WITH the recent, sad and premature death of Robin Williams (a great comic), I am reminded of the number of comics who die prematurely either by their own doing or through other means.

I am also reminded of a 1970s song by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles – Tears Of A Clown – and lyrics that state: “There are some bad things goin’ around, that ain’t too much better than, the tears of a clown, when there’s no one around”.

After Robin Williams had apparently taken his life, a leading psychiatrist stated that if cancer in this country was treated in such a downgrade aspect as depression and mental illness is, then there would be a national outcry.

Sadly, because this type of medical problem has so many dark sides, nobody realises the neglect this illness is missing. One in four people at some time in their life will suffer from depression. Society’s response seems to be ‘dose them up’ or ‘lock them up’. Surely we can do better.

Howard Perry, St James Place, Dringhouses, York.