On Robin Williams’ Death and the Suicide Epidemic

Be Kind Plato Quote | Dianna Bonny Photography

Robin Williams’ death, and the subsequent media storm, rendered me wordless last week. I tried to write, but couldn’t find words to express the sadness I felt. From the moment I heard about his suicide, I was lulled into a kind of trance, watching the media swirl around, offering up vacuous commentary and opinions.

Why did a news feed need to be posted outside his home? Were they expecting him to miraculously appear? Did they seriously think the family might step outside to explain what was happening?

And then there was his daughter having to leave Twitter due to vicious comments from individuals in the general public.

I wonder why it is that people feel the need to be so cruel, especially at moments of extreme vulnerability.

And what of the comment that he was a “coward” by Fox News? How can a professional news agency attach such a pathetic label over the end of a man’s life, a man who left behind three children who are now navigating the aftermath?

Instead of standing in the bleachers broadcasting outdated clichés that contribute nothing, why aren’t we inviting real conversation around this tragedy? This is a time for exploration and compassion, not judgment and labeling.

This is a time to ask ourselves why suicide kills more people on the planet every year than war, murder and natural disaster, combined. Are all those people cowards? Or is something happening to the fabric of society globally that we should be examining in a new way?

This is a time to be alarmed by the statistic that a child of parental suicide is six times more likely to follow the same path.

The reasons for suicide are as vast and wide as the ocean, and in truth, we will never know the reasons behind many of them. It is a profound mystery that I believe is calling us to probe deeper than we have been willing or capable of doing until now.

I think the real question is: do we have the courage to look honestly at what we find?

Every suicide has the potential to leave a devastating legacy and perpetual suffering. We can make the choice to heal in the aftermath, but it requires a decision to make peace with uncertainty, to go deep within and to overcome the extraordinarily painful circumstances.

This is the only way healing can begin.

May we all find the love, truth and wisdom we need to begin this process.

For another interesting perspective on speaking about suicide please check out this insightful post by Hollis Easter.

-db

Who is Dianna Bonny?

Hi, my name is Dianna Bonny. It’s my mission to candidly share my journey with you. For me, it’s all about the healing: to create a radiant healing energy for others who have befallen a similar fate. Together, we can forge beautiful lives of belonging and connection. Thanks for joining me today! I look forward to hearing from you.

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