tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4129722175911979282.post8199743834784184836..comments2023-04-04T07:26:09.997-07:00Comments on Searching for our silver lining: The state of mental healthCristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04317873211902543387noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4129722175911979282.post-28216513466345475822012-12-23T01:35:18.744-08:002012-12-23T01:35:18.744-08:00It honestly kills me that it is so difficult for s...It honestly kills me that it is so difficult for so many people to get the help they need, and that even for those who can gain access to help - there are often so many hoops they have to jump through first. Hoops that someone with true mental illness is not likely going to jump through. Our country is so broken right now, in so many different ways. There are so many changes that need to be made, but I fear we have gotten so caught up this dual party "us" vs "them" mentality that those changes will never actually be made. S.I.F.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15037271343194689612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4129722175911979282.post-49290378767874050462012-12-18T18:26:35.287-08:002012-12-18T18:26:35.287-08:00I had this exact conversation with my mom the othe...I had this exact conversation with my mom the other day. Yes, guns are an issue- but mental illness is the main issue here. It's sad. It's not fair. And it needs to be fixed. You can count me in for writing one of those letters Cristy. Tuttihttp://submerged.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4129722175911979282.post-24452596204943339132012-12-18T05:15:35.489-08:002012-12-18T05:15:35.489-08:00Also, to those who believe enacting stricter gun l...Also, to those who believe enacting stricter gun laws won't prevent a tragedy like this in the future, I urge you to look to the real-life example of Australia, 1996: http://www.slate.com/blogs/crime/2012/12/16/gun_control_after_connecticut_shooting_could_australia_s_laws_provide_a.html.Shelleyhttp://fromthewaitingroom.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4129722175911979282.post-5042250411771539072012-12-17T15:25:14.266-08:002012-12-17T15:25:14.266-08:00What I really want people to examine is how much w...What I really want people to examine is how much we have lost our way with caring for each other. You can't tell me that no one in Adam Lanza's life was aware that he was capable of such violence. Someone saw signs. Someone suspected he had this inside of him. Yet people didn't intervene. They "minded their own business" and kept it to themselves. If people had spoken up and gotten him some intervention, this might have never happened. Additionally, what the hell was his mother doing keeping guns in a house with someone who is mentally ill? When did we lose our common sense?Her Royal Fabulousnesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04008723588326617669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4129722175911979282.post-18548158456460104782012-12-17T13:50:54.561-08:002012-12-17T13:50:54.561-08:00Cristy, I want to thank you for writing this. I co...Cristy, I want to thank you for writing this. I completely agree. I also want to thank Shelley for her reply above - very interesting information.marisa shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00908879297936638337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4129722175911979282.post-9173618959843475052012-12-17T07:11:38.223-08:002012-12-17T07:11:38.223-08:00Totally agree.Totally agree.Aliciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15032718306225742021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4129722175911979282.post-3775021379309419362012-12-17T06:57:36.187-08:002012-12-17T06:57:36.187-08:00What I'd like to see is someone leading the ch...What I'd like to see is someone leading the charge on looking at the epidemic of mass shootings in this country from a holistic point of view. Mental illness is a huge part of the issue - I don't think anyone calling for stricter gun regulations is denying that (this touching blog post demonstrates the mental health issue in terrifying, crystal clear fashion: http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2012/12/15/i-am-adam-lanzas-mother). Access to guns and gun regulations, plus the omnipotent power of the NRA, are also a big part of the issue. Another part of the issue is perhaps the media. Then there are many unknown factors.<br /><br />I get uncomfortable when I see anyone beating the drum for any one issue over another. All of these factors are so important and deserve equal time under the light of scrutiny. The truth of the matter is that we don't know why mass shootings are increasing (here's a great post on that: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/12/14/why-are-mass-shootings-becoming-more-frequent/) but someone needs to start taking a serious look, and then tying that to action. Otherwise, I seriously fear nothing will ever change. If the loss of those 20 precious lives in Newtown doesn't start to incite some change, I can't think what will.Shelleyhttp://fromthewaitingroom.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4129722175911979282.post-17193351014109973582012-12-17T06:15:28.675-08:002012-12-17T06:15:28.675-08:00I couldn't agree with you more about the menta...I couldn't agree with you more about the mental illness. We can take away all guns in the world and it doesn't change one thing if we don't tackle mental illness head on in this nation. Just Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06315564549299993908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4129722175911979282.post-23627455639199302822012-12-16T21:07:10.959-08:002012-12-16T21:07:10.959-08:00It always makes me sad to hear, after a tragedy li...It always makes me sad to hear, after a tragedy like this, that there were signs that something was wrong. That the person(s) behind it was "troubled" but no one did anything about it. That if someone had reached out, sought help, this could have been prevented.Darylhttp://soonafamily.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4129722175911979282.post-50515361359862648332012-12-16T19:04:44.774-08:002012-12-16T19:04:44.774-08:00I am totally on the same page as you. The minute ...I am totally on the same page as you. The minute I heard about this, my first statement out loud was, "guns didn't cause this, mental illness did." No one wants to talk about mental illness. No one wants to talk about the root cause of actions like these. They just want to talk about the TOOL that was used to carry this out. The tool is not the problem - the mind behind that tool is. I will not say that our gun laws/controls are safe - I don't think they necessarily are in every state. But let's face it on this one - all of those guns were LEGALLY obtained by his mother. Stricter gun laws wouldn't have changed a thing in this situation, and it's blind of people to think they would have. Mental care, medication, and counseling could have very likely prevented this entire situation.<br /><br />Great post. It's refreshing to see someone focusing on the REAL issue here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com