![]() ![]() Paired with her frowning mirror image Melpomene, she hangs on a proscenium arch to mark it as a stage. This is the mask the Greeks called Thalia, with its arched eyebrows and Nixonian nose, mouth frozen in a manic and mirthless grin that surely must have inspired the artists when they created the archetypal disturbed clown, the Joker. “But only those that are clinically depressed are at risk for committing suicide.Only when we lose members of our comedy community to suicide do I think about the most recognizable symbol of our profession: the icon that means comedy worldwide the way two snakes coiled around a staff means medicine and a striped pole means barber. “Many comedians tend to be depressed because they are trying to get out of their dark world by being funny,” he said. Kaminski said Williams may have been in this impaired frame of mind when he decided to commit suicide. Their thinking is impaired and they aren’t always capable of making good decisions,” he said. “Illness can inform someone’s work but when we are talking about mood disorders we are talking about disease states of the brain. He added that mental illness usually hampers creativity - so that when someone is in a depressed state, they are often less productive. However, Clarke said, not every comedian is mentally ill. “We don’t know exactly why this is but it could have a biological basis in the emotional centers of the brain.” “People with a more creative side do seem to have a greater rate of mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder,” he said. Michael Clarke, the vice chairman for clinical affairs in the department of psychiatry and behavioral science at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, said research shows that, in general, creativity and mental illness often go hand in hand. “If they are funny all the time, maybe they will be able to feel a little bit better.”ĭr. “It’s like someone who is afraid of heights but chooses to take up skydiving,” he said. He said he believes many comedians mine humor as a way to escape depression and anxiety. Rami Kaminski, a professor of psychiatry at Columbia University School of Medicine. The reason so many comedians are at risk for mental illness is because being funny is not the same thing as being happy, said Dr. And in 2007, Richard Jeni committed suicide by shooting himself in the face. John Belushi, Chris Farley and Greg Giraldo all died of drug overdoses. Comedian Marc Maron has spoken publicly about having severe depression. He is certainly not the only comedian who has ever lived with depression and addiction. ![]() In 2006, he checked himself into rehab after a relapse, and then checked himself in again for undisclosed reasons last month. Williams spoke openly about his lifelong battle with addiction, alcoholism and depression. There is a stigma about depression and oftentimes the laughter distracts from feelings of weakness.” “But behind that mask there is a terrible struggle going on. “They often wear what we call ‘the mask of depression,’ which helps them put on a more acceptable face to the world,” she said. Their intelligence, she said, helps them put a funny spin on their despair. ![]() Serani, author of the book, “Living With Depression,” said that for many comedians, humor is a “counter phobic” response to the darkness and sadness they feel. “Comedy can often be a defensive posture against depression,” said Deborah Serani, a clinical psychologist who treats performers with depression and other mental health problems. Williams, like many comedians, lived with long-term depression and addiction.Įxperts say these mental illnesses are no laughing matter. Robin Williams’ apparent suicide has put a spotlight on the dark side of comedy. ![]()
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