The Santa Barbara shooting ought to scare the hell out of the American Psychiatric Association because the killer had undergone several forms of mental health treatment since he was a child. All of the therapy and medications prescribed didn’t make Elliot Rodger calm or docile. He turned into a whackjob, killing machine.
But on the other hand psychotropic drugs can’t do their job if the
the person they are prescribed to refuses to take them. My
understanding is that was the case with this sick individual.
That said, sometimes the meds are just not effective or they might
be prescribed the wrong dosage. I have worked at a sub-acute
care facility for youth many years and have seen both successes
and failures with prescribed psychotropic meds.
Any news yet on what drugs the psychiatrist had him on?