The tragic death of well-known Hollywood comedian Robin Williams has inadvertently brought the gravity of mental health issues to the spotlight. With allegations of a long time battle with depression and a possible suicide, Williams' death has sent shockwaves throughout the world and has everyone asking just how severe his condition was to have pushed him to such lengths despite an apparently affluent career and personal life. Peter Howell of The Star publication wrote, "The Chicago-born comic genius had a quicksilver with that mask a lifelong battle with depression. He was the epitome of the clown who laughed on the outside but cried on the inside."
Could this recent high profile death shine the light on issues such as depression and bipolar disorder? According to statistics, there was roughly about 60% of the American population that was affected with mental illnesses in the year 2010 but received no formal treatment. According to data, the most common reasons for delaying or evading treatment for mental issues is that the patients either thought they could handle the problem on their own, or that they could not afford it. The price range for mental treatment in facilities that are equipped to deal with these types of conditions is between $2000-$73,000.
Some publications have suggested that there might be a link between mental illness and creativity, citing a list of notable artists and scientific personalities who have seemingly suffered from similar afflictions. However, unlike some of the more reclusive people that were included in this list, Williams was considered to be a mainstream figure that connected directly to the audience and had a large fan base that was sustaining him throughout the years, which, again, raises the question of how his prominence in the industry would affect how much attention is directed towards the cause of his demise.