Robin Williams Commits Suicide: Psychologists State the Actor Belonged to a Group of People Prone to Suicide

Robin William's sad demise on Monday shook the world; reports stated that the 63-year-old actor committed suicide at his Californian home, following a severe battle with depression.

Lt Keith Boyd of the Marin County Sheriff's Office, during a press conference about the actor's death on Tuesday, said that the actor committed suicide by hanging himself with a belt. They had also found cuts on his hand and a pocket knife. The preliminary reasons for his death, said Boyd, was "suicide due to asphyxia."

Susan Schneider, his wife, said, "This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken."

An actor and comedian, Williams was under depression and had undergone treatment for substance abuse and depression. He also had an aortic valve replacement in 2009. It would, however, be shocking to note that nearly 39,518 people committed suicide in the year 2011. Psychologists found that there was something common among these men - they all were white middle-aged men going through depression and were successful in their lives. The suicide rate had increased by 40 per cent between 1999 and 2010, that is nearly 34.2 per 100,000 people.

Dost Ongur, associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, said that it is mostly the demographic, middle-aged or older Caucasians and "men with medical problems." He also noted that 80 per cent of the men took their lives either by jumping off buildings or using guns.

Psychologists also say that when thoughts of suicide cross one's mind, seeking help from a friend or just talking to another helps, and most men do not seek help, unlike women. Ongur also stated that the risk of suicide attempt increase drastically when depression, addiction and medical problems persist. Williams was going through severe depression, his publicist told the media. He also battled drug and alcohol addiction in the 70s and early 80s before going sober for some 20 years. However, the toxicology report would take another six weeks to be released, said Boyd. This would reveal if there was any chemical in his blood while he committed suicide.

Nadine Kaslow, a psychology professor and vice-chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine, said that older men begin reflecting their lives and start questioning their decisions if they have made the right choices or not. They also begin to think they are a burden to their families. Research shows a strong link between the emotion of being a burden and the drive to commit suicide. "While depression and suicide has been more thoroughly studied, many are paying attention to the newest risk factor," she said.

She concluded that the no matter what the statement of the police would be, "no one but this guy's therapist, and maybe his friends and family, knew all these risk factors. It's speculation on our part."