Mental Illness and Violent Behavior: An opinion from Julie A. Fast

(c) The Wordsworth Trust; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation

Violence and mental illness: There has been another shooting in the United States. This time in Kansas. I no longer even have to wait for police reports to know if the shooter is mentally ill. No one in their right mind gets a gun and kills innocent people- thus, someone who opens fire on innocent people is mentally unwell in my mind. I notice that Obama, whom I support fully in many areas has given $1 billion dollars to cancer research. It’s the same old story- cancer gets the funds and the mentally ill keep killing and dying. It’s estimated that 500,000 a year die from cancer. It’s estimated that around 50,000 die from suicide. We know those numbers are low- many people with mental illness die and it goes un-reported. I’d like to see a study that shows the % of money that goes to cancer vs. the amount that goes to mental illness research and prevention. If anyone has this answer, please post it below.

 


If we want to stop the extreme violence problem in the US regarding shooters of innocent people, we need to fund mental health research. As seen by the knifing in China and the sword killing of innocent people in Sweden, both by killers with a history of mental illness- guns are NOT THE PROBLEM. They make it easier and I fully support a measure that makes it hard for people with mental health disorders to get guns, but people who are sick will find a stick if nothing else is available. (No need to argue with me about this- I have a mental illness and I fully support the need for extra care to help us when we are not in our right minds- such as when I am manic and psychotic. I will respect your opinion on this and please feel free to state it below, but let’s stay civil and change the world and not fight with each other.)


 


Of course cancer needs funding, but it seems to be at the expense of mental health every time.


 


When I feel overwhelmed by all of this, I’m reminded that we are an advanced society going through a regression all over the world involving violence and human intolerance. We have been here before. Here is a poem ….. from the year 1802. Humans are what we are- we can change, but we seem to start at a baseline of needing to change the minute we are born into today’s world. What can I do to help the world? What can you do to help the world? What can we do as a team to help the world? My answer is simply: fund mental health care and end the preposterous mental health system with its HIPPA rules and out of date psychiatrists and treatment centers and move forward with FUNDING and care that works. If we can do this with great success with cancer, we can do it with mental illness.


 


Please share your opinion. Write as much as you like. Let’s talk about this. Let’s share our ideas.


 


Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead


 


And now the poem. I’d love to know what you think of this poem and how it reflects our world today.


 


Julie


 


The World Is Too Much With Us


 


BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH


 


The world is too much with us; late and soon,


Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;—


Little we see in Nature that is ours;


We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!


This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;


The winds that will be howling at all hours,


And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;


For this, for everything, we are out of tune;


It moves us not. Great God! I’d rather be


A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;


So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,


Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;


Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;


Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn.


 


***


 


PS: No matter what, I am an optimist. I believe that as a group- those of use with bipolar disorder can educate and change the world. Join me!

Related posts:
More on Jared Lee Loughner and Mental Illness
Guest Blogger pt. 2 Gayathri Ramprasad- author of Shadows in the Sun on Speaking the Truth about Mental Illness
Think Before You Speak: A kid talks mental illness and words