It was devastating news to all of us when news broke that popular funny man Robin Williams had committed suicide on Aug. 11th.
Just 63 years of age, it was not widely known that Robin Williams had suffered years of addiction struggle with alcohol and drugs. In July, admitting to close family members that he was suffering severe depression, he had entered a Minnesota rehabilitation center to help him maintain sobriety. Sadly, the short-term treatment wasn’t enough to keep this comic genius from ending his own life just a few weeks later. In hours of the announcement, millions of stunned fans, co-workers and friends in his closest circle were reeling from the terrible loss.
Obviously, Robin Williams had ADHD symptoms – it’s part of what made him rise to fame, actually. And, while most of us saw his manic side in live and theater performances, very few people witnessed the exact opposite issue, which classified Robin Williams as a manic depressive.
Most people with addictions like Robin Williams have a longtime underlying mood disorder. When the two issues are combined with ADHD issues, you have a sort of “three strikes you’re out” scenario. The trio, unfortunately, can be a deadly combination as a person will tend to “self medicate” to try to relieve the other two underlying symptoms.
Yes, it’s difficult to treat, but it IS treatable. When patients come to me, I work first to maximize preventative, non-addictive medicines, which address the underlying problems. (In many cases, we’re often dealing with a hormone imbalance in both women and men that can exacerbate the ADHD, depression or manic-depressive symptoms.) Once we’re able to quickly bring some stability back into the picture, we’re then able to take the next step into counseling and holistic healing that includes stress exercise, healthy diet, relaxation exercises and more.
In just a couple weeks, I’ll be releasing two new books in my Healing the Mind and Body series. Book Two covers a great deal of informative advice in Chapter 5’s Mood and Addiction. If however, you’re suffering or a close family member or friend is suffering from depression or manic-depressive symptoms, don’t wait for the book! We’re ready and available to help you find your way to a better path right now. Whether you’re new to us or a returning client, just click to Schedule an Appointment.
