Note: If you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Your life matters.
The world mourned when it was discovered that actor and comedian Robin Williams lost his life to suicide in August of 2014. The actor made a huge, positive impact on the world with his amazing performances in movies such as “Mrs. Doubtfire”, “Mork & Mindy”, and more. While we will never know the reason behind Williams’ death, we can try to understand his life a little better, to get a new perspective on what celebrities’ and other people go through – even if they “appear” to be doing very well. Taking a glance into Robin Williams’ past, we can see that he struggled with addiction.
According to various news sources, Williams dealt with cocaine addiction and alcoholism, but quit cold-turkey approximately 6 months before his first child, Zachary, was born in 1983. As one of his friends told People Magazine (and as stated in The Guardian): “…No therapeutic support. He just quit.”
Robin Williams once explained in an interview that for many people with an addiction, they are most often trying to ease some pain. For him, alcohol seemed to help him ease fear and anxiety, at least temporarily. However, he did mention the fact that eventually, it becomes a problem and a person can feel even more isolated than they did before. In another interview where he recalled the paparazzi capturing him drunk and high, he stated, “Most of the time you just realize you’ve started to do embarrassing things.”
For Robin Williams, it seems that substances were an attempt to escape painful feelings he was experiencing. This type of coping mechanism is called self-medication, and it can certainly become harmful to a person’s health, leading them to addiction and potentially worsening the symptoms of a psychological disorder that person may have.
HBO has created a new documentary of Robin William’s life called “Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind”. The goal of the documentary is to provide insight into Robin’s life as depicted through interviews with friends and family, footage, audio clips, and more. If you’re currently struggling with a mental illness and/or substance abuse, speak with a professional from a reputable treatment center today. Your life matters. Recovery is possible. Don’t give up.
Stop the cycle of merry-go-round treatment and find the solution you’re looking for in trauma treatment. Through effective residential treatment, Khiron House helps you find the path you need toward health and wellness in recovery. For information, call us today. UK: 020 3811 2575 (24 hours). USA: (866) 801 6184 (24 hours).