Editor:
As readers will now know, the great actor, comic and comedian Robin Williams has died — apparently by his own hand.
Williams had more than comic genius in common with his idol, Jonathan Winters. He, too, lived with depression. And he, too, sought all-too-frequently the temporary comforts of drugs and alcohol to calm his unquiet mind.
While he had every right to his privacy — to live with himself — Williams and other celebrities who live with mental illness had/have the option to speak up for those who do not have a voice.
Clara Hughes is perhaps the greatest athlete Canada has every known, and by going public with her experience with depression she has empowered and enabled thousands of Canadians who, hitherto, have suffered in silence.
I’m not suggesting for a second that to live with mental illness — be you well known or not — creates an obligation to speak publicly about it. What I am proposing, though, is that our community can do better to discuss a difficult issue and, at the very least, eliminate the stigma.
It just so happens that, as a columnist for this fine paper, I am writing a series of articles that will depend on your input. Maybe you live with a mental illness or mood disorder. Maybe you have a friend, lover or relative who suffers. I invite you to write me, in total confidence, to express your experience. You may send me email at [email protected]
