Nerd in Another City

Photo : © Matt Sayles

Today the world lost a wonderful and talented actor to a horrible disease (if the reports that are coming in are true.) And it has effected me more than I thought it would. The sad truth is that you can never perceive the internal struggles a person goes through. We saw his humor and his laughter and we thought everything was fine. We loved his movies and television shows. I grew up watching him in so many things like Aladdin, Hook, Dead Poet’s Society, Mrs. Doubtfire and so many more. My parent’s generation watched him in Mork and Mindy.

Depression is a slow and silent demon. It whispers in your ear and tells you very convincing lies about yourself. You’re not good enough. You can’t do it anymore. You have no worth. I have friends who have struggled with this disease. I’ve had periods in my life when I have struggled with it myself.

This is a disease that we don’t talk about. We, as a culture, expect people to have it all together and when they don’t, we judge them. We have to empower people to seek help for not only the detectable diseases like cancer or the common diseases like the flu.

Counseling and therapy… these are the medicines we need to embrace. And it has to be okay to seek these forms of “medication.” Until they are no longer judged, until the stigma is erased then tragedies like this will keep happening. And we will have let down those who are suffering and need us to understand!

If you are struggling with depression or know someone who is, please seek help!!! Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255. Head to your local church and ask for help. Call a friend… email me. Do what you need to be ok!!!

Non-profits like To Write Love On Her Arms are trying to change the way we look at this disease. Support them and their efforts.