is, after all, a method of dealing with pain and grief. In a perfect world, comedy would not exist. Comedy satirizes the absurd and the corrupt, it attempts to make light of pain we endure, and underscores misfortune and injustice.