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The late Robin Williams’ suicide has stirred up many feelings inside of me. I know how difficult the world can be, and how hard it is masking the pain with humor. Sometimes you don’t win the fight against depression or any other mental illness. I have seen many friends try to take their lives and sometimes it’s understandable why they would choose to commit such an act. There’s never a good response of how to handle those situations. Despite being a good friend, you can still turn out to feel like a bad one and helplessly watch from the sidelines.

A certain Australian comedy caught my eye a few weeks ago, and no it wasn’t because of a good looking gentleman (although that was why I sort of tuned in). During commercial breaks, comedian and actor Josh Thomas would have the cast of Pivot’s original series, Please Like Me, read out various stories posted by people about their personal experiences with mental illness. Thomas, along with another cast member who has dealt with mental illness, contributed to the show’s script on how to portray mental illness.

I’ve tuned in every Friday night for the second season and immediately recorded the first season, not only for laughs at Josh’s fictional life, but because it opened a door to a world where mental illness was talked about. There were no dramatic moments; it was an honest look at Josh’s mother, Rose, trying to overdose because of her struggle with depression. She attempted twice to take her life, and it was a surreal moment. The second season brought a dose of reality when Rose was placed in an institution, and the cast soon expanded to other patients. The latest episode “Lapin La Cocotte” (aired September 12th in the US) ended with a character’s death, and I was extremely shocked at how easy it was for one woman to off herself.

“I tried to kill myself” is something I have heard quite often. I never know how the conversation will go because often times, these people who have the urge to end their lives are my best friends. One can react with anger or pity, but sometimes listening works just as well. Ignoring that person and their problem is what makes it hard to talk about. In the real world, we do not casually mention that we are sick because it can be embarrassing at times; sometimes we are shunned because it is not an easy topic to bring up.

There is no easy way to say that you are not mentally well without some judgment. Sometimes your closest friends betray you, because they don’t know how to handle mental illness either. I have unmistakably related to Please Like Me because I have lived with an anxiety disorder since I was eleven years old. I was recommended pills I never took, but no one ever bothered to openly talk to me about it. It was a pleasant experience to find a show after struggling many years that I could relate to.

You live your life with depression just like any other disease. Some days are harder than others. Some days you do not want to find the ray of light. As I have watched the world go by, I have seen very close friends of mine struggle with each day. I am reminded of how hard it is to take that first step out of bed. I have cried with them, stayed in bed with them, and listened to them all hours of the night. To those who struggle living each day, do not lock yourself away and hide. There are people out there who know what you are going through and are able to help you. Sometimes when I struggle and need to talk about it, I am reminded of the late Dixie Carter’s iconic role as Julia Sugarbaker and how she handled a woman who thought of an older woman as crazy.

“This is the south and we’re proud of our crazy people. We don’t hide them up in the attic, we bring them right down to the living room and show them off.”

If you are in need of help, please refer below.

National Suicide Prevent Hotline – 1-800-273-8255

[Editor’s Note: This is an opinion piece and doesn’t necessarily reflect the viewpoints of Sensible Reason.]

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