Commentary:
By Berenice Taboada Díaz
Unfortunately, we are people pleasers. We don’t want other people to see the real us because we are afraid that if they do it, they may not like us. That´s why funny people want everybody to laugh. Being funny and making others laugh fills emptiness; you see others happy and it gives you a bit of it back – you have some purpose, some worth to others, although you may feel worthless to yourself. Comedians, more than anyone, know very well that their sense of humor can distract people so they don’t know the deep despair they feel inside.
But are these people prone to depression and suicide? Most of us think that funny, outspoken, confident people do not kill themselves. “It just doesn’t make sense. They are laughing and make laugh others all the time”, we usually think. But we don´t usually see the suicidal tendencies or simply sadness hidden inside of them. While they seem to be happy outside, they just mask their inner turmoil. In fact, 90% of people who die by suicide have an underlying mental illness, often undiagnosed depression, or alcohol and substance abuse. So, depression is serious, and sadly losing an icon like Robin Williams brings more light to this.
Along the history, lot of comedians claimed to be longtime sufferers of depression, struggle with manic disorders and or contemplated suicide. There’s not enough space in this article to name them all, but just to name a few: English comedian Kenneth Williams, comic genius Spike Milligan, American television star Groucho Marx, Britain’s favorite comedian in the 1950s and 1960s Tony Hancock, Miranda Hart, Little Britain star David Walliams and Stephen Fry and Ruby Wax , amongst others, are some of them. Mournfully, yesterday morning, Oscar-winning actor Robin Williams joined the list.
When someone you love or admire commits suicide, you are overwhelmed by a thousand questions, many of which began with “Why?” especially if this person is the class-clown type. It´s difficult to explain but apparently there is a possible link between psychological disorders and the ability to generate comedy. According to the British Journal of Psychiatry, manic thinking can inspire the out-of-the-box thinking that Robin and other comedians were known for.
They are more likely than others to admit to being easily distracted, antisocial, and compulsive and have less interest in connecting with other humans. This study shows that equally, manic thinking, which is common in people with bipolar disorder, may help people combine ideas to form new, original and humorous connections. It seems they key to a good joke, right?
In the case of Robin Williams, now is publicly known that he finally succumb to depression, decades after he seemed to corral his worst demons, including addiction. Apparently, the deeper teachings behind Dead Poets’ Society, Good Morning Vietnam, and Goodwill Hunting couldn´t help him in his own life. But that’s maybe the mysterious irony of being human and famous.
Rest in peace, Robin. You weren’t just funny, brilliant and very talented but a freaking genius and one of the greatest entertainers in the world. Thanks for being the man with a thousand voices and faces. And for making everybody laugh so hard.