Do we jump to mental health to avoid thinking that normal people can radicalize? I don't see us jumping to declare all radical Muslims mentally ill? Were all members of the Nazi party? I mean that sincerely.I'm deeply deeply disturbed that this is the go to answer. I get so worried about how this scapegoats mental health. I mean that. In a world where 1 in 6, to 1 in 5 adults are actively living with mental illness, is it really the time to blame some of the most catastrophic events we are currently experiencing on mental illness? I mean that seriously. I'm concerned that we have to find something to blame other than people. I worry about the added stigmatization that occurs from this. How it could potentially damage the rights of non-dangerous people to obtain firearms in the future. I mean that sincerely. I fear by always leaping straight to mental health at mass shootings we will end up making things worse not better. And hear me out, please.
First things first. A diagnosis of a mental health condition does not increase the probability of violent action. Generally speaking mental health is only directly contributed to 3-4% of all violent action. That's it. There are a few rare conditions that do increase the chance of violent behavior. But they are not the majority of any mental illness diagnosed, nor are they statistically a factor at large. The fact of the matter is that struggling with mental illness is more likely to make you the victim of violence than the perpetrator. We have to stop equating struggling with mental health and violent acts.
We all know that on top of this there is a general stigma against seeking help for mental health. Especially among men. that's one of the main reasons I stop when I hear that a proposed step for a mental health screening troubles me. We can only stop people who seek help and gain a diagnosis. Will actions like this stop people for seeking care. Men are already less likely to seek care. More likely to commit suicide. Using this as a checkpoint for firearms makes me think that the population most likely to still own firearms will care for their mental health less and less. This a population I care about. One I'm part of and one I work with. I truly worry about alienating them more and more.
Now I'm not without solutions. I think universal background checks are on the horizons, red flag laws with clearly delineated policies in compliance with due process need to happen. We have to do something. But lets be pragmatic about it.
In the meantime we need to stop scapegoating mental health to excuse radicalization and evil. It can happen to any of us if we aren't careful. We are responsible for our own actions and we need to remember that. Your behavior is always your behavior, your thoughts and actions belong to you.
https://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/issues/state-mental-health-america
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness.shtml
https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/mental-health-myths-facts
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/mental-illness-and-violence
https://jech.bmj.com/content/70/3/223
First things first. A diagnosis of a mental health condition does not increase the probability of violent action. Generally speaking mental health is only directly contributed to 3-4% of all violent action. That's it. There are a few rare conditions that do increase the chance of violent behavior. But they are not the majority of any mental illness diagnosed, nor are they statistically a factor at large. The fact of the matter is that struggling with mental illness is more likely to make you the victim of violence than the perpetrator. We have to stop equating struggling with mental health and violent acts.
We all know that on top of this there is a general stigma against seeking help for mental health. Especially among men. that's one of the main reasons I stop when I hear that a proposed step for a mental health screening troubles me. We can only stop people who seek help and gain a diagnosis. Will actions like this stop people for seeking care. Men are already less likely to seek care. More likely to commit suicide. Using this as a checkpoint for firearms makes me think that the population most likely to still own firearms will care for their mental health less and less. This a population I care about. One I'm part of and one I work with. I truly worry about alienating them more and more.
Now I'm not without solutions. I think universal background checks are on the horizons, red flag laws with clearly delineated policies in compliance with due process need to happen. We have to do something. But lets be pragmatic about it.
In the meantime we need to stop scapegoating mental health to excuse radicalization and evil. It can happen to any of us if we aren't careful. We are responsible for our own actions and we need to remember that. Your behavior is always your behavior, your thoughts and actions belong to you.
https://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/issues/state-mental-health-america
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness.shtml
https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/mental-health-myths-facts
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/mental-illness-and-violence
https://jech.bmj.com/content/70/3/223
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