In response to last week’s article on Robin Williams suicide
This opinion was sent in by senior psychology major Justin Regier from Forgan.
Northwestern News, specifically, columnist Kendra Reining.
I was disappointed to see such a blatantly un-researched and insensitive article concerning Robin Williams’ suicide in the latest edition of the paper. Ms. Reining, you state within the first paragraph that you “have yet to understand how people could do this to themselves,” and obviously do nothing to change that. Suicide is not an easy decision, nor something that one “gain[s] the confidence” to act upon. You call people suffering more than most can imagine “selfish” and go on to blame them for hurting those around them.
“Is it worth hurting the people you say you love?” Excuse me? In most cases, this is the very thing those who commit suicide are trying to avoid. They truly believe that their existence causes suffering to those around them, and they want to spare their loved ones any further grief on their behalf. But you’re so bold as to accuse them of not really loving?
Mr. Williams struggled with depression and bi-polar disorder for years. These led to complications with substance abuse and affected his acting and stand-up career. The fact that he made it as far as he did is a testament to his resilience. Depression is a medical condition; it’s something that many people struggle with for most of their adult lives. It isn’t something one cures by making jokes and buying things. It’s a condition people live with, just like asthma or diabetes. The stigmas attached to mental health in this country, and even the rest of the world, are due in large part to ignorance and fear, and frankly, Ms. Reining, you are perpetuating that. Rather than encourage people who fight with depression, you blame them. Rather than tell them that medical help is available or that there are people willing to talk (1-800-273-TALK [8255]), you tell them how you “just don’t understand.”
In the future, I would hope that you try harder to understand the topics you write about, especially when writing about something so important.