Mental Illness in the US

[AlexF129]

I want to clear a few things up. The Newtown incident has caused people to blame mass murders on Mental Illnesses. Having a mental illness myself (Aspergers Syndrome), I take major offense. People that blame an incident on something most of them know nothing about is absurd. Most people will only hear of the disease for the first time because of this. It makes them more hostile towards Aspies, and it really irritates me.

Does anyone else agree that people are blaming this incident on us (Aspies) is a little outlandish?

[ducttapetitan]

Basically every one has some sort of problem whether it be depression or anger etc.  so you can't really put the blame to mentally ill per say.   
However, mental illness is nothing to laugh at so I believe we should do as much as possible to make sure they get the help they need.

[MisterJH]

Yes, mental illness is often unfairly blamed. But so is gun control, and violent television, and society. The true issue is not mental illness but the political correctness crap that makes it impossible to instill moral values in children as part of education, and address problems, such as mental illness, effectively without worrying about offending oversensitive people who often dont even have illnesses themselves, yet feel the need to be the hero for people who are capable of just as much or more than they. Dont be offended by this, there is nothing you can do. Simply realize that this is a way to shift blame to something 'out of their control' so that the issues they create and can control are bypassed and ignored.

Rant complete

Pg-9 language please! -G

[ducttapetitan]

Just to get this out there, gun control laws will not be able to keep guns out of people's hands no matter how hard the government tries.  It's just not possible.  If some one wants a gun he will get it even if it means breaking the law.

[Gorzo]

I sympathize with Alex on this one. As someone with bipolar disorder, I understand the feeling of having a mental illness that is horribly misunderstood. I have yet to see it portrayed accurately on tv, its always accompanied by dementia or churned to a hyper-speed that just isn't how it works.

Everyone has something valid to say so far here. Mental illness by itself typically does not create a harmful person (certain illnesses are exceptions, sociopathy for example). That being said, its worth noting that mental illness needs to be properly handled, treated, and worked with.

[AlexF129]

I sympathize with Alex on this one. As someone with bipolar disorder, I understand the feeling of having a mental illness that is horribly misunderstood. I have yet to see it portrayed accurately on tv, its always accompanied by dementia or churned to a hyper-speed that just isn't how it works.

Everyone has something valid to say so far here. Mental illness by itself typically does not create a harmful person (certain illnesses are exceptions, sociopathy for example). That being said, its worth noting that mental illness needs to be properly handled, treated, and worked with.

Thank you for your sympathy Gorzo, and I sympathize with you as we'll. While my Aspergers is a smaller case (basically a higher functioning version than most), I've noticed that people who were my friends have veered away from me, and even though I try to convince them it's nothing to worry about, it's affecting my relations with them and others. Even my teachers act differently. It's kinda scary to be honest.

[Piotr]

Maybe you should stop talking about it.

[MisterJH]

Yes ignoring it helps, people dont need to know whats up they should like you for who you are and not judge for things you cant control, thay dont affect anything.

[Coffee Vampire]

I don't think the radical conservatives are right...who say it should be like the wild west everyone carrying guns. But I do think an armed guard at each school would stop most if not all of these incidents. I mean if you wanted to kill people...even if you were INSANE. You would not approach a building with an armed guard right at the front. This will never happen lol but cool to think about.

[MisterJH]

Not everyone SHOULD.. But everyone SHOULD be able to excluding those with specific reasons to not be considered safe with access to a firearm(i.e. criminal records or psychopathic tendencies etc..).

[Piotr]

I don't think the radical conservatives are right...who say it should be like the wild west everyone carrying guns. But I do think an armed guard at each school would stop most if not all of these incidents. I mean if you wanted to kill people...even if you were INSANE. You would not approach a building with an armed guard right at the front. This will never happen lol but cool to think about.

As you know I'm a big fan of logic
Following yours, would you approach the building where every teacher had a gun?

[Gorzo]

I don't think the radical conservatives are right...who say it should be like the wild west everyone carrying guns. But I do think an armed guard at each school would stop most if not all of these incidents. I mean if you wanted to kill people...even if you were INSANE. You would not approach a building with an armed guard right at the front. This will never happen lol but cool to think about.

As you know I'm a big fan of logic
Following yours, would you approach the building where every teacher had a gun?

CV wouldn't, but a killer of children is not a logical being.

Two armed guards at the elementary school in Newtown would most likely have become victims #27 and 28. It is likely they would die first in an ambush/blitz. A psycho bent on killing will find a way to kill.

[Piotr]

If you think about it logically, the guards would be victims #1 and #2, then the teachers would be alarmed bu the gunshots and killer would die as #3.

[Gorzo]

Possibly, its hard to say with hypotheticals. There are too many unknown and unforeseeable factors: misses? Suppressors/keeping quiet somehow? Mistakes? Slipping on a banana peel and breaking his neck the day before he was going to do this horrible thing?

But lets say the guards and guns everywhere were enough to scare him away. If he sent bomb and it killed those people, would that have been any better?

[Piotr]

My theory here is that it would be very difficult for that particular guy to kill so many people if majority of teachers were armed. He would still kill people but not nearly as many. That is all.