Anson Burlingame: I won't pull a Robin Williams

Blogger and frequent Joplin Globe guest columnist Anson Burlingame addressed the subject of mental illness earlier this week in a post titled "Mental Health or the Lack Thereof" written immediately following the announcement of the death of Robin Williams.

In a response to a comment today, Burlingame offered his usual sensitivity and delicate approach:

Find someone today that has been diagnosed with major clinical depression and found relief, sustained relief, from talk therapy is my challenge to you. Sure didn’t work for Robin Williams, now did it.

Our local paper ran a good editorial today on Williams and what more is needed. But it still did not touch the points I am making herein, in my view. And yes, the paper called for a lot more money for mental health, without saying where the money should come from as well.

Now go back and read my blog on “science” that the progress made is that understanding of unbelieveably complex subjects. Science remains intent of finding a basic wiring diagram for the damned universe it seems and look at the amazing progress in that effort over the last 50 years. Why can’t mental health science do such things is my challenge.

And if I have to “insult” the mental health community to achieve better progress, well so be it. But you know as well as I do that even if you, me and a few thousand others tried to spur such an effort today, well we will be howling at the moon it seems.

I guess you can say that “depresses” me!!! But no, I won’t pull a Robin Williams either, I hope.