For some, life is a battle each and every day. And, like most battles, lives are destroyed and taken far too soon.
Robin Williams, the famous actor, comedian and philanthropist, committed suicide Aug. 11. His death came as a shock to the world, most of us unaware of Williams’ battle with depression, bipolar disorder and Parkinson’s disease.
The demons Williams fought on a daily basis are far too common. One in 10 American adults are estimated to suffer from depression and 2.6 percent suffer from bipolar disorder.One in five suffer from mental illness in general.
Mental illness plagues the United States, especially at universities. There’s a reason Counseling and Psychological Services at the Health Center offers two free sessions to every student. There’s a reason organizations such as the Crimson Corps exist. Students suffer, and it absolutely must be addressed.
Williams’ death brings attention to an important issue — the rampant indifference to mental health care in this country.
The reason mental health care is so widely dismissed is because of a systemic misunderstanding of the concept of mental illness itself. Many people don’t realize mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder and depression, are no different from heart or lung disease. They have real, physiological causes. They cause real, serious pain and can, if untreated, cause irreparable damage.
At IU, mental illness is a severe issue we should all take seriously. This time in our lives is a period of rapid, and often uncomfortable, change. It’s a time filled with stress, doubt and uncertainty.
But it’s also a time of opportunity, experiences and adventure.
The Editorial Board would like to urge all students to try and overcome the wall of indifference that exists in relation to mental illness.
Oftentimes, those who are suffering the most are those who seem completely normal.
It is all too easy to brush off stress, anxiety and antisocial behavior as normal symptoms of college life. But for some, they’re symptoms of devastating illnesses. For some, they can be the reason behind suicide.
We pride ourselves on our sense of community and camaraderie at IU. Our ability to stand behind our basketball team or famous alumni is oftentimes envied by other schools.
True camaraderie, however, requires us to take care of one another. The Editorial Board asks everyone here to take care of each other.
Ask others how they’re doing. Offer help if someone needs it. Sometimes simply smiling at someone on the way to class can help make his or her day a little brighter.
Robin Williams’ death was a tragedy, and it highlights a lesson to be learned: even the funniest, brightest and most generous among us fight their own battles every single day.
As Williams said in the movie “Patch Adams,” “If we’re going to fight a disease, let’s fight one of the most terrible diseases of all — indifference.”
Look out for your fellow Hoosiers. Know that resources exist to provide help for those who need it. And for those who think the world is too overwhelming to live in, remember — you are not alone.
We don’t want to lose any of you this year.
