By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
When the world loses an icon, responses roll in.
When the world loses an icon like Robin Williams – in particular, to the horror of suicide – people stand up and make statements.
Such was the situation Aug. 28 at Plaza Theater in Burlington. What started as a movie buffs discussing their favorite Williams’ film turned into a Robin Williams’ Night at the theater.
The Plaza chose to show “Dead Poets Society” – not the winner of favorite film in the Facebook poll, but a film that employees at the Plaza felt would be most appropriate for the evening.
The film deals with the troubles of teenage boys while at an all-male boarding school in the 1950s, and also with teen suicide.
In addition to the choice of film, though, the Plaza Theater staff invited several organizations – including Burlington High School’s S.O.S. program and iCare out of Waterford – to make sure resources were available about suicide and other mental health issues.
The free showing of the film drew a full house in the Plaza’s main theater, which seats…
But as much as the Oscar-nominated film drew an appreciative audience, the opportunity to use the evening as a teaching point was just as important.
In addition to the groups invited to offer information before the more, Dr. Mervin Langley of Clinical Psychology Associates in Burlington. He said for those suffering from depression, there is often a feeling of failure, especially with the stigmas of depression.
He identified three major identifiers in depression – mood, a lack of energy and not thinking clearly. In teens especially, though, depression shows as irritability, Langley said.
He also stressed that treatment is effective, combining more than 50 different kinds of medication with cognitive behavioral therapy.
One important key, though, was the importance of talking about suicide.
“Don’t keep the secret,” he said.
Cindi Schweitzer, who owns Integrity Funeral Services in Waterford, has another job with iCare – a group that provides support both financially and figuratively for those working through their teenage years.
“People need to be educated about those types of things,” Schweitzer said about suicide and other mental health issues.
Schweitzer got involved when she started seeing teen suicides begin to rise.
“We started seeing some deaths,” she said. “It was either teens or young adults. Really, just seeing the families and how devastated they were.”
Schweitzer said families needed more resources, which is how iCare came about, whose motto is “saving and improving lives.”
It isn’t just suicide. The group also helps family with other mental health issues. The group provides education awareness and funding back to the community for working on relationships between family members.
There were others involved as well. Burlington High School guidance counselor Ken France was there with his wife, Julie Taylor, and the BHS SOS program – a preventive program against suicide.
France got an email from the Plaza shortly after Williams’ death. He admitted to being affected by that – and seeing others affected.
“It triggered a lot of emotion in a lot of people,” said France. “Stuff we, as counselors, deal with all the time.”
France came with Taylor – a Burlington Area School District social worker – with the intent of providing any and all help teenagers could need.
France said all freshmen area screened at the high school.
He will miss Williams, though, and thought the choice of film appropriate.
“It really did touch a lot of people,” France said.
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