SUICIDAL THOUGHTS IN LATER LIFE - WAS ROBIN WILLIAM'S SUICIDE PREVENTABLE?

Robin Williams unfortunate suicide brings light to a curious question.  Was
his suicide preventable?  I have personally dealt with this issue in my family,
and in my opinion sometimes it is not ALWAYS preventable, even though you may
want to believe that you can prevent an individual from committing suicide.
In some cases, a person may have suffered for many years with depression
and they just want to end their pain.  My mother tried to prevent my father
from ending his life multiple times and succeeded.  Nevertheless
with all the medical help, hospitalizations and family support, my father finally
took his own life.  I don't feel this was a selfish act because my father suffered
for years and he just couldn't cope with life anymore, even with the support of
family, friends and the medical community.

Robin Williams had tried for decades to deal with his personal demons.  He
also had issues with drugs and alcohol of which we all thought he conquered.
But depression is a tough illness to fight, and not even his wife knew the extent
of how deeply depressed he was.  Some people can hide their feelings so
well, even family members have no idea if they are planning to end their life.
Perhaps you can prevent a person's suicide, if you lock them away somewhere
but in my opinion once they are released, if suicide is their intention, they will
find a way to end their life.  What is left behind is guilt from the family that they
were helpless to prevent their loved one from this untimely unfortunate end.

Suicidal thoughts can happen to anyone, with older adults being especially
vulnerable. Some older adults with suicidal thoughts experience intense,
unbearable pain and also find it hard to imagine any relief in sight. Older
adults with strong feelings of hopelessness may not realize that things can
get better with professional help. Even for problems that a person feels no
solution in sight, it may be possible to prevent suicide. Many treatment options
are available.

Many older adults with suicidal thoughts want desperately to eliminate the
unrelenting emotional or physical pain they are experiencing. They may be
suffering from overwhelming pain that they feel is unmanageable.

Depression is an illness, like cancer or diabetes, which results from a
chemical imbalance in your body. Depression can be a life long illness or
may be triggered by unfortunate events such as the death of a loved one, a
serious illness, chronic pain, change in social roles (such as retirement or
becoming a caregiver) or being a victim of abuse or crime. Alcohol and
drug dependencies can also make people more vulnerable to depression
and the feeling that life is no longer worth living. If not dealt with, untreated
depression can magnify and can lead to suicidal thoughts that, in some

cases, result in suicide. 

I am a true advocate of suicide prevention and I pray that anyone with these 

thoughts will seek help.  I do not believe it is a selfish act, because depression 

is an illness, and it's impossible to always prevent or control everyone from ending

their own lives. I've lived through this incredibly sad experience.

Rest in Peace Robin!  You were loved by so many people, I'm sorry you couldn't 

find an answer to your pain.  Genie, you are free...

Intuitively Yours,

Laurel  xoxo