Robin Williams was found dead this afternoon at his home near Tiburon, California, according to the Sheriff’s Office Marin County. The actor and comedian was 63.
Emergency personnel found Williams unconscious and not breathing at 12:00 pm local time; He was pronounced dead at 12:02 pm, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office. Authorities are investigating the circumstances of the death.
“At this time, the Sheriff’s Office Forensic Division suspicion that death was suicide by asphyxiation, but a thorough investigation must be completed before a final determination”,said the press release.

A representative from Williams told Entertainment Weekly, “Robin Williams passed away this morning. He has been battling severe depression in recent times. This is a tragic and sudden loss.’s Family asks for respect to their privacy as they mourn during so hard right now”.
Major depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. In 2012, an estimated 16 million adult Americans had at least one episode of major depression or depressive symptoms meeting in the last year.
But despite how common the disease is, many people do not understand exactly what it means to have depression, and often think that this is the same thing as sadness. [5 myths about suicide, denied]
“Depression is one of the words most tragically misunderstood in the English language” ,writes Stephen Ilardi, associate professor of clinical psychology at the University of Kansas, in a blog post on the Psychology Today website teacher. “When people refer to depression in everyday conversation, they usually have something much less serious in mind,” what the disorder actually entails. “In fact, the term is normally used as a mere synonym for sadness”.
Here are some facts about depression:
Although major depression can strike people of any age, the average age of onset is 32.5, according to the University of Washington School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Depression is more common in women than in men, according to the University of Washington.
Men with depression are more likely than depressed to abuse alcohol and other substances as Jill Goldstein, research director of the Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital Boston women. Depressed men can also try to hide his sadness at moving to other outlets, such as watching television, playing sports and overwork, or engage in risky behaviors, Goldsetein told Live Science in an interview earlier this year.
Symptoms of depression in men may be more difficult for other people to recognize, and the disease is lost more often in men, Goldstein said.
Men with depression are more likely than women to commit suicide with the condition, Goldstein said. Men with depression can spend more time without being diagnosed or treated, and what men can develop a more devastating mental health problem.
Symptoms of depression extend far beyond feeling sad, and may include: loss of interest and pleasure in normal activities, irritability, agitation or restlessness, low sexual desire, impaired concentration, insomnia or excessive sleeping and chronic fatigue and lethargy, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The number of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-TALK (8255).