RobinWilliams

Theendwasshockinglysudden.ButtheroadthatledtoRobinWilliams'suicideat
age63wasalongoneandifyouknewwheretolook,therewereplentyofsignposts
indicatingtroublealongtheway.
InthewakeofWilliams'deathathishomeonMonday,fansaroundtheworldhave
struggledtounderstandwhatcouldhaveledamanwhosethousandmegawattcomic
personahadbroughtsomuchjoytomillionstosuchdepthsofdespair.ButRobin
Williams'closestfriendsandcolleaguesknewwellthatbeneathhisamusingand
goodnaturedexterior,theactorhadbattleddepressionforyears.
Hiswiferevealedthathehadbeendisconnectedwithhislifeandrarelysocialized,
oftenseemingtohideinashell.HewasalsofightingParkinsonsdisease,whichisa
degenerativedisorderofthecentralnervoussystem.
MentalHealthissue:Bulimia
Bulimiaisaveryseriousandpotentiallylifethreateningmentaldisorder.Individuals
whosufferfrombulimiaareoftenverydepressedandrequireimmediatehelp.
BulimiaNervosaisaseriouspsychiatricillnesscharacterisedbyrecurrentbinge
eatingepisodes(theconsumptionofabnormallylargeamountsoffoodinarelatively
shortperiodoftime),followedbyacounteracting.Excessvomiting,overexerciseand
fastingarecommonmeansofreleasingthisfood.Likeanyaddiction,itisimperative
toseektreatmentforyouroryourfamilymemberseatingdisorderassoonas
possible.Asoutwardlydamagingasanorexiaorbulimiacanbe,moreofitis
occurringbehindthescenes.Mentaltreatmentiswhatisrequired,asBulimiaisa
behaviouralissue.Seekingthesupportoffriends,psychologistsandfamilymembers
arethemosteffectivewaysofcombatingthisillness.Therearealsoeatingdisorder
programsavailableforthosewhoareunabletocopeontheirown.Many
organisationsoffer24/7phonecallservices