Hollywood lost a great actor yesterday to a terrible disease. Depression affects millions of people on a daily basis, but it takes a tragedy such as the death of Robin Williams to bring light to it.
Then you begin to ask questions.
“Why didn’t he tell anyone?”
“Why didn’t he get help?”
Just stop and imagine this for a second. A well known comedian, known for making other people laugh, tells the world he’s depressed. Image shattered. This stigma has been created behind depression and anxiety that makes people run the other direction. In reality, he was continuing to make people laugh despite his illness. If he told everyone about his struggle, do you think we’d all have been laughing at his jokes, still? Would it be out of pity? It’s easy to say we would’ve loved him all the same but hindsight is always 20/20.
Depression isn’t a choice. You don’t wake up one day and think ‘hey, I think I’ll try this one out today’. When people feel like they’re damaged goods because they don’t handle situations like everyone else, they aren’t encouraged to speak up and get help. Depression is frequently treated as something voluntary, not as what it truly is – a disease. Seek professional help, just as you would for a physical illness, don’t try to just push it aside.
My challenge to you today is this – go give someone a hug and tell them you love them. You don’t know what they might be going through and maybe this will even open the door for conversation.
Everyone is fighting their own battle. Just remember that before you judge them.
Give a little love today and if you’re someone dealing with depression or anxiety please get help. Talk to someone because YOU ARE LOVED and you belong on this Earth.
Facing Fearless 