After taking a week to really think about my feelings on this, I’ve decided Grey’s Anatomy made a huge mistake killing off Deluca.

In fact, the more I think about it, Grey’s Anatomy routinely makes mistakes when it comes to important characters. And while Deluca may not have seemed like an important character to all, he was to those who are battling mental illnesses.

Mental illness is a taboo subject, and it really shouldn’t be. I had high hopes for the series when we watched Deluca start to suffer from the same mental illness that his father did. Carina worried about what this meant and Deluca refused to admit it, but in the end, he got the help he needed.

A few episodes before his death, Bailey even praised Deluca for how well he was handling his mental illness. He was making sure he got enough sleep, taking his medication, and focusing on not letting his mental illness control him. Bailey realized that he was showing her how to handle her own illness.

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Why did Grey’s Anatomy kill off this positive character?

By killing of Deluca, the show no longer has to deal with the topic of bipolar disorder. After all, while Deluca had shown he had found a way to care for himself, that’s not necessarily always going to be the case. Bipolar disorder is something that can be treated, but it is also something that is there for the rest of a person’s life.

Should a stressful situation arise, Deluca could relapse whether it’s into a manic episode or a depression. These wouldn’t have just made stories for TV, but they would have raised so much awareness about bipolar disorder. It’s one that is often undiagnosed until someone is in their 20s, and it’s one that many people are ashamed of having.

Grey’s Anatomy has completely chickened out in showing something positive about the disorder, about how it doesn’t have to take control of someone’s life. The writers had a chance to raise awareness about potential relapses, but how they could be gained back under control.

It was such a waste to have Deluca be the one who has bipolar disorder to end up being the one killed off. I was more angry than emotional about this decision.

MORE: Will Carina finally get the storylines she deserves?

What did you think of Grey’s Anatomy killing off Deluca? What do you hope to see in the next episode? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 17 airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.