Under Construction - MHWA Retreat

For those of you who are unaware, there was another mass shooting   in the U.S. this week. While violence with guns is a common occurrence in the U.S., violence in general is a common theme in many countries. Often following these events, the blame nearly immediately falls on mental health issues.

The topic for this week is stigma after violence. Questions to think about when answering:

Have you ever personally felt stigmatized for your mental health issues following a violent event? Have you ever read something online or been told something in person that made you feel discriminated against after a violent event?

The governor of Florida this week asked, “How do we make sure that individuals with mental illness do not touch a gun?”   If you have a mental health diagnosis, how does that statement make you feel?

Around 14 hours after this week's shooting, President Trump tweeted: "So many signs that the Florida shooter was mentally disturbed..."   How does this make you feel? Do you think it's too soon to comment on the perpetrator's mental health? If so, how long should they wait? Do you feel it's justified and a reasonable statement? If so, what would you say to those who feel stigmatized by it?

How should public officials go about discussing mental health issues related to violent events? Are they doing a good job? Could they do better? If so, how?

Do you personally believe that mental illness IS to blame for the majority of violent events? Can someone be a mass murderer WITHOUT being mentally ill? What is your opinion here?

Generally speaking, do you believe that events like this cause further discrimination against mental health issues, and if so, what could be the result of that discrimination?

***NOTE: This week's discussion is NOT a gun debate. This is NOT a political debate. This is NOT a religious debate. The purpose is to see how mental health sufferers and advocates feel about stigma following violent events.

Best,
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