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Tech Tragedy and mental health

June 19, 2007 12:35 am

MOST AMERICANS can probably remember a few events involving violence that negatively thrust mental health into the national spotlight, such as the 1999 Columbine school shootings or the 1998 Capitol Hill shooting.

Sensational media coverage often follows these tragedies, fueling fear, misguided public outcry, and reactionary public policy decisions.

In keeping with history, the Virginia Tech shooting stirred emotions and spawned discussion from all corners of this nation and across the world.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families, students and faculty who fell victim to this brutal and senseless act of violence. We know that everyone who lives, works, and raises children in the New River Valley is a victim. The entire community was damaged, thus we mourn deeply with them for this loss of innocence.

It was especially troubling to mental health professionals and advocates, and to all persons who now have or have had in the past some form of mental illness, to hear of Seung-Hui Cho's history of untreated psychiatric distress. As so often happens when a sensational act of violence is reported in the media, a causal connection between mental illness and inevitable violence is relentlessly repeated, prompting the general public to fear those with mental illness, or restrict their liberties in the name of enhanced public safety.

Each day, popular images and messages in film, television, and print media contribute to an inaccurate and unfair public perception that individuals with mental illnesses are responsible for the violence committed in our communities.

The reality is that the vast majority of people with mental health problems are no more likely to commit violent acts than the general public. Ironically, people with mental illnesses are actually more often victims of violence than perpetrators of it.

To illustrate how common mental illnesses are, consider this: 26 percent of American adults have some form of mental health disorder. This means we all have at least one relative, friend, neighbor, or co-worker living with a mental illness. And chances are we have never thought of them as violent.

Each time we equate mental illness to violence, we marginalize the millions of Americans who work to manage their illness and lead productive lives. What's more, by fueling this link between violence and mental illness, we discourage people who need medical care from seeking it.

These misconceptions ultimately distract us from facing the ugly reality--that mental health in America is in dismal shape. In fact, President Bush's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health declared that America's failure to make mental health a priority is a national tragedy.

The solution to this problem requires, first and foremost, the establishment of a comprehensive mental health system focused on mental wellness and prevention. Rather than treating only the sickest Americans, as we do now, we must implement early intervention and prevention programs to detect early signs of mental illnesses and treat them before they become serious problems. Such a strategy will decrease hospitalizations, homelessness, needless incarcerations, and suicides.

But to truly solve this complex problem plaguing our nation, we must first shift our own, personal attitudes. If we truly wish to prevent these tragedies from recurring, we must abandon antiquated beliefs attributing violence to mental illness. Not only are they false, but they prevent us from making mental wellness a part of our everyday lives and discourage those in need from seeking the treatment they deserve.

The horrific shooting on Virginia Tech's campus can't be undone. But it can be seen as an opportunity to embrace mental health for all Americans--not just those privileged enough to afford treatment, or those lucky enough to avoid illness, but for us all. If we don't make the most of this opportunity, who will we scapegoat when the next tragic event rolls around?

Tragedy often stimulates sweeping policy change. Let us take this time to ensure that what changes as a result of our collective loss is for the good of all people, including people who combat mental illness and the discrimination that unjustly surrounds it. Let's work to break down the formidable barriers preventing people from seeking and receiving help: stigma (which dissuades half of those needing help from getting it), and America's under-funded and ill-equipped mental health system. For the fact is that two-thirds of American adults and children go without needed care.