Last year’s news about emotional health has shown real understanding. Big stars got involved in the movement. Lady Gaga openly discussed mental health with Prince William, Katy Perry shared personal moments on video, JK Rowling has been in the media declaring her suffering from depression, Russell Brand released her new book ‘Addiction’ and Jane Parks, the winner of UK’s youngest lottery, he tweeted it. stand out to the world.
Even with all of these shared media, Robin Williams has continued to make headlines frequently since his tragic suicide in 2014, which shook the world.
We all make jokes about tragedy as a way of coping – Robin Williams is a great master at creating exactly that kind of humor, but with depression in real life, we just ignore it.
The death of Robin Williams was ironic to the humor he had displayed for many years. There was always that deep and sensitive side to her performance, which showed a real connection through her eyes, with the pain that people feel in real life.
In Mrs Doubtfire, Robin Williams brilliantly portrayed the pain of separation from his children, the loss of his home and his wife, while trying to rediscover himself through his work.
On Good Morning Vietnam he showed the stress of war, the pain of trying to fit in and connect with people in a completely different world, losing the people around you, and dealing with PTSD while still trying to put on a brave face. before the public. He also played the pain of falling in love, across the barriers of war, language, culture and age.
In Good Will Hunting he spoke of the pain of growing up in an abusive family or of trying to make it big in the world when you feel different from others, or of his part of having lost someone you love very much. It showed the pain of finding yourself again, when you feel like everything you’ve lived for is gone. Once again, finding that purpose was a key part of overcoming his own depression, helping Will Hunting overcome his demons.
In Dead Poets Society he showed the anxiety of seeing a young man emotionally destroyed by the pressure of his father, when all the help was there. He just had to ask his teacher for help, but he didn’t. Supporting other students through emotional challenges while dealing with their own challenges and the bureaucracy of the educational establishment.
In Patch Adams, he played the real mental health patient, who made changes, regained his life and career, only for another tragic change to occur that took his faith away again. He brilliantly portrayed the pain of seeking a purpose in life and the joys of achieving it. He brilliantly showed the vulnerability that comes with having empathy for others and the strength it takes to keep that empathy up front.
In each role, Robin perfectly shared the true nature of depression, emotional intelligence, and empathy. That doesn’t happen without experiencing all these emotions in real life.
Robin Williams movies, while funny and entertaining in parts, are written and acted to send a message: make the world a better place and people NEVER give up.
Watching any of these movies teaches us the signs to pay attention to. The subtleties of stress, anxiety, and depression. The emotional blindness that can prevent someone from being saved from suicide. The simple things you can do to make a big difference in someone’s life, including your own.
His movies only help if we hear the real message between humor. The message that comes from his heart as much as his performance.
All of these films highlight the need for greater emotional intelligence, the need for compassion, the need to speak, and the need to listen.
My own son was almost another statistic as young as eight. His journey with depression has guided my journey with emotional intelligence and a deeper empathy with the Robin Williams films.
