Robin Williams and Suicide, Addiction and Mental Illness

I'm starting to get angry as I hear all the comments surrounding the "sudden" death of Robin Williams. Suicide is suspected and the ignorant comments scare me.

With all the media coverage the last decade regarding mental health issues have we learned nothing?

Depression is an equal opportunity disorder. It touches Oscar-winning comedians and the guy next door. It doesn't matter if you are rich or poor, ugly or pretty, etc.

"If only he had gotten help" was one of the many comments that made my blood boil. HELP doesn't always help!


Reports are that recently Robin Williams recognized his depression was severe. He checked himself into rehab for his struggle with alcoholism. Sadly this recent rehab attempt didn't work.

As someone who battles depression knows, it isn't always about getting "help". Also, getting "help" isn't that easy.

There are a combination of factors that need to fall into place in order for "help" to be successful.

Underneath it all it comes down to the person who is being treated. You can go to the most expensive, highly recommended treatment center but at the end of the day, sometimes the demons win.

I wish it didn't sound that cut and dry, but sadly sometimes it is.

Robin Williams' legacy on film will last forever. His life, as many have commented, was NOT a waste. He left us laughing but with a tear in our eyes because no one was able to save him from the demons that eventually won.

Coping with Triggers

Sometimes panic happens and there doesn't seem to be a reason why. Other times you know the triggers but avoiding them is sometimes not easy.

I'm making a lot of changes in my life lately and the last thing I need is to have to deal with is negativity and people who push my buttons. Unfortunately some people you cannot avoid.

It is work to learn how to cope with anxiety. I take it day by day. It's those things you cannot control that can throw a wrench into your progress.

Avoidance is unrealistic. There are some things that happen that you have to deal with. So how do you cope when others' behaviors threaten your sanity?

Stop. Breathe. Use the mantras that work for you. Repeat repeat repeat!

Sooner or later the panic will pass and you will regain control over the thoughts in your mind.

I avoid overwhelming myself and instead I focus on the moment. I try to avoid the "what ifs". That is easier to do when you just simply focus on the moment and remember that any icky feelings will pass. Don't allow the panic to consume you and don't allow the negative thoughts to multiply.

Explore how you are feeling but do not obsess about it. Negative people can only drag you down if you let them.

I firmly believe that after a while if someone in your life keeps insisting upon bringing you down with them, maybe it is time to reconsider their importance in your life.

Refuse to be abused by others' anger, disappointment in themselves or misplaced guilt. How you react to situations is totally under your control. The panic will want to control you but it doesn't have to. Don't let it consume you. Fight back by not allowing it to take space in your mind.

Panic doesn't have to win.

Helping Your Adult Child in Crisis

Mental illness most often can manifest in the late teen to early 20s. This is most heart-wrenching for the parents because once their teenager turns the magic age of 18, a parent is powerless.

Laws regarding mental health have changed over the last decade or more, giving the patient more rights to avoid abuse by the system.

Unfortunately the system that is protecting the rights of the patient is often enabling patients who need help from receiving it.

You cannot force someone to get mental health treatment unless they are proven to be a danger to themselves or others. Proving this is time-consuming and often the person will act out at the risk of their own well-being or someone elses'.

Being a parent of a young adult is not easy. Not many young adults are financially stable enough to live on their own and they often stay home until they have either finished their education or gotten settled in a career. Meanwhile the once-together young adult can exhibit signs of depression or other mental illnesses and the parent cannot do much to help their "child".

Early adulthood is when most mental illness issues come to the surface. There might have been some signs during the teen years but many parents chalk it up to moody teenage behavior. Many don't take it seriously because they are uninformed or just unwilling to face the idea that their child is less than "perfect".

What can a parent do to help their young adult child when it becomes obvious that their mental health is at issue?

The first thing to do is try talking to your adult child about their behavior. Depending upon the kind of relationship you have, you might be able to get them to see that they need to speak to an outsider about how they are feeling.

Counselling should be the first step along with a visit to your family doctor to rule out medical causes for how he/she is feeling.

