Depression

On Tuesday 12th August I, like the rest of the UK, woke up to the news that Robin Williams had died and according to the media, he committed suicide due to depression and booze/drug addiction. Subsequently we have been informed that months prior to his death, Williams was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and it was this and the fear that this disease would stop him living life to the full which made him end his life.

Whatever the reason, it was sad to hear that this man who had made me and millions of others life over the years decided life was not worth fighting for. 

Robin Williams

I know many people who suffer from mental illnesses and the varying degrees of it - bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, post natal depression, post traumatic stress disorder etc  - and from personal experience know how debilitating an illness it it. It invades your life - getting into your head, plaguing you with negative thoughts and destroying all joy you may have. 

I have had my days where I just pulled the cover over my head and let life carry on without me, and I have had that day where you realise there is something wrong and you need help.I sought help and I carried on with life the best I could. I thought I was getting better of my depression and went off my tablets in 2012, after six years of being on them.  Then in late 2013 I went back on them again thinking I was a failure for letting depression into my life again - but little did I know that the depression was coming from MS - and even though I hate the illness  - I know now that the depression is linked to it and I am not a failure,

However, anyone with depression is NOT a failure, it is not in the head of the person, depression and all other mental illnesses are REAL and dangerous and people need to wake up to the fact that depressed people need REAL help not just a pat on the back and telling them to 'get on with life' - its not that simple and it leads to devastating news like someone taking their own life. Depression is an illness which needs to be treating the way other illnesses are treated - with care and medication. People with depression need to be open to receiving help as well. 

I can understand where Robin Williams was coming from - I know how a chronic illness can turn your life upside down and how hard it is to accept it and carry on - I know what depression feels like, I know what despair feels like, and I know what its like to want to take your own life as it would make things a lot easier for you and for the people around you  - I know what wanting to give up the fight is like.... 

However I also have faith - faith that God is with me and despite the fact that maybe life is not what it used to be like, life can still be good and God has a path set out for me and he has provided people to help me and will continue to support - as I also know you cannot do life alone. You need support in your life and you also need to support others.