Robin Williams' Wife Susan Schneider Revealed The Actor's Death Was More Than Just Depression

Posted by Christie Applegate on Monday, May 13, 2024

Highlights

  • Robin Williams struggled with substance abuse, depression, Parkinson's, and a mysterious illness resulting in mental well being problems ahead of his death.
  • His widow revealed that his suicide wasn't only because of depression, however symptoms of Lewy frame dementia played a vital role in his passing.
  • Williams' son, Zak, shared how his father's psychological well being struggles impacted him, resulting in his personal journey of advocacy and healing.

There’s definitely that the past due Robin Williams is certainly one of the most talented and beloved Hollywood actors of all time. Since he made his function film debut in the 1980 film Popeye, the actor gave the impression in more than 110 movies and television series. Some of his greatest roles had been in motion pictures similar to Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), The Fisher King (1991), and Good Will Hunting (1997), for which he gained the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Sadly, Robin Williams struggled with substance abuse and depression all over his occupation. Later on in lifestyles, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s illness. Ultimately, Williams was discovered dead at his home in Paradise Cay, California, in 2014. His death was ruled a suicide and plenty of consider it was led to through his depression. However, Williams’ widow, Susan Schneider lately revealed that the beloved actor’s struggles went beyond that, for the reason that he had a odd disease that a great deal affected his psychological well being.

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Robin Williams’ Wife Revealed That The Actor Suffered From More Than Depression

Before his death, Robin Williams was diagnosed with Parkinson's illness. As time went on, he started experiencing depression, anxiousness, and increasing paranoia. This was led to through a mysterious sickness that wasn’t discovered till after his death.

Williams’ post-mortem discovered a diffuse Lewy frame illness, which led execs to consider that his symptoms were a sign of Lewis body dementia, characterised via changes in sleep, habits, cognition, movement, and even law of automatic physically functions.

A year after the actor’s tragic passing, his wife opened up about the real cause of his death. “It was no longer depression that killed Robin,” Susan Schneider told People, talking to the public perception of what drove Williams to devote suicide. “Depression was considered one of let’s call it 50 signs and it was a small one.”

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Schneider revealed that the illness began taking its toll on Williams in the ultimate yr prior to his death. His many signs integrated heightened ranges of tension, delusions, and impaired motion. “They provide themselves like a pinball system,” Schneider explained. “You don’t know exactly what you’re looking at.”

Sadly, Williams’ signs worsened over time. In the months leading up to his death, the actor began experiencing crippling anxiety assaults, more symptoms of depression, and a “miscalculation” with a door that left his head bloodied and muscle stress. Unfortunately, medical doctors weren’t ready to pinpoint exactly what was fallacious until after the post-mortem.

“I know now the docs, the entire staff was doing exactly the proper things,” Schneider added. “It’s just that this illness was faster than us and bigger than us. We would have gotten there in the end.”

After the actor’s passing, Schneider started researching this illness and has grow to be an recommend for Lewis body dementia consciousness so that other households don’t have to go via what she and her circle of relatives experienced.

Robin Williams' Son Admitted That the Actor Was "Frustrated" And "Very Uncomfortable" Before His Death

Robin Williams had three children, Zelda, Zachary, and Cody Williams. In 2021, his son Zak unfolded about the actor’s mental health struggles prior to his death. He defined that his father first felt frustration over being identified with Parkinson’s illness.

“What he was going through didn't match one to 1 [with] many Parkinson's sufferers'...experience,” Zak explained in an interview with The Genius Life podcast. “He felt pissed off.”

“There was a focal point issue, that annoyed him. There were issues associated with how he felt. And also from a neurological perspective, he didn't feel great,” Zak explained. “There was just more anxiety and depression and just things he was experiencing and speaking to me about that made me notice he was very uncomfortable.”

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One of the biggest blows to Williams’ mental health was not being able to act anymore. “At least from my lens, what I found was any person who was having demanding situations performing his craft. And that was truly frustrating for him," Zak admitted. "When you're a performer, it goes past pleasure in what you are performing, it is your livelihood."

Throughout this time, Zak and the rest of the family could do nothing but support the actor. "I sought after to be there for him every day,” Zac mentioned. “I actually wanted to because it can be in point of fact keeping apart, although you are with family and loved ones.”

Robin Williams' Son Opened Up About His Own Mental Health Struggles After His Dad's Death

During his appearance in The Genius Life podcast, Zak Williams also unfolded about how his father's death affected his mental well being. "I was self-medicating through the trauma, using alcohol," he admitted. Later on, Zak went to a psychiatrist and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD) due to Robin Williams’ tragic death.

Not in need of to broaden a substance abuse downside, Zak enrolled in a 12-step program and attended staff treatment. "I was just sick and tired of trying to treat myself using harmful means," he explained.

As he recovered, Zak was an advocate for psychological well being, partnering with many helpful organizations. "I actually found myself committing time to mental health advocacy as a means of healing that trauma," he said. "For me, it was very healing."

All in all, Zak found out that serving to other people is an effective way to keep his father’s reminiscence alive. "Dad, on what would be your 70th birthday, I would want you to know that your incredible spirit lives within us," Zak wrote on a birthday message for his father he posted on Instagram. "Our family will be celebrating you and your memory today. We miss you and love you always!"

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