If he/she is not receptive to the idea or reacts with anger, assure them that it is perfectly okay for them to have mixed feelings about seeking help. Pull up a website like NAMI which has tons of information about depression and other common mental illnesses. They have links to guides for where to find treatment and what to expect.

Most of all, don't give up!

You might not be able to force your adult child into treatment but you can be supportive and active in trying to get them to accept help.

Don't look the other way. Don't assume he/she will "snap out of it". You have to deal with this. This is your child even though he/she is now legally an adult.

Consequences of his/her actions can affect the rest of his/her life. You want to make sure that you do all that you can to get them to accept the idea that right now they are not in control of their emotions and they need help to get through this time in their life.

Never lose hope.

NAMI also has great information for parents whose adult child is resistant to treatment. You might need to go down that road of tough love but doing nothing will only bring guilt later on. Don't be ashamed and don't be afraid to talk to others about what your family is going through. No one is immune from mental illness.

Who Becomes a Drug Addict?

Today the world lost another celebrity and the whispers are it was drug-related. Philip Seymore Hoffman was found dead in his NYC apartment possibly due to his use of heroin.

Many people ask why do people do a drug like heroin which can kill you after one use? Why do people turn to drugs at all?

Of course I am no doctor or expert but from what I have seen many turn to drugs out of desperation to ease the pain of just living. Undiagnosed or mistreated mood disorders are often common amongst those who turn to drugs. I've said it before and I will say it again- the mental health treatment in this country is seriously lacking.

Treatment is time-consuming, expensive and not always easy to come by. Mental illness can strike anyone. Rich or poor, fat or skinny, black or white, young or old.

People who have been living with a mood disorder know the frustration of the journey. Many of us have also self-medicated. Those who are in denial of their illness turn to drugs which is dangerous. Even those who admit they have a substance abuse issue live dangerously either by still using or struggling to stay clean.

What is the answer?

That's tough.

We need more quality care accessible to all. We need understanding from others that mental illnesses are real and treatable.

We need to be more compassionate and knowledgeable and less judgmental.

Maybe it is our society that keeps us all on this hamster wheel that keeps us living stressful lives.

It is so easy to say that we are just going to slow down but in reality many of us cannot.

There has to be a way to fix this problem that plagues us so greatly.

Drug addiction is rarely seen without an underlying cause.

How to Treat Your Anxiety

No one needs to suffer from anxiety. There is help but sometimes it takes time to figure out just what to do.

Traditional anxiety treatment often consists of your doctor prescribing an anti-depressant. This will help to relieve the symptoms of anxiety but in the long-term, what does it solve?

Anxiety can happen because of life stressors and often there are "reasons" why you have become anxious. If you just take a pill daily you are ignoring the reason for the anxiety.

Another "cause" of anxiety can be a medical condition. Hormonal imbalances can cause anxiety symptoms as well as other medical conditions. Not treating the underlying problem is putting a band-aid on the problem.

Non-traditional treatments like acupuncture and massage can help anxiety symptoms. Chances are good that your doctor is not going to recommend them. Acupuncture can help to balance you out and often allow you to release the emotions that are bottled up.

The first course of seeking treatment should be a blood test to rule out any abnormalities. Someone with a history of thyroid problems might just be in need of a medication adjustment.

From there you can figure out how to best treat your anxiety. If you just get on an anti-depressant you are not really treating your anxiety.

The most effective treatment for anxiety is to personalize it. Your body is not like anyone elses'.

Step 1 is to find out what your body is trying to tell you by getting your blood tested.

Step 2 is to "fix" any deficiencies that your blood work shows.

Step 3 is to discuss with your doctor how to cope with any anxiety symptoms you might be having.

Sometimes medication is helpful short-term to cope with symptoms while you work on getting your body back to optimum health.

Coping methods could be stress-reducing techniques like breathing exercises, meditation, massage and talk therapy.

No one needs to suffer from anxiety. It is a process to "fix" it but it is better than suffering through panic attacks.