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diabeticSupply t1_j5nnrx3 wrote

I just want to clarify that Robin Williams’ death was probably not caused by depression. He was suffering from an incurable mentally degenerative disease that is absolutely horrifying in it is later stages. It’s much more likely that he took his life because he didn’t want himself or his friends and family to suffer as the disease ran its course.

This quote is weird because it makes it sound like he took his life because he was extraordinarily sad and not because he was suffering from Lewy body dementia.

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fabberkraut t1_j5nshcm wrote

The terrorist inside my husband's brain, by Susan Schneider Williams (Robin's wife)

I believe this is a necesary read, although sad and raw.

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Caedawen t1_j5nx3iu wrote

I was hoping to see this linked. I had read it a while ago and it did a great job of explaining what happened. Thank you for sharing it.

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MKE_abroad t1_j5o63ow wrote

Definitely a heavy read. But fuck man, it's so well written. A truly beautiful and elequently written piece that just echos with both love and grief.

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musicalsigns t1_j5of4dt wrote

Thank you for sharing this. The loss of Robin still hurts, even though I never knew him personally. It feels like one of the brightest lights on earth went out that day. My mother was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's. It's been heavy and while this scared the hell out of me, it was also comforting to know we're not alone in these neurological battles.

Thanks again.

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StakDoe t1_j5p3ox2 wrote

Thank you for sharing this. I knew he had some form of dementia but I never realized just how severe his symptoms became over time. I can almost feel the relief over her words, she no longer has to live and die based on his functioning. Such a bittersweet end to such a wonderful man's life. Thank you again.

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Bartleby_the_hound t1_j5nsosi wrote

That being said, he did suffer from depression multiple times throughout his life. Not saying you're wrong, just that the quote is still relevant and from experience. The Lewy body disease caused a loss of 40% of his dopamine neurons, which given how important a role dopamine baselines play in depression, it's almost certain he was also depressed, on top of all of the other hellish things the disease threw his way.

For anyone who wants to know more about his death, here's an article from his wife, published by the American Academy of Neurology.

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PunktualPenguin t1_j5o0dli wrote

I think he said that at a time that he didn’t know what was coming and we aren’t sure how far back the effects actually started.

Given that it takes between 5-20 years before it finally kills the person. It’s likely that it ramps up over a longer period and impacted his mental health in the decade or more leading up to his death.

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PogbaFifa23 t1_j5nt1xu wrote

Suffering from depression isn't the same as suffering low mood, grief, sadness, etc. Everyone deals with the latter. Not everyone deals with genuine depression.

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Garmand3r t1_j5ntba4 wrote

Thank you. And there's also a difference between situational depression and chronic/major depression.

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Bartleby_the_hound t1_j5nubsg wrote

In Robin's case history, he admits to having had depression, at least according to his widow, please see the article.

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somabokforlag t1_j5o6pmy wrote

Remember that the role dopamine plays in Parkinsons disease and Lewy Body dementia is not equal to the role in depression. With that said, many suffering dementia also experience depression, that goes for alzheimers, vascular dementia, parkinsons and lewy body dementia.

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Bartleby_the_hound t1_j5om161 wrote

Your global levels affect everything, if they are down as a result of Parkinsons disease or Lewy Body dementia, they are down everywhere. And a loss of 40% of dopamine neurons from baseline is going to affect mood. There isn't a pool for each malady, it's a system.

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archonoid2 t1_j5nsgnd wrote

Thank you for this explanation he is one special soul and still around us, watch his movies and be part of his legacy. 🙏

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suggestiveinnuendo t1_j5nt0a2 wrote

No it doesn't, you can just read it in the context of the years of emotional pain he suffered due to depression and it makes perfect sense?

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i-am-qix t1_j5o6maj wrote

Or you can read his wife's article and draw your own informed conclusions.

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No_Painter9904 t1_j5ns791 wrote

Yeah but I feel like given his status he could have easily went somewhere where he could have ended his life on his terms with his family around. He was selfish in how he chose to go about it.

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TachycardicSymphony t1_j5o4ekf wrote

Are you suggesting that he should have killed himself in front of his wife and family members?

Or that he should have involved them in a plan to intentionally overdose, causing them to be complicit and potentially legally arrestable after his death?

You don't just get automatic permission for medically assisted (legal) suicide just because you have a terminal diagnosis. It's still a very, very, VERY rare thing to obtain legally in the US, and still very illegal no matter what in most states. And involving anyone else in your illegal suicide plan is incredibly dangerous for them from a legal standpoint. It's better if other people can't be accused of helping because it is still considered a crime.

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No_Painter9904 t1_j5o4unc wrote

Hence, going somewhere that would let him lol. Dude was rich and famous. Probably would have been trivial to setup.

Hell he probably could have got on an airplane or yacht and got around a bunch of laws if he couldn’t find somewhere.

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TachycardicSymphony t1_j5o64pc wrote

Whole paragraph about how suicide is illegal and traumatic, but nah, he's selfish for trying to leave his family out of it because

>"just go somewhere that would let him lol."

Ok. Glad you thought it through. Definitely should have killed himself in front of his family, because it'd be trivial to set up, and none of his family would ever be questioned by police when they legally have to report a dead body, (or are you suggesting they secretly bury him too? And pretend he's still alive and went missing?), none of the family members who were present would get terrorized by paparazzi accusing them of doing it, and none of the people around him would be forever burdened by guilt wondering if they should have stopped it while it was happening, even if in their hearts they know they shouldn't.

Yup, I'm glad you're here to confidently describe how easy and trivial and LOLZ it can all be. Such a shame he had to be selfish and exclude them from the fun.

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No_Painter9904 t1_j5o6mci wrote

🤷🏻‍♂️ he should have figured out something. Like I said I’m sure there’s somewhere that would have gave him the good night juice and be on the up and up. Much better than what he chose to do. His family knowing he went out like that. Probably surprised asf and devastated. He could have offered them closure. Instead of some shocking suicide.

I’m not even sure what he had. Hell there was probably a state he could have moved to where it was legal. Just watched some doc where a couple went and did that in the states.

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cwathybott t1_j5o0t3p wrote

I don’t think people who are severely depressed are thinking about something like that while their mind is being completely destroyed from the inside out. Think before you talk.

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