the intersection of the right to bear arms and mental illness

[undeterred]

Its time to face up to the fact that we don't have a way to keep guns out of the hands of people who are dangerously mentally unstable. Hell, we don't even have a cohesive health care system.

Whose responsibility is it to make sure that a young adult who is displaying signs of mental illness gets treatment and is prevented from acting out on violent impulses? His own? His parents? His roommates? His teachers? Whose responsibility is it to ensure that he does not plan a crime, buy a weapon and ammunition, and carry out a horrible crime?

Whose responsibility is it to pay for his treatment? In ths case of this student, it appears that the school or his family would have provided the help. But how many more cases are there where there are people in need of mental health treatment who do not know what they need or how to find it and pay for it?

It seems to me that these human issues have to come first. It isn't a matter of adding more guns to the mix, but of making sure that the people who are exhibiting signs of real distress are getting the help they need.

I want to live in a society where the right to mental health treatment for everyone takes precendence over the right for everybody to carry a weapon.

[LSparkle]

1. I agree completely -- mental health parity is very important

As Randi Rhodes mentioned on her show today, why is it that most health insurance covers everything from the neck down but many plans don't provide for adequate coverage of mental illnesses?

[mrreowwr_kittty]

2. You can't confine an adult against his/her will

Unless they have demonstrated that they are a threat to themselves or others. With the VT shooter, that condition may have been met with the stalking and setting the dorm room on fire. But obvious mental instability is not enough of a reason and unfortunately, the person may be able to obtain a weapon.

[undeterred]

9. Maybe we need to tweak the system a little.

[Sadie4629]

3. A couple of problems

First, you can't force someone to get help, unless you can PROVE he presents a danger to himself or others.

Second, if he had sought treatment, under HIPPA (sp?) his parents would have had no right to know anything about it. With a mental illness, he would need all the support he could get, and would effectively be denied the support of the people who love him most.

[ClintonTyree]

5. He lived close to home....

I imagine he saw his parents on a regular basis, at the very least on breaks and holidays. They should have known that he was displaying signs of mental illness. You can't hide things like that for long. Did they just ignore it? Could be. Mental illness has such a taboo about it, some families, especially foreigners, might not seek help because of the stigma involved.

Whatever the reason, this young man was seriously messed up and it seems many people missed the chance to get him the help he needed.

[undeterred]

6. I wish somebody knew how he was spending his money.

I guess we all wish.

[riderinthestorm]

7. I believe there is a case of a young man at a university who committed suicide

he was in therapy at the university clinic who didn't contact the parents because of HIPPA laws, even though the young man (a legal adult) was suicidal.

This guy had gone home, visited, spent time with his family, yet they missed the signs and he went back to university and killed himself. Who's to blame? Well, the parents are sueing the university mental health clinic for not telling them that their adult son was suicidal!

There are some people who are enormously skilled at hiding their disability. And some families (perhaps South Korean families) who handle mental illness differently than we would like. And perhaps there are even some families that believe their son/daughter's illness isn't even an illness - it's just the way they are.

I remember reading a book about a Hmong family in Southern California who had an epileptic daughter. The family believed she was blessed by the gods with visions, gods' touch etc., school and health officials believed she was ill. It was a classic cultural gap that resulted in devastating consequences for the girl.

[Madspirit]

4. As someone

As someone with bipolar, PTSD and depression, I just have to say....

a.) Mentally ill people are more likely to be victims of violent crimes than perpetrators.

b.) If you gave everyone in the country a full battery of psychologicals...it takes about three days...you wouldn't find ANYONE without something wrong.

c.) You're just jealous that the voices don't talk to you. (kidding)
Lee

[Bluerthanblue]

8. thanks Madspirit- you bring some good perspective to this issue- and

as a person with similar dx- I agree with you.

peace,
blu