If we place a huge scarlet letter on everyone who exhibits or incurs some sort of psychological problem during his or her lifetime
As I understand it, that would include 100% of the population at some time or other in their lives! Aren't we all just a bit what they used to call "neurotic"?
Millions seek help on their own for depression and the related psychological problems, some of which obviously plagued this shooter.
Not to pick on you, but this guy clearly had a lot more going on than depression. Maybe schizophrenic? I just worry that people will start seeing a mass murderer inside every person who is or ever has been depressed. And that would truly be a sad thing!
That said, the vast majority of people who suffer from schizophrenia are not dangerous. The two people I have known that had it were sweet as pie and have never been in the least bit violent.
I think the best thing we can do as a free society and one that wants to remain free, is to do more to remove the stigma, and not make it worse.
Amen. The more I learn about mental illness, the more I can say "there but for the Grace of God go I". These people really cannot help what their dysfunctional brain chemistry is doing to them, anymore than people with MS or Parkinson's or pick-any-disease can help what their illness does to them.
I just don’t understand that thinking. The question is NOT whether they should be stigmatized or whether we are sympathetic to their fate.
The paramount question must be whether they pose a danger. For example, I feel sorry for the person with highly contagious tuberculosis. However, that doesn’t mean I think he should move freely among the populace. If he refuses isolation, we must do it for him.
Once Cho was identified as dangerous, it should have been reported to the school and they should have expelled him. I’m not taking a position on institutionalization...just that we shouldn’t have to pretend he’s not a threat.
“Yesterday the Federal Communication Agency rightly cleared
Mr. Imus of “indecency” Now the FCA needs to take a look at NBC, again.
Showing a nonfiction real breathing example of madness has
benefited WHO? It was easier to know why NBC decided to add
to their problems, than to waste time understanding that an insane person can be a killer, be it 1 or 31 persons. NBC is
not insane and needs to be accountable in their shameful lust for ratings.”
Certainly true, but the field of psychology is far too complicated to make generalizations. We really don't appear to know enough.
I mentioned depression only because I believe Cho's untreated depression led to other manifestations, like paranoia, persecution complex and other personality disorders that were cumulative.
“These people really cannot help what their dysfunctional brain chemistry is doing to them, anymore than people with MS or Parkinson’s or pick-any-disease can help what their illness does to them.”
This is very true. A big problem though is that there seems to be alot of resistance from those with serious mental disorders (bi-polar, schizophrenia) (not depression/anxiety patients) in taking their medication. There seems to be a common complaint, they do not like the way the meds makes them feel. I have met two people with schizophrenia, one was angry, controlling and delusional, the other passive, deceptive & manipulative. Some characteristics may just be personality. But, when anger & delusional thinking comes into play, we all can see it can be very dangerous. I wish there was a way doctors could hold patients accountable to taking medication if the diagnosis is serious.