Hallucinations from Parkinson's Medication Likely Contributed to Robin Williams's Suicide

Three months after Robin Williams committed suicide, we are learning much more about what likely caused him to take such drastic measures. His autopsy results were released to the public last week, and they revealed that the actor had no alcohol or illegal drugs in his system at the time of his death. There was originally intense speculation that Williams had fallen off the wagon in his final days after years of sobriety. His wife Susan Schneider later attributed his depression to a recent diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease.

According to a report by TMZ, Williams had also been suffering from Lewy Body Dementia, a condition commonly affiliated with Parkinson's. People with both conditions often have severe side effects to the necessary medication and hallucinations are common. Patients may see phantom people, animals or objects, and they often try to converse with the hallucinations.

Apparently, in the days leading up to Williams's suicide, he had been complaining about his medication and the side effects they were causing. Williams's family and doctors now all seem to agree that Lewy Body Dementia was a direct cause leading up to his decision to end his life. Williams's thinking was clear enough to realize that he could no longer work and function the way he always had, but the meds made him question what was really going on around him.

Would it have been easier for fans to accept that Williams's demons had beaten him in the end? Is it tougher to swallow the fact that he had battled to keep himself together only to be completely taken down by something like Parkinson's Disease and Lewy Body Dementia?

Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

Tags

Robin Williams, Parkinson's Disease, Suicide, Actor, Comedy, Depression