Global Courant
Due to the increase in school shootings in the United States, there is an ongoing debate about solutions. One of the most watched causes of mass shootings is the mental state of the shooters themselves. Most mass shooters have a few things in common.
1. Raised in a fatherless home
2. Took prescription psychotropic drugs
3. There were stressful events in their lives
For category #1, the solutions are obvious. We need to revamp family courts so that there are no “winning” parents and “losing” parents. I speak at length on this subject in my published report sent to the UN entitled “Global Human Trafficking in The Family Law Courts”, which can be found on Amazon.
However, for the sake of this article, I want to focus on the mental health aspect. There is no denying that our school systems and our healthcare systems hand out psychotropic drugs like candy! Children who don’t pay attention in class are quickly prescribed Ritalin. Depressed teens are quick to get Prozac; the situation for adults is not much better.
Let’s take a look at modern day rappers like “Lil Xan,” “Future,” and the recently deceased 20-year-old rapper, “Lil Peep,” who died from a Xanax pill laced with Fentanyl. The rapper was regularly seen on Instagram taking handfuls of Xanax pills on a daily basis. His young fans who idolized him are most likely following his example.
According to the business-insider news site, the United States of America is the world leader in prescribing antidepressants. According to one of the published papers, it was found that 12% of all Americans use some kind of drug to treat mental illness.
There are pros and cons to these numbers. Take South Korea, for example, a very developed country, but it ranks #3 for suicides. In Korean culture, seeing a doctor for depression is a social stigma that shows weakness, especially in a part of a man. It is not surprising when you consider that 80% of all suicides in the world are attributed to men. As mental illness is virtually ignored in South Korea and among men in general due to society’s pressure to remain “stoic”, people are committing suicide left and right.
On the other hand, the United States, which ranks between #30 – #40 (depending on the study), for suicides. So there is some evidence that antidepressants might work. Or is it purely cultural? Jamaica is often at the very bottom of the list for suicide rates, despite being a poor country. Although poor, the communities are very close-knit and their culture is very cheerful. Maybe it’s because marijuana is legal to smoke in the country! Who knows!
But one thing I do know; antidepressants and other medications used to treat mental illness have many side effects. “Suicidal thoughts” is often listed as one of the main side effects of Prozac. Imagine that! A drug designed for suicidal people who can cause suicidal thoughts! There is no doubt that the use of psychotropic drugs changes brain chemistry, just like alcohol or other intoxicants.
In my opinion, occupational therapy, talk therapy, and community interaction are among the best treatments for depression. But then again, there is also a downside to these kinds of therapies.
Every time an American sees a counselor for depression, suicidal ideation, or other mental health issues, they are being “logged” and “stereotyped.” Those who see a mental health counselor can have such activities used against them in a custody battle or those who want to buy a firearm.
Imagine you are battling depression, so you go see a counselor, only to have it used against you in the future. This is why many, including myself, dread the idea of seeing a mental health specialist during times of great stress. Once you visit these people, you are very “tagged” and will be “marked”. If you’re facing future lawsuits, the courts may find your medical records, while they’ll say:
“Ahhh! You’ve gone to a psychologist for depression several times! You’re not fit to own a gun or have custody of your children!”.
In some cases this may be true, while in others it may be an unfair stereotype. When people say they’re seeing a counselor or taking antidepressants, people will often laugh at you or maybe take a step back. We associate mental health problems with schizophrenia or severe manic-depressive types. The fact is that we all suffer from some form of mental illness.
If you’re too happy, the doctors will say you’re “manic.” If you’re too grumpy, they’ll say you have a “type A” personality. If you are too sad, they will say you are suffering from severe “depression”. It’s kind of like going to a mechanic. If you talk long enough, they’ll find out there’s something wrong with you!
The truth is simple. A visit to a psychologist could result in you losing the rights to your child, your firearms and your reputation as a person. It’s a sad truth. Under our current system, most people do not seek help for fear of being demonized.
The best ways we can prevent mass shootings is to encourage a friendly community, surround yourself with loving people, do your best to be involved parents, seek natural therapies for mental disorders instead of drugs when possible ( sports, occupational therapy, etc.) . If you hear voices or regularly attempt to commit suicide, you should definitely seek medical attention.
Requiring mental health screenings to buy firearms sounds like a great idea until you realize most don’t seek help to be able to buy a firearm! Why not screen people’s health before they buy alcohol, get a driver’s license or board a plane? Mental health can make almost any activity dangerous. Our country needs to stop looking for “quick fixes” and start looking at the true cause of our demise.
Our fast food, sex violence, entertainment, glorification of misconception anarchism. There is “freedom” and then there is “responsible” freedom. However, make choices in life, make those choices regarding how it will affect your society as a whole. Legislators cannot solve these problems. These issues require families to stand up, unite and take back the reign of traditional values without going overboard.
A middle ground has to be found between progressive thinking and traditional values. We shouldn’t be afraid to move our society forward, but we also shouldn’t totally ignore the traditional ways of life that have served our humanity for so long.
Finally, we need to encourage more anonymity within our mental health departments. Must like the “confessionals” in a Catholic church. If people could be treated anonymously without too much paperwork to stigmatize them, I’m sure a lot more people would come forward and ask for help.
As a boxing coach, this job often requires me to be a counselor, talk to my students and build their confidence. If you are depressed and need help but don’t trust or fear doctors, I think a good alternative is to stay active in a group setting. Building relationships is essential in fighting mental illness. In poor countries, suicide rates are often low because their communities are so close-knit. They may be poor, but none are more lonely than the isolated modern man typing in his cold, artificially lit office cubicle.
Why People Don’t Seek Mental Health Treatment
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