The Navy Yard Shooting: Is Mental Illness Always to Blame?

Much of what is labelled 'mental illness' is merely a person showing the effects of drugs (legal or illegal). Unfortunately some of what is blamed on 'mental illness' is also merely a person showing the effects of drugs (both illegal substances and legal psychotropic medications). And this increases stigma for all those with a mental illness. People can exhibit psychosis and do violent things when affected by drugs/alcohol that they would never do when sober. It doesn't mean it was caused by their mental illness. Prescribed psychotropics can have unpredictable effects on a person in the same way that illegal drugs and alcohol can have. But people automatically point to mental illness as cause rather than questioning any illegal or legal drugs. I don't know the facts about this case, so I'm just making a general comment about violence & mental illness.

It frightens me when we automatically assume it had to do with some 'disorder'. This will keep the stigma alive because people won't want anyone to think they are even or dangerous. Some things are don't just because...not necessarily have a reason. This guy was having his own issues and maybe they were mental illness. But, to start out of the gate with he had a mental illness makes me wonder if they are going to stop there or keep looking for another reason.

I agree. Why is mental illness always to blame? I thought a persons medical history was confidential, even their mental health history? How are loving, caring, non-violent mentally ill people going to be treated because of this hype about a persons mental health whenever someone commits a heinous crime? I'll tell you, they can't find jobs, they can't make friends because they are labeled with a mental illness and are basically shunned by their community, just because they have a mental illness. While mental illness may very well have played a part in Alexis committing the crime there is still the fact that he crossed that line and he had to know he was crossing that line; my mentally ill child always knew when he was crossing the line. With the stigma of mental illness so prevalent no one seeks help when they need it for fear of being labeled. And they "put on a good face/show" of NOT looking or acting like they may need help. THAT'S the reason Alexis was able to slip through their security checks. No one ever wants to admit that maybe they're not thinking correctly and that's how we are all fooled into thinking that something is a good idea, when it really isn't. It's time to put the stigma of mental illness aside and focus on the right or wrong of an issue. In this case he was very wrong and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law AND RECEIVE TREATMENT FOR HIS MENTAL ILLNESS.

They do have records of psychosis in his medical records and recent hospital visit. His mother also reported that he heard voices that he often followed. In this case, he is clearly mentally ill. In reality, there are huge gaps that need to be fixed in the mental health field.

Until you've seen someone you love and know to be a normally gentle person in the throes of an uncontrollable episode that implodes in spite of their greatest effort to control it, you should not comment. It is unexplainable, sadly sometimes heartbreakingly unmanageable.

Hi Alexa! I think a lot of what is reported is just sensationalism; it sells more news and gets more viewers. It is frustrating that someone's mental health is always the issue in the media when something like this happens. While in school,I told a few instructors I was bipolar. When it came time to do my student teaching, I chose not to disclose due to the possible stigma...the "we need to protect the children" idea. Sometimes we just have to discern when to disclose or not. It's a pity that some of us cannot disclose due to the media hype and fear. Perhaps someday!