Robin Williams had Parkinson's Disease (EDIT with link)

[wambam]

Whaaaaa?

Is there any correlation between his depression and Parkinsons?

[kristie]

Are you serious? OMG

[TrickyBob]

[W.T.Faulkner]

This just gets sadder and sadder.

I ache for his poor wife and children.

[luckyval]

Oh, wow. That breaks my heart a little bit more.

[thedude]

Oh man. In some ways, this news helps things make sense a tiny bit more. Also makes it sadder

[pinkflats]

Wow. I really don't have any other words, all of this is just so sad.

[snipsnsnails]

I don't even know what to think or feel except overwhelming sadness.

[TrickyBob]

Aug 14, 2014 13:40:02 GMT -5 @stpete said:

I hate to say it, but I feel like this makes more sense now.

That's sort of how I feel. Like, it all just got to him and he wanted to end it before the disease really got a hold. 

It's just so sad.

[gretchenindisguise]

It kind of irritates me that a physical illness makes it ok to end your life, but a mental illness isn't 'enough' to end your life.

[rachers]

Oh wow.

[meggers5]

Aug 14, 2014 13:52:34 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

It kind of irritates me that a physical illness makes it ok to end your life, but a mental illness isn't 'enough' to end your life.

I agree with this.

I will also say, my grandpa was diagnosed with Parkinson's in his 60's and it changed who he was a person. Mood, behaviour etc.

[TrickyBob]

Aug 14, 2014 13:52:34 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

It kind of irritates me that a physical illness makes it ok to end your life, but a mental illness isn't 'enough' to end your life.

I don't think having a physical illness makes it ok, I think they are on the same level. There are examples of people who are coping with it, like Michael J fox, but I think for a man who already was depressed, this was just one.more.thing.

I do think this might take away the awareness of mental health because people are going to see "oh, he had a disease, that must have been the sole reason" and then disregard what depression can do to someone. 

[gretchenindisguise]

Aug 14, 2014 13:57:24 GMT -5 TrickyBob said:

Aug 14, 2014 13:52:34 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

It kind of irritates me that a physical illness makes it ok to end your life, but a mental illness isn't 'enough' to end your life.

I don't think having a physical illness makes it ok, I think they are on the same level. There are examples of people who are coping with it, like Michael J fox, but I think for a man who already was depressed, this was just one.more.thing.

I do think this might take away the awareness of mental health because people are going to see "oh, he had a disease, that must have been the sole reason" and then disregard what depression can do to someone. 

But saying "it makes more sense now" reads as though having severe depression isn't enough for it to make enough sense. kwim?

[TrickyBob]

Aug 14, 2014 13:59:37 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

Aug 14, 2014 13:57:24 GMT -5 TrickyBob said:

I don't think having a physical illness makes it ok, I think they are on the same level. There are examples of people who are coping with it, like Michael J fox, but I think for a man who already was depressed, this was just one.more.thing.

I do think this might take away the awareness of mental health because people are going to see "oh, he had a disease, that must have been the sole reason" and then disregard what depression can do to someone. 

But saying "it makes more sense now" reads as though having severe depression isn't enough for it to make enough sense. kwim?

True, I can see that.

[CloudBee]

I'm so sad. He had so much on his plate.

[mellymel]

[gretchenindisguise]

Aug 14, 2014 14:02:40 GMT -5 @stpete said:

Aug 14, 2014 13:59:37 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

But saying "it makes more sense now" reads as though having severe depression isn't enough for it to make enough sense. kwim?

Suicide never "makes sense" to me. Depression is something I tend to see as more treatable. He battled it his whole life so I can imagine there was a part of him tired of the fight. But probably also a part that knew there can be good times as there were in the past. I've seen many people with Parkinson's and while MJ Fox has had a good battle for many people it is a constantly degenerating disease with no hope of getting better.  So yeah, it does make a little more sense to me. It doesn't negate the horror of severe depression and wasn't intended that way. 

This is interesting to me, because suicide absolutely makes sense to me at times.

[no0b]

The whole thing is so sad.

[mushmouse]

Aug 14, 2014 13:52:34 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

It kind of irritates me that a physical illness makes it ok to end your life, but a mental illness isn't 'enough' to end your life.

Finding something that might have pushed someone over the edge I think gives people some sense of "control" over something that cannot fully be understood.

[gretchenindisguise]

Aug 14, 2014 14:10:11 GMT -5 mushmouse said:

Aug 14, 2014 13:52:34 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

It kind of irritates me that a physical illness makes it ok to end your life, but a mental illness isn't 'enough' to end your life.

Finding something that might have pushed someone over the edge I think gives people some sense of "control" over something that cannot fully be understood.

Right, I get that. My point is that it irritates me that a physical illness is more "ok" to be the thing that pushed someone over the edge than a mental illness. It's the disparity between physical and mental illness.

