SEPTEMBER 2014
the newsletter for Nuçi’s Space, a nonprofit musicians’ support/resource center
WHY by Linda V. Phillips, Nuçi’s mom and founder of Nuçi’s Space
T
he death of Robin Williams has shocked us all. Funny man extraordinaire, acclaimed dramatic actor, pure genius. I still smile when I remember him as Mork welcoming his new child Mearth played by Jonathan Winters. But there are no smiles when I remember him in Dead Poets Society. His talent knew no emotional limitations. Almost simultaneously with the announcement of his “apparent” suicide, the questioning and suppositions began. As in any well-written news story we were told the who, the what, the when and the where. But then in such cases like this, we transgress from straight news into an area that infringes on common decency and morphs into the salacious material that so many in our society thirst for—the WHY. It has been well documented over the years that Robin Williams suffered from addiction and Depression. That’s Depression with a capital D. According to his wife his addiction was controlled but he continued to struggle with Depression. His life and finally his death remind us that no matter our circumstances in life, no matter how much money we have or how many people love us, this brain condition we call Depression can take root and grow in the best of us. There’s a principle dating back to the 14th century called Occam’s Razor. It states that when we have two competing theories that make exactly the same predictions, the simpler one is better. It has been reported that Robin had early symptoms of Parkinson’s, that he had financial problems, that he was a malcontent and I am sure there’s someone out there who claimed that he was cowardly and selfish to end his life the way he did. Some of the things I’ve read that some talk show hosts suggested are in my opinion not only ignorant but also cruel and irresponsible. One might say even cowardly because Robin is not here to set
the record straight. Such comments can even be seen as self-serving to garner publicity. I choose the principle of Occam’s Razor for the WHY. We know for a fact that Depression is a disease enhancer. We know for a fact that Robin struggled and sought help for Depression. If one has heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Parkinson’s or any other condition plus Depression, the outcome will be much bleaker. But then consider Depression alone, a brain condition that affects every part of the sufferer’s life. It is a dirty filter that clouds one’s reality and perception letting in only dark and distorted thinking producing pain of extraordinary intensity. Can we for a moment conclude that such an illness by its self is enough to make someone take his or her own life? To be clear, people kill themselves not because they don’t want to live, not because they don’t love their families and friends but because they cannot bear to live with the excruciating pain. And there is the WHY which seems to be the simplest theory to explain Robin’s suicide. According to NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, over 90% of people who die by suicide have been diagnosed with mental illness. But this WHY will not be acceptable to many. I attribute this to sheer ignorance and to the fact that many still deny that mental illness is a real thing in a real organ called the brain. Because of such ignorance, the stigma still exists and stands in the way of many to seek help. I implore each of you—if you know someone who suffers from a mental illness, show some compassion, help him or her to get help, be a real human being in the true sense. As the Dalai Lama has said, “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” To Robin Williams, I say rest in peace and thanks for the memories. The good ones always get away…
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