I have lived in and out of what is now titled bipolarity at varying levels for many years. After reading Neil Godbout's article on Robin Williams and then reading the excoriation of Neil Godbout by Linda Schmidt in the letters section, I am inclined to ask her to carefully re-read Godbout's comment. I tend to look at the arguments surrounding the depression/medication paradigm with a somewhat recalcitrant view.
You see, in my humble opinion, there are far too many medication-oriented practitioners operating in the theatre of mental health who will offer a 'magic pill' as a substitute for what I call 'hard-core' therapy. Many argue the medication is to relieve immediate effects in order to facilitate healing. What I have personally witnessed in my own time is an avoidance of the emotional patterning once the medication is in place. I do not apply this to everyone who suffers depression for there are many levels which, temporary and otherwise, affect all of us at one time or another. This is obvious in the amount of drugs consumed recreationally in Canada as well as all of the western world. In Williams' particular case, my understanding is he was showing the beginnings of Parkinson's disease and this might have had a definite impact on his decision. He made his choice and it was his to make, not his family's, his fans, or his dog's. The impact his choice made on an 'adoring' public is obvious but also rhetorical at best for the study of his depression would only reveal what those involved subjectively witnessed and attest to in hindsight.
It is easy to make snap decisions for all involved in such an incident considering the arguments over life and death rights which are so popularized nowadays and exacerbated by a person's popularity. Medications used to treat depression symptoms are like many other medical genres in that they are far from 'guaranteed' in their success histories. Their over use and their under use is under constant study by organizations such as the American Psychological Association and the findings are not even close to appropriate. For a society which bases its ideals in industrialized institutions which constantly tout the "better life in the future" and "moving forward" depression is here to stay for those who buy into the game. Small wonder when we all seek the mania of joy while burying the depression of fear. "one pill makes you larger and one pill makes you small and the ones that Mother gives you don't do anything at all go ask Alice, when she's ten feet tall".
Dennis Ouellette
Prince George
