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Mass shootings are difficult to prevent with mental health resources alone, experts say
NBC News / Comcast ^ | May 28, 2022 | By Melissa Chan and Elizabeth Chuck

Posted on 05/29/2022 9:26:40 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

In the wake of yet another mass shooting, some Texas politicians have called for increased mental health services to help prevent the next tragedy.

But experts working in the field warn that there is no fully effective solution to stop these shootings before they happen, with some saying that blaming mental health is a deflection from the fact that gun control is a necessary part of prevention.

"We can do all the things we can to help students, but at the end of the day, if a student has the notion to go shoot up a school and has access to the weapons to do that, I'm not sure any measures that may or may not have taken place would necessarily prevent it," said Jill Cook, the executive director of the American School Counselor Association.

"If somebody comes to a door with a semiautomatic weapon," Cook said, "that's it then."

Although Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday that a "mental health challenge" had played a role in the massacre, the gunman had no known criminal history or mental health issues.

Less than 10 percent of shootings nationwide involve a suspect who has a mental illness, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Experts said mental health providers can only do so much, as gun violence and firearm purchases surge nationwide.

"Mental health is not going to take us all the way there," Cohen said. "The mental health community cannot solve the problem of gun violence in America."

(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: democrats; journalism; media; press
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To: Reily

The guy blew up a school house full of kids in Michigan. No reason found, he was normal except he shot his neighbors dog, beat a horse to death, argued with neighbors, and had 100’s of pounds of ww1 surplus explosives in his possesion. killed his wife and kids too. but, Just a nornal guy ,/s
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/1927-bombing-remains-americas-deadliest-school-massacre-180963355/


41 posted on 05/29/2022 10:32:20 AM PDT by Ikeon (Shoot back )
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Maybe shooting a perp while he’s outside for 12 minutes....


42 posted on 05/29/2022 10:36:15 AM PDT by struggle
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To: Ikeon

I apologise to doodledawg, i should have been more subtle, I dont want to set anyone off and doodle is too simple to understand Im being sarcastic /s


43 posted on 05/29/2022 10:37:32 AM PDT by Ikeon (Shoot back )
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To: ClearCase_guy
Killing someone does not require any mental illness.
The “derangement” people see after the fact is seldom if ever presented beforehand.

Some want to focus on age and deny or make it harder for young people to own firearms. Others want to defer to authorities, psychologists such as myself to determine who is capable. But millions of American's are law abiding gun owners who will never commit these crimes.

If some form of psychological fitness becomes a new requirement for gun ownership - with very few exceptions, the people who voted for Joe Biden will be determining who is competent to own a gun.

44 posted on 05/29/2022 10:40:40 AM PDT by PsyCon
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Maybe hanging corpses in cages had some deterrent value, as ugly as it is.

I read about an ancient Greek suicide epidemic among young women; the authorities put a stop to it by ordering that the bodies be dragged naked through the streets.

I have no idea how you deter the ones who plan to surrender alive. Heap scorn upon them for picking soft targets, children and grandmothers? The Buffalo shooter was considering churches and schools as alternatives Not, for some reason, the Crips’ corner. He’ll spend his life in protective solitary, or it will be a short and tortured life.


45 posted on 05/29/2022 10:43:58 AM PDT by heartwood (Someone has to play devil's advocate.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
The unwillingness to curtail the rights of a small sliver of the population (those mentally ill and violently inclined) in favor of curtailing the Constitutionally protected rights of all other citizens is itself a deflection.
46 posted on 05/29/2022 10:47:27 AM PDT by Wally_Kalbacken
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Gun control will not work. There are over 400 million guns in this country and with 3D printing, it is easier than ever to print your own gun. Blaming guns for the actions of a madman in this case makes as much sense as blaming cars for the actions of another madman in Waukesha. Its not the implement. Anybody willing to commit mass murder is not going to care about any law you pass.


47 posted on 05/29/2022 10:48:37 AM PDT by FLT-bird
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To: Ikeon

I don’t think that the Charleston church shooter, Columbine shooters, Buffalo shooter, and many workplace shooters are/were mentally ill in the sense of being detached from reality.