[Marle]

I think the difference is that you can manage the depression and the mental illness. They are not terminal or definitive in the same way a physical illness can be. It is easier to make the leap towards deciding your fate if there is little anyone can do to change the consequences if you stay alive.

It does get into a very uncomfortable grey area that involves the right to die in some instances.

I think it got way more complicated while emotionally it may make more sense.

[gretchenindisguise]

Aug 14, 2014 14:19:10 GMT -5 Marle said:

I think the difference is that you can manage the depression and the mental illness. They are not terminal or definitive in the same way a physical illness can be. It is easier to make the leap towards deciding your fate if there is little anyone can do to change the consequences if you stay alive.

It does get into a very uncomfortable grey area that involves the right to die in some instances.

I think it got way more complicated while emotionally it may make more sense.

Sometimes you can't manage depression and mental illness. They can be terminal and can be definitive in the same way a physical illness can be.

[lilac05]

Aug 14, 2014 13:59:37 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

Aug 14, 2014 13:57:24 GMT -5 TrickyBob said:

But saying "it makes more sense now" reads as though having severe depression isn't enough for it to make enough sense. kwim?

I know what you mean, but I'm torn about how I feel about the mental vs physical illness, especially something like Parkinson's or ALS.  With mental illnesses, we have medication and therapies that CAN make someone better.  Unfortunately, they don't always work.  But a diagnosis of depression or most other mental illnesses is not automatically progressive.  It can/does go in cycles, peaks, and valleys, but it doesn't necessarily ALWAYS continue to rob you of more and more of your abilities.  Right now, by definition, Parkinson's is progressively debilitating.  There is virtually no chance of getting better, although some drugs can slow the process.  There's no talking about the hard times and how you're better now.  Once you lose something, it's gone.  Parkinson's is an awful, often cruel diagnosis.  It slowly robs you of your ability to do almost anything, but doesn't kill you.  People with end-stage Parkinson's Disease often die of aspiration pneumonia because they can no longer eat or drink without food/fluids getting into their lungs.  

Of course patients hold out hope for a cure, but as of right now, there isn't one.  There is no one who they can look at and say, "he was in the darkest time, and now look at him living a full life".  Yes, they can look at Michael J Fox and see how he is fighting it...and he is (& is an amazing advocate for research!).  But he should be at the height of his career right now, playing any role his talented heart desires, not struggling to walk across a stage and give a speech.  Those things should be effortless at this time in his life!

I'm not saying one is better or worse, as I've never had to live through either one.  Not am I saying one is any better/worse reason to end your life.  Both are incredibly difficult & the pain is unimaginable.  But, I think, for me, knowing that I know have something that will, unless something drastically changes, eventually rob me of my ability to walk, talk, sit, breathe, etc, while still maintaining most cognitive abilities while already dealing with a mental illness could/would just be too much.  

[Marle]

Aug 14, 2014 14:21:42 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

Aug 14, 2014 14:19:10 GMT -5 Marle said:

I think the difference is that you can manage the depression and the mental illness. They are not terminal or definitive in the same way a physical illness can be. It is easier to make the leap towards deciding your fate if there is little anyone can do to change the consequences if you stay alive.

It does get into a very uncomfortable grey area that involves the right to die in some instances.

I think it got way more complicated while emotionally it may make more sense.

Sometimes you can't manage depression and mental illness. They can be terminal and can be definitive in the same way a physical illness can be.

I agree but again in this grey area what would it take for a person to document evidence of this? If we are thinking that some day assisted suicide can be acceptable in any way; mental illness is not going to be one of the first things to be on the list.

[gretchenindisguise]

Aug 14, 2014 14:25:04 GMT -5 Marle said:

Aug 14, 2014 14:21:42 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

Sometimes you can't manage depression and mental illness. They can be terminal and can be definitive in the same way a physical illness can be.

I agree but again in this grey area what would it take for a person to document evidence of this? If we are thinking that some day assisted suicide can be acceptable in any way; mental illness is not going to be one of the first things to be on the list.

There is actually a huge push in psychology/psychiatry to make it more medicalized so it can be more "legitimate" and definitive. We aren't there yet, obviously, but I do hope it gets there sooner rather than later.

That being said - in some cases - spend 5 minutes with the person and you have the evidence you need.

[Deleted]

Aug 14, 2014 13:37:13 GMT -5 wambam said:

Whaaaaa?

Is there any correlation between his depression and Parkinsons?

There is a high prevalence of mood disorders with Parkinson's disease. It's recommended that people with Parkinson's disease get screened regularly and specifically for depression.

[sequins]

[autumnfire]

[aussiecrush]

Thinking of the amount of pain he must have been in brings tears to my eyes. I hope he's found peace.