Under Construction - MHWA Retreat

It’s hard to know what to say and where to start. I am afraid my answers to the topic turned into more of an article, and that I have offered up more questions than answers. Not sure if that is the purpose of the Retreat. But here goes:

I have many thoughts and feelings concerning mental health stigma and violence that to discuss the two is difficult. To discuss mental health stigma following horrific violence is even more difficult. I, personally, feel stigmatized whenever I see or hear someone say the “mentally ill” are responsible for the violence in our country.

Violence by a mentally ill person is usually self-directed but can with some severe psychotic diagnoses be outwardly directed as in the case of Florida school shooter. The almost immediate response to the Florida tragedy was to jump on the bandwagon judging the mentally ill as potential purveyors of violence.
However, to cluster all mentally ill, approximately 40 million people, as potential shooters; or as having socially violent tendencies is stigmatizing a national community of people. Almost 20 percent of the mental disorders experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and most of those are war veterans. How do we justify limiting our veteran’s gun rights? That wouldn’t go over well in our country of war heroes.

Half of Americans with a substance disorder have coexisting mental health disorder. Alcohol plays a major role in domestic abuse violence.
Are most of domestic abuse violent crimes the result of the mentally ill is a question that furthers the depth of the debate.

I heard on one of the news channels that politicians are discussing the issues of mental illness and the purchase of assault rifles and guns. The politicians want to increase the effectiveness of federal background checks which generally assesses criminal backgrounds to include mental health history, and by increasing the age restrictions from 18 to 21. There is no mention of gun restrictions.

How can politicians write laws that will alleviate the country’s fixation on violence and the weapons used to commit the violence?

Decreasing funds for mental health services has trivialized the need for care of those with a mental disorder. The state budgets put mental health needs at the bottom of whatever list they use. Budgets that cut case management personnel, counselors, housing assistance and emergency services only increase the need for budget increases in other programs such as law enforcement. More police and court costs do not solve any of the violence, and nor does it alleviate the mental health system’s needs.

My opinion, in general, is to increase the mental health services to envelop those who are in the most need. Then, in my opinion, limit the types of weapons that are available to the public at large, not single out those with mental illness.