Robin Williams, Suicide & Parkinson's

It is surely a huge tragedy that anyone kills themselves. It is also a real question to society about OUR role in supporting others. Where were we!?

Reading the papers since Robin Williams suicide the readers have gone from "oh my God isn't it terrible, he suffered depression and look he killed himself" to 'understanding' his suicide!

 This first response; OMG - conversation clearly shows a deep care about those who suffer depression and garnered a great discussion on how we can help those with depression. Help lines jumped to support people. agencies posted their details on facebook.

Then his wife said he had 'early stage Parkinson's' and the mood of the media changes.
It's almost now COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDABLE. 

It wasn't 'understandable' when he had depression, all stops were pulled out to help people NOT to commit suicide if depressed.

This is not how the media approached the alleged Parkinson's diagnosis.  Did the media start writing about how we could help those with Parkinson's STOP committing suicide. NO!

The media started describing Parkinson's, the effects of Parkinson's, drugs that treat it, the focus was on the DISEASE.  Not on the person with the disease!   The PERSON was gone and only the disease remained. This 'devastating disease' got full throttle!  You are reminded it is DEVASTATING.

So of course from that stems the argument it is therefore quite understandable WHY Robin Williams committed suicide.

It's terribly sad that Robin Williams is no longer with us. Reading newspapers it's difficult to get at the truth. Some say he did NOT, NOT have Parkinson's as his wife has suggested, and even if he did, is that a 'reason' (valid) to commit suicide!

No, research shows people living with Parkinson's have LOWER rates of suicide than general population!

Though the general 'normals' population (those who are not disabled) view is, that to be disabled is so awful it's the only sane thing to do! and society does seem to more often tell us we are a 'burden' on our families (even families tell us that), on care services, and on the state. Thus the media slotted itself into this discourse very easily. the disease was DEVASTATING. utterly DEVASTATING.

As one living with Parkinson's/Parkinsonism, it's true I have a rare form of it, but nevertheless I take Parky meds, I can testify it is not ideal to have any illness or disability in a society that now daily gives subliminal messages "kill yourself" "kill yourself" , but I don't blame my disease, in fact I'm seriously questioning my fellow human beings. Seriously wondering how people perceive me. seriously aware that the HSE, my service provider thinks I'm too expensive to give a decent wheelchair to. That their manner and approach is not 'support' but in fact give as little as possible because, after-all, I'm not worthy of even being called a HUMAN BEING, I'm a bank breaker, a scrounger, a bankrupter, a drain, a real nuisance ...

in fact "kill yourself" "kill yourself" is the underlining message of withdrawal of any meaningful support that makes life bearable. We are NOT supposed to be here, or ask, or want to live independent lives.  We are supposed to be DEAD!

One thing Robin Williams death did do...it got some of us thinking about WHY the media finds it so understandable he committed suicide after an alleged Parkinson's diagnosis? why?

The subliminal message daily is "kill yourself" "kill yourself" .  So whilst the media find 'understanding' in "well he had Parkinson's now we can UNDERSTAND his suicide" do remember this is but another "kill yourself" message to all sick and disabled people