Robin Williams RIP: Coping Mechanism?

Specialties Psychiatric

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So, I am no Psych. nurse but I always found it interesting. What interests me about some of the people who are most depressed is that they are the ones who always seem to be making others laugh like Robin Williams. Is this some kind of coping mechanism? Of course, I don't know much about the man except what I have seen on TV but I have seen this in people in my personal life too. People that seem to be big cut ups and always joking. I would never have thought depression.

Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

I've heard that about him for years, but I don't think it's ever been made clear if he lived with bipolar or not. He certainly did seem manic a lot of the time, but maybe that was simply his stage persona. Either way, he was a hurting human being and I wish he could've reached out to someone instead of putting that belt around his neck. :(

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It was about 20 years ago that I saw an article discussing Robin Williams as bipolar perhaps he was misdiagnosed or the diagnosis was presumed because of his stage personality?

But we can't say he was or was not something based on an article read 20 years ago.

I don't know if he was or was not. I only know that his family said he was not. For now, that is enough for me not to speculate.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
But we can't say he was or was not something based on an article read 20 years ago.

I don't know if he was or was not. I only know that his family said he was not. For now, that is enough for me not to speculate.

The only articles I've read recently stated he suffered from severe depression and previously sought treatment for substance issues. I think many assume mania/bipolar because of his stage persona. I read an article quoting a close friend, that in 1:1 or 2:1 situations/small group Mr. Williams was quiet and a very different person then when in large groups or on stage.

The article from 20 years ago proclaiming Mr. Williams was bipolar/manic depressive stuck with me as a.) seemed to make sense based upon public persona to someone only recently learning about psychiatric conditions b.) the article was fascinating to me as I was taking a public health course in psych/mental health and aside from naming others as examples, the article had vivid descriptions written by individuals who live with the varied psychiatric diagnoses I was learning about at the time. I was moved by those individuals willing to share their stories and experiences with readers.

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sorry but some people you won't save. When its all based on the subjective and little of the objective its easy enough to fake an assessment just to get out and complete. Even a well knowledge sociopath can beat testing.

Well sociopathy is vastly different from other mh conditions in fact it is considered a character disorder and rarely do you see this group dealing with depression suicide.

I happened to believe that someone struggling with life and death truly dont want hekp, they often believe there is no hekp and because these episodes are reoccurring they feel like they are burdens.

I think people can be helped, not necessarily saved, but i dont think those around them feel that way and i wonder if they pick up on that.. i have not met anyone has truly anted to die.....i think people who do committ suicide remain ambivalent to the end.

So i will never entetain, we cant save everybody", "they can fool anybody". This kind of thinking lets us off the hook when we are with someone struggling and we feel helpless. It is very difficult to feel that someone who we are caring for or in care of might take their life and we dont know what to do. I cant afford to believe that for one second that if they think this is a viable option, nothing we can do.

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