Four Important Things Matt Walsh Said in his radical and borderline-offensive article on depression, and Two Important Things he Forgot

In light of a beloved actor's recent tragic death, there has been a lot of talk about depression. The last thing I want to do with this blog post is cause any offense to loved ones in my life who do suffer from depression, but I think that Matt Walsh had some good points and I would like to reiterate them without having to share the article itself alone. Matt Walsh is a man who writes really radical articles that are always blunt, direct, and terrifying to share, and yet I always find myself agreeing with him.

The title of Matt Walsh's article was, in itself, an attack already. "Robin Williams didn't die from a disease, he died from his choice." But what Matt Walsh was trying to say is true. And important.

1. Suicide is a choice.

Almost all of the angry commentators on Matt Walsh's article had something to say about the diminished ability of the person suffering to see that there is a choice, or to make the right choice, when in such a place of darkness and despair. Of course, only someone who thought that they had no choice would actually commit this act. But the point is, it is still a choice. It is still something you have to choose to do for yourself, rather than it be something that happens to you.

2. Shining a positive light on Robin Williams' death could be dangerous for others who are considering suicide.

"Genie, you're free now." It's a nice sentiment, but as Matt Walsh said, giving the idea that suicide is "freeing" gives those who are looking for freedom another reason to use suicide to find it. Last night someone on CTV news was saying how people could look at Robin Williams' death and say, "if someone who had everything can still commit suicide, what is left for me?" And that is one reason why his death has ignited increased efforts to reach out to those suffering from depression.

I give honour to Robin Williams for the work he did during his life, for his talent, for the gift he gave to us in his comedy and his genius and his great entertainment. But I draw the line at honouring his death. Rather than giving the message that his death gave him freedom from his suffering, we should be giving the message that there is help out there, and that there is always hope.

3. We are more than just our physical bodies.

Matt Walsh said something crazy. He said that "depression is spiritual." People were angry because they thought that he was saying that people who are depressed are not spiritual. That's not what he was saying. He was saying that we are not made up solely of chemicals in our brains, and that although depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, depression "is an affliction of the spirit as well as of the mind." What I think people are forgetting is how closely intertwined our physicality and our spirituality are. To say that we are "down in spirits" or we want to "lift our spirits" is no metaphor. And I think that there are a lot of ways we can help people overcome depression that are not limited to treating chemical imbalances in the brain. I understand that clinical depression is not simply "sadness" or "melancholy," but I also understand that depression is triggered by life situations, events, attitudes, experiences, fears, and things that are a part of the making of a whole person, and not just their brain chemicals. I agree with Matt Walsh, therefore, in that people need spiritual healing as well as physical/mental healing. We are spiritual people, and for those who believe that we are comprised of body and soul, it doesn't make sense to then "draw some clear line of distinction between the body and the soul, and declare unequivocally that depression is rooted in one but not the other."

4. Joy defeats depression.

Perhaps the most radical thing of all. "No depressed person in the history of the world has ever been in the depths of despair and at the heights of joy at the same time. The two cannot coexist. Joy is light, depression is darkness. When we are depressed, we have trouble seeing joy, or feeling it, or feeling worthy of it."

This is the part where, although I find it really radical, I also find that I have no need to paraphrase his words into my own. He goes on to say:

"So this, for me, is always the most essential moral at the end of these kinds of sad, terrible stories: we are all meant for joy. We are all meant for love. We are all meant for life. And as long as we can still draw breath, there is joy and love to be found here. I believe that. If I didn't, I would have left a long time ago.

"Joy and love. There might not be much else for us on this Earth, but these are the only two things that matter anyway. These are the forces that brought the whole universe into being, and these are the forces that sustain it, and us, and all life.

"Life. Life exists, and we are made to live it.

"To quote Robin Williams playing a character quoting Walt Whitman:
'What good amid these, O me, O life? Answer. That you are here — that life exists.'"

Interestingly, Matt Walsh (who is also, by the way, a Catholic writer), doesn't even mention God once. So perhaps I was the one who was even more radical and offensive when I texted my best friend commenting on the fact that people don't even realize how much of the world's suffering can be a result of Godlessness, or that people don't realize how "fighting demons" can be actually literal. By this I of course did not mean to judge or condemn suffering people or say that those who suffer from depression and other things are godless - indeed, I know many people who suffer from depression who also love the Lord - but I meant to emphasize the healing joy and love that God offers that sadly so many people seem to either reject or simply be ignorant of. We do have a Healer, who gives us hope, who loves us into existence, who is the cause of our joy. He is our hope, and our salvation. Without him, there is only darkness, despair, and confusion, but I for one believe that this joy that Matt Walsh claims defeats depression is something that comes directly from the love of God. Matt Walsh, of course, speaks from his own experience when he speaks of joy defeating depression. I agree with him on that, but as my title suggests, I think he forgot a couple of things as well.

1. Compassion.

I think one reason that Matt Walsh's article comes across as ignorant for some of his readers is because he seems insensitive to the depth of people's suffering. Although he apparently claims to have suffered depression himself, he seems to lack empathy for others who also suffer depression, and although joy defeats depression, he doesn't address the great difficulty it is for people to find that joy, or to find their worthiness to experience that joy, or how to find such joy. Joy is completely meaningless, I imagine, to someone who really suffers depression, so just mentioning it doesn't help anything. Furthermore I found that he was insensitive specifically to Robin Williams' suffering, who had addiction problems and who knows what plethora of problems that contributed to his decision to end his life. Labelling his death as his own choice is true but it fails to lend support and understanding for those who suffer from mental illness. This is closely related to my second point, which is:

2. Lessened moral culpability due to mental illness.

Yes, of course, I agree that suicide is a choice, and a moral decision. But let's not forget how much mental anguish can affect our ability to see or make such choices. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, "Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide." I think Matt Walsh comes off a little accusatory towards Robin Williams' choice and doesn't say much about the fact that, although mental illness does not directly kill someone, it does greatly affect the way a person will perceive themselves, their lives, and their choices. In the end, only God can judge his heart, and not us. We can only pray for him. May God have mercy on his soul!

If you want to read the article, here it is. http://themattwalshblog.com/2014/08/12/robin-williams-didnt-die-disease-died-choice/#comment-165887

Now forgive me while I go and watch Jumanji/Hook/Mrs. Doubtfire/Dead Poet's Society/Aladdin and bawl my eyeballs out. RIP Robin Williams, we are sorry to see you go!