Depression, a silent killer

The news of comedy legend Robin Williams’ apparent suicide has brought the topic of depression to the limelight with many taking to social media to express how badly affected they were by his death. Williams is not the first Hollywood star to have suffered from depression. The likes of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Stephen Fry have also battled the ailment. According to Michel Reynaud of the Paul Brousse Hospital’s psychiatry department in Paris, celebrity artists may be more vulnerable to depression than the average person. “Artists are often people who are more sensitive, who feel emotions more strongly,” said Reynaud. The World Health Organization (WHO) says more than 350 million people of all ages suffer from depression. Medical experts say, though the condition can manifest itself in various ways, people who show signs of depression should always seek help.

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