Tears behind the facade

The world was left an infinitely sadder place on Monday as news of Hollywood actor and comedian Robin Williams’ suicide spread. For someone who had made generations of people laugh, it was a shock to read his publicist’s statement that Williams had been “battling with severe depression in recent times”. The Oscar winning actor was also addicted to drugs and had visited rehab homes in the past.

 

The incident once again brings forth the question, What drives people who have it all success, adulation, money, family and friends to take their own lives? Counselling psychologist Diana Monteiro explains, “People who have it all aren’t immune to problems of life. They sometimes face even more issues because they can’t lead a normal life. And when they are depressed, they go through ‘tunnel vision’ they can’t see all the options available and decide to end their pain by killing themselves.”

 

And the world of showbiz can be cruel to its denizens, who become stars overnight and are shown the door the next day. Sociologist Shiv Visvanathan says: “Robin was a successful actor; he would make us laugh, the audience just wanted to see him laughing. But being an actor is just a part of his personality. Back stage, he would have been like any other person. I think, Robin on the front and back stage did not communicate well.”

 

Consultant clinical psychologist K. Prashant adds: “Watch Robin’s interviews, he would always be happy. How can a human being do that all the time? Putting up a happy face, or rather façade, would be putting him through such strain. Then, in every other TV appearance, he would change his hair colour... He couldn’t have been doing that every month for a film role. Actors want their existence to be validated by fans. And this image is often different from their real persona.”

 

But depression in showbiz can’t always be seen as an occupational hazard. Says Dr Diana, “It is an illness, it can happen to anyone. It’s caused by chemical imbalance of our neurotransmitters.”

Clinical psychologist Pulkit Sharma agrees that some people are disposed to it, but for others, it can become a state of mind. He says, “Such people are hopelessly negative about life. Even if they have the support of their families, they are hopeless. This gradually distorts their sense of reality. They stop trusting people.”

 

And in such low times, if a person takes to drugs and alcohol, it is deadly. Adds Pulkit, “They drink to escape reality, to escape the task of handling depression. It’s a vicious circle that takes them down.”