Violence in Mental Health: I was just contacted by a US journalist regarding my opinion on the latest violent killing in Florida. I told her what I tell everyone. These killers have something in common- and it’s not a hate group or terrorism.
It’s mental health disorders.
I have studied violent behavior in mental health for many years including being honest with myself about my own violent mental health symptoms when I’m in a mood swing from my bipolar disorder. This is not only a gun issue- the person who did something similar in China used knives and in Sweden, a sword.
We have to WAKE UP and listen to what family members say about the person who committed the violent act. They speak of mental instability, drug use, problem relationships and failed psychiatric care.
I will speak up. I am not scared to tackle this. We have a violence in mental health problem that we are scared to address. If you look at ALL of the lone killers in the US in just the past few years, they all have something in common:
….failed psychiatric treatment.
People with mental illnesses are not inherently violent. When we are stable, we are regular people. But when our symptoms go untreated and we add drugs such as steroids or high THC marijuana to the mix, we are an internal bomb waiting to go off. That is terrorism of a very different kind.
There is no need to tell me that I’m wrong or that I’m painting all of us with the same brush. I’m giving an opinion from personal experience through myself and hundreds of clients. I have incredible compassion for the families who try to help people with obvious mental health concerns: families who are stopped cold by a system than no longer works.
In my life, in my daily work and obviously in the news, I see a problem in MY COMMUNITY that we are not addressing correctly.
Mental illness needs treatment. Let’s join together and change the laws such as HIPPA and help family members get help for people who are ill and potentially dangerous. Then groups such as ISIS will not be able to recruit and perpetrate terrorism through people who are mentally unstable.
Julie
ALl these killers you say have something in common which isnt a hate group or terrorism. When have you become an expert on this. Every day in America ther is a mass killing, not at this level but if you do your research you will find my statement to be true. Based on that fact you sure must know alot about this. May I suggest you stick with your work on Bipolar Disorder and I never knew you were a profiler or psychologist. Military drone pilots in Nebraska flying drones over Afghanistan that bomb so many innocent people according to your supposition are then also mentally ill. I dont think its as cut and dry as you portray it to be. One mass murder every day in America. Think about that. Then we are all mentally ill.
Sorry Julie. Just because his wife said “he was bipolar” doesn’t make it so. I haven’t seen any evidence that his behavior would indicate it or that he has been diagnosed bipolar. Violence does not equal bipolar. In fact didn’t you write yourself in ‘Loving Someone’ that bipolar people are not inherently or typically violent? It is sad to me after how much help your books have been to me that your first reaction is believing the media spin that he might be bipolar. The same media that doesn’t know crap about being bipolar and cannot be bothered to find out. How does HIPAA stand in the way of getting help?
Have you considered that this man was an evil and hateful human being who thrilled in abuse and murder? Have we ever had a shooter with an actual confirmed diagnoses of bipolar disorder?
I agree w/Julie’s statement that failed psychiatric treatment, among other things, such as lack of social support, isolation, constant negativity in the media & on TV & doing certain drugs can contribute to violent behavior in otherwise non-aggressive people w/mental health problems. By now, it’s not a new phenomenon. I would add chronic pain to the list as it aggravates depression & contributes to lack of sleep for millions of sufferers. And the CDC has now sought to try to punish the majority of those people who use medication responsibly for the actions of a few who choose to abuse it.
Health care isn’t as holistic now. Patients are in/out the door as quickly as possible without much individual attention…if they even get through the door. Providers are swamped w/paper work to ensure patients’ medical privacy isn’t compromised but treatment is often generic in its approach which doesn’t bode well for mental health sufferers where ‘one size doesn’t fit all’.