Robin Williams Cause of Death is Asphyxia Due to Hanging: Other Celebrities Who Comitted Suicide

On Monday at 12:02 pm, the world lost an amazing actor and comedian, Robin Williams. Lt Keith Boyd of the Marin County Sheriff's Office said that the preliminary cause of his death was "asphyxia due to hanging." Glancing through the reports, Boyd said that the actor's wife, Susan Schneider, went to bed at 10:30 pm on Sunday, while her husband slept in another room in their home in Tiburon, California.

She left home in the morning without checking on Williams as she thought he was still asleep. His assistant came later and knocked on the door, but after several knocks and no response, he sensed something was wrong. "The assistant found Williams in the room, where he was slightly suspended in a seated position," Boyd said. He immediately called 911.

"The caller was distraught and indicated at that time it was an apparent suicide due to a hanging had taken place and that rigor mortis had set in," Boyd said. He was found suspended from a belt that was jammed between a closet door and the door frame.

They had also found cut marks on his wrist and a pocket knife near to him. The 63-year-old actor's life was not all rosy. He had undergone treatment for drug addiction in the early 70s and 80s. However, if the Oscar-winning actor was under drugs will be known after the toxicology test results would be out. Boyd states that the results would be released after two to six weeks.

He also went to the rehab again in 2006 to come out of alcoholism. Williams took treatment for depression as well. His family, friends and fans are heartbroken. The social media had several tributes dedicated to the great actor. Within 24 hours of the news of his death, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in New York received several calls. The officials stated that the past 24 hours has seen the second-highest volume of calls in the last 12 months.

Robin Williams is one among the many other celebrities who have committed suicide. Marilyn Monroe, sex symbol of Hollywood and actress, committed suicide at the age of 36. Kurt Cobain, Tony Scott, young Seattle rapper and Freddie E, committed suicide as well.

National Health Service stated that alcoholism and depression are the main causes of suicide. "Women are more likely to attempt suicide, but men are more likely to succeed. Suicide death rates are more than three times higher in men than in women," the NHS explained.

It noted that suicide was common in certain age groups, middle-aged men between 30 to 44 years had the highest suicide rate. In women, suicide is most common between the ages of 45 and 59 years. Experts believe that suicidal thoughts are linked to a few main reasons, though they are not limited to these alone. Having a traumatic childhood, a history of sexual or physical abuse, or a history of parental neglect, mental illness, drugs or substance abuse, poor financial conditions or unemployment and bad relationships were the main reasons specified.