Monstrously selfish, consumed with rage, nursing a grudge or idea to obsession, but not insane, certainly not in the legal sense. Unbalanced, yes, but a lot of unbalance is letting yourself get to that place.


48 posted on 05/29/2022 10:50:34 AM PDT by heartwood (Someone has to play devil's advocate.)
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To: Ikeon
Are you expecting some kind of go-no go test for unbalanced enough to shoot someone?

I know better. It's those like you who are depending on the mental health care system to screen out potential shooters and prevent these kind of shootings. You haven't a clue as to how to make it work.

...but I do have a test for stupid...

And I'll bet you aced it.

49 posted on 05/29/2022 10:53:06 AM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Let’s see. The Soros appointed Democratic DAs all over the country are refusing to prosecute criminals, many Democratic Governors want to defund the Police, the Biden administration has opened the borders to illegal aliens and terrorists and many school systems are planting perverted ideas about sex and gender. Is it any wonder kiddos, young people and even older folks are becoming mentally unstable?


50 posted on 05/29/2022 10:57:17 AM PDT by antidemoncrat ( adn)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

What a load of 🐄💩.


51 posted on 05/29/2022 11:01:10 AM PDT by BiteYourSelf ( Earth first we'll strip mine the other planets later.)
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To: Dilbert San Diego

True.


52 posted on 05/29/2022 11:01:51 AM PDT by BiteYourSelf ( Earth first we'll strip mine the other planets later.)
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To: Mastador1

A couple of cans of gasoline.🙄


53 posted on 05/29/2022 11:03:19 AM PDT by BiteYourSelf ( Earth first we'll strip mine the other planets later.)
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To: coloradan

Yup, gun free zones are just shooting gallery’s for the bad guys.🤔


54 posted on 05/29/2022 11:07:33 AM PDT by BiteYourSelf ( Earth first we'll strip mine the other planets later.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Every situation has a “expert” hindsight genius.


55 posted on 05/29/2022 11:14:54 AM PDT by lewislynn (The Murdochs might be citizens but they aren't true blue Americans.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Study: Psychiatric diagnoses are ‘scientifically meaningless’ in treating mental health
“Perhaps it is time we stopped pretending that medical-sounding labels contribute anything to our understanding of the complex causes of human distress or of what kind of help we need when distressed.”

56 posted on 05/29/2022 11:25:45 AM PDT by Paal Gulli
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To: lewislynn

I work in mental health. And I believe we do a fine job of keeping MOST people well, functional, and alive (avoiding deaths through suicide) most of all.

We are not quacks. Prescribing medications to those who are depressed, or have ADHD, or bipolar, schizophrenia — these are mental illnesses which need treatment — just like your high blood pressure or your diabetes. Millions are treated every single day and go on to live productive lives — myself included as I’ve suffered two whopping clinical depressions in my lifetime. Without these meds, I wouldn’t have the life that I do now.

If I had to characterize my patients — they are GOOD people for the most part who have suffered traumas, poor lives, abuse, or have suffered loss. I would be shocked if any of the patients on my panel would do something of this nature. Most fear death, and are just trying to keep their heads above water.

This kind of crap is due to EVIL and pure social breakdown — PERIOD. No Dad, no mom, mom on drugs, no one watching the kid, no one guiding him. Who took him to scouts, to church, to activities growing up that formed his character. Who pulled him off socials, taught him how to care for others ...for himself. NO ONE. We are raising feral maniacs within a perverted society which refuses to punish wrongdoing ... he wasn’t mentally ill — he lacked a conscience, a moral foundation and character. He was a ruined human being — and we’re producing these ferals now by the millions.


57 posted on 05/29/2022 11:28:35 AM PDT by LibsRJerks
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

We didn’t have many mass shootings back when mentally ill people were confined and treated in county/state level facilities.


58 posted on 05/29/2022 11:31:07 AM PDT by Rebelbase
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

returning to teaching the 3 r’s instead of their teaching confusion, division, and hate might help stop this madness...


59 posted on 05/29/2022 11:38:53 AM PDT by heavy metal (smiling improves your face value and makes people wonder what the hell you're up to... 😁)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Mass shootings impossible to prevent with gun control laws.


60 posted on 05/29/2022 2:38:36 PM PDT by Bubba_Leroy (Dementia Joe is Not My President)
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