Why do some comedians get depressed?

They say that a person with depression lives two lives at the same time: “the one that everyone sees and the one that only you see”, explains Kevin Breel in a TED talk. Many of us find it difficult to understand that a happy and fun person, like we all think a comedian should be, is capable of losing the will to live. Therefore, in this article we are going to explore precisely this question: why some comedians become depressed.

Depression has a biological and organic origin, so it must be treated like any other injury to our body. “Being depressed is not just being sad. True depression is being sad when everything is going well in your life.“, reflects Kevin Breel.

The use of humor as an escape from suffering can generate long-term depression.

sad clown syndrome

This duality that the Canadian comedian talks about appears inside any person with depression. Besides, In the case of a comedian it can become real torture.

According to Álvaro Montoya, a psychiatrist at the Imbanaco Medical Center, it is because “he is more sensitive and, therefore, able to put himself more easily in the shoes of others.” The idea, basically, is that comedians would be more permeable to suffering.

However, The power and economic situation of a successful person can be an obstacle to complete effective treatment. In addition to the added difficulty of seeking psychological help, since many people associate it with weakness; and therefore they do not ask for help.

This phenomenon, which could explain the reason why some comedians become depressed, is known as smiling clown syndrome. A term that includes the masking or ignorance of depressive symptoms through humor or sympathy on the part of some people.

So, Using humor as an escape route has long-term consequencesdespite experiencing the adrenaline surge with the laughter of the audience.

Robin Williams: the consequences of denial

When we talk about mood and depression, many of us remember the case of Robin Williamsthe Oscar-winning comedian and actor who took his own life in 2014. That was the last step in a stage of depression that intensified after relapsing into alcoholism and drug addiction.

The star of great hits, such as Wild Will Hunting or Awakenings, is just one of the many comedians who could have suffered from sad clown syndrome. “Contrary to what most believe, (depression) is not necessarily linked to a loss, be it that of a loved one or a financial bankruptcy,” explains Montoya. In the case of Robin Williams, we can identify a chronicity in his suffering, which was intensified by “self-destructive behaviors.”

In this case, both isolation and lack of understanding of his surroundings precipitated the tragic end that we all know. It is normal that, when a successful person suffers from depression, those around them show incomprehension.. And precisely this attitude of lack of empathy and understanding is usually one of the main reasons why some comedians become depressed.

Inside by Bo Burnham

Another well-known case in recent years has been that of Bo Burnham, an American musician and comedian who managed to materialize the anxiety and depression typical of the pandemic in his special Inside, produced by Netflix.

In Inside, Burnham travels with songs and comic numbers, apparently unconnected, through all the stages during confinement. In between, there are not very fluid transitions in which We see how the comedian flirts with the idea of ​​leaving the special, and even with the idea of ​​suicide.

But, upon delving into its narrative, we discover that the common thread that underpins the special is clear. It begins with songs like Content or Comedy, which show us Burnham’s depressive situation. Later, songs like How the world works or Welcome to the Internet They point out the real villains of this story: the system and the internet, that network on which we increasingly depend.

After other songs and monologues, the special leads to a sweet and ironic ending. Bo Burnham leaves satire and cynicism behind to present a great truth to the viewer: we are all a little broken inside and the sooner we recognize it, the better.

Kevin Breel’s activism

Kevin Breel is another comedian who has found a way to redirect his depression. The young Canadian has not only written a book talking about his experience; He also travels the world giving talks that make visible what many suffer in silence. Breel attributes this social problem to ignorance.

“That ignorance has created a world that does not understand depression, that does not understand mental health,” he says in a TED talk. Breel believes that the world does not feel prepared to address the problem, since “We put it in a corner, pretend it’s not there and cross our fingers that it heals on its own.”

It is clear that, to solve a problem, we must first recognize that it exists. “We haven’t done it yet. We cannot expect to find an answer if we still fear the question,” reflects the Canadian. “If you have depression, know that nothing happens. May you know that you are sick, that you are not weak. And it is a problem, not an identity,” she continues.

Kevin Breel speaks from the heart and experience, as he went and continues to go through the different stages of depression since he was a teenager. “Depression put me in a hole, but only to remind me that there is a way out. “He showed me the darkness to show me that light also exists,” he concludes.

Why do some artists get depressed?

It’s not that comedians are more prone to depression; but, given their sensitivity and personality traits, they tend to suffer more from these types of problems. In the case of successful comedians, It should be understood that their position does not motivate or facilitate requests for help.

“How am I going to tell a strange man my problems if he is not going to solve them for me?” says Gerardo Campo Cabal, Head of the Department of Psychiatry at the Universidad del Valle, in Colombia.

And, in no case does the person with depression need comments like “do your part,” “get out of the house,” or “don’t lock yourself up.” No, Depression is an illness that causes great disability and causes the person to isolate themselves at home. and feel an absolute lack of energy. And, in the words of Campo Cabal, depression, “as such, must be treated.”

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