Robin Williams died from suicide six years ago and now his son is opening up about his father's mental health. In Tuesday's episode of "The Dr. Oz Show," which was shared by People, Zak said he knew his father was in a dark place.
"I was acutely aware of my dad's struggles with depression, it manifested in addiction at times, and he took great lengths to support his well-being and mental health, especially when he was challenged. It was something that was a daily consideration for him," he said.
"The main thing for me was noticing how he went through great lengths to support himself while he could show up for others," Zak continued. "It was clear that he prioritized his mental health throughout most of his life, at least that I experienced with him."
In a new documentary, "Robin’s Wish," filmmaker Shawn Levy shared how, towards the end of his life, Williams was having difficulty in his job and was concerned about what it meant for him as an actor.
"Robin was struggling in a way that he hadn’t before to remember lines and to combine the right words with the performance," Levy said. "Robin would call me — at ten at night, at two in the morning, at four in the morning — saying, 'Is it usable? Is any of it usable? Do I suck? What’s going on?' I would reassure him."
At the time of his death at age 63 in August 2014, reports indicated that Williams had suffered from depression but an autopsy later revealed that the Oscar-winning comedian had suffered from Lewy body dementia, which can cause depression.