My Darkness & Hope

One of the obvious things regarding the suicide of Robin Williams is this:  There are far too many people like him out there.

For several years, and still to this day, I suffer from moderate to severe Depression.

I can somewhat relate to how he (Williams) was feeling throughout his life.  As though there is a darkness around you, at least that's what I call it:  My darkness.
I've been there.  I've contemplated ending it.  But that voice in the back of my head that kept saying, "Don't do this.  This is wrong", was obviously louder than the same voice in Williams' head.  

In November of 2011, a dear friend, and former co-worker of mine committed suicide.  He was always the happiest guy in the room.  Kind of like Robin Williams.  It just goes to show, we can hide it much better than you think.  Although I'm on medication, I highly doubt ANYONE would ever guess I suffer from Depression.  If us sufferers don't want you to know, you'll never see it. 

In February of 2012, Bell Media had a national 'Lets Talk' day.  To try to lift the stigma around mental health.  The absolute best part of that day (I was glued to the TV), was Michael Landsberg's documentary on mental health in Sports, Darkness & Hope. 

That documentary really opened my eyes:  I'm not the only person with this problem.  Hell, even some of my sports hero's suffer from it as well.   
It was shortly after watching that documentary that I decided to seek help.  I didn't like the way I was feeling.  My world was dark, and seemed to be falling apart around me, for no real reason.  I had everything good going on in my life.  I had a job, was making good money, had a girlfriend (despite the fact she turned out to be all wrong for me). 
As I said above, no one could tell.  I hid my secret well.  I was always the happiest guy in the room...  The life of the party, if you will. 
When I confessed this secret to my family, only one of my siblings really understood what I was talking about.  I feel the reason for that is because she (my sister) works in the mental health field. 

The bottom line of this is:  If there wasn't such a stigma surrounding mental health, then there would be fewer people like my friend, and Robin Williams, and the millions of others who feel their only way out is suicide. 

Think about it, then talk about it!