Posted by baseball55 on August 14, 2014, at 19:39:25
In reply to Re: what gets me on William's suicide... » LostBoyinNC45, posted by Chris O on August 13, 2014, at 22:27:14
We know nothing about William's mental illness beyond what he himself has shared in interviews over the years. We don't know that he suffered from depression/bipolar (the press says he did, so I assume they are basing this in interviews he gave, since they certainly don't have access to medical records and the family is asking to be left alone). We don't know if, how or where he was treated for mood issues (we do know he went to a rehab for alcohol abuse because he stated this in interviews). For all we know, he did not suffer from depression, but became distraught over life/career issues. We just don't know.
> I just get the idea (and maybe I am wrong) from listening to Williams' interviewed that he was very conservative/reticent about labeling himself as mentally ill. He seemed oblivious to the possibility, really, as do many of the people lionizing him in the media right now. In fact, I think Williams died believing he was not mentally ill. Which, as you point out (and one of the points I was trying to make as well) is "strange," because one would think he would be more open to dealing with himself honestly in humanistic terms as someone so vigilantly on the left of the political/social/philosophical spectrum. But reading about his Christian Scientist mother and Williams "terror" of his father helps me better understand the true nature of his beliefs. It appears he may have "only" believed he had a "drug habit" and took a "mind over matter" approach to dealing with this struggle in his life. I think he died a very confused man. And I really agree with you about the money thing: What a shame that someone with his money did not aggressively treat his condition. If so, he may well be alive, lucid and happy today. So very sad.
>
> Chris
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URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20140717/msgs/1069778.html