There was Too Much News yesterday so I'll be posting almost nothing today. Not unless a friend or another great comedian dies. Let's hope I don't have to post anything.
But before I go: I received a message asking — and we all know what prompted this — what advice I had for other writers about coping with depression. I'm the wrong guy to ask about this since it's not a problem that's ever seriously afflicted me. I have plenty of others but not, I'm happy to say, that particular one. When I'm feeling down, I'm usually able to figure out the what and the why and to "compartmentalize" it, putting it in its proper perspective. Almost always, that convinces me it's not as big a problem as I thought.
I do know though that one should not rule out medical advice because a depression may have more to do than you think with the kind of thing a doctor can correct. Or it may not. The point is that if it's beyond your ability to solve, get help. Do not think you've failed if you have to get help. That's what help is there for.
I really have no idea what was up with Robin Williams and I doubt any of the folks now telling us about his problems have much insight into him, either. Insight into the general topic of depression, sure…but not him in particular.
Years ago, a wonderful man I knew named Lorenzo Music would volunteer one or two nights a week to answer a suicide prevention hotline. During the days, he was the voice of Garfield and did oodles of commercials but evenings, he would "give back" that way. He told me that he would sometimes get a call that went like this. He'd answer and ask what the problem was. The caller — this was all anonymous on both ends — would say…
My life is a shambles. My wife has left me and I lost my job and I need an operation I can't pay for and my kids hate me and my car just died and I'm drinking way too much and I don't know what to do. I want to just end it. I want to just…hey, did anyone ever tell you you sound a lot like that cat on TV?
And from there, he said, it usually got better.