November 29, 2022

Studio Talk Podcast: Real Conversations About Mental Health

A Conversation About Gun Violence and Mental Health

Season 2 Episode 2

In this episode, the co-hosts, Xiomara A. Sosa and Victoria Lockridge discuss the connection or lack thereof, between gun violence and mental health. This subject matter is very controversial and the co-hosts made efforts to stick to conversation regarding the mental health implications of gun violence as opposed to gun policy, politics or the criminal justice system, except for offering general opinions in those areas. 

Following are some bullet points for reference: 

• Worsens the stigma for mental illness.
• Mental illness exists across the globe, but America continues to have one of the highest mass shootings rates .
• Relationship is complex.
• Is blaming mental health a way of avoiding gun control policy reforms?
• While awareness of mental health issues has grown, there is still a tendency to incorrectly assume that mental illness and violence are connected. Read More: https://www.verywellmind.com/overcoming-stigma-of-mental-illness-and-violence-5101229?utm_source=emailshare&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=shareurlbuttons
• Role of the media in portraying a link between mental illness and violence? How to balance staying informed and not living in fear. 
•  Bullying seems to be a common theme for school shooters. Environment plays a role. 
• Being dangerous is not the same as being mentally ill. That’s not something that can be changed by being admitted to a psych. hospital. 

Below are a few statistics to consider:

• Individuals with serious mental illness are 10 times more likely to be survivors of violence as opposed to perpetrators.
• 3%-5% of violent crimes are connected to serious mental illness.
• Most violence is not caused by mental illness. 4% of community violence is attributable to severe mental illness. 96% of the violence that occurs in the community has nothing to do with mental illness. 
• People with severe mental illness are 10 times more likely to be victims of violence crime than the general population. 

Some notes regarding gun violence trauma:

• Individuals react to trauma in their own unique way. Some may need support immediately after an event; some may need the support later on.
• There needs to be discussion, discernment and action focused on societal issues that set the stage for these tragic events. Racism, classism, oppression and the lack of mental health resources are just some pieces of a puzzle that has now led to more than 200 mass shootings in the United States since the start of 2022, according to the Gun Violence Archive. 
• Traumatizing when a safe space or safe object is now potentially dangerous (ie schools, grocery stores). 
• Parents may be struggling with how to talk with their children about horrifying events. Tips for checking in and starting an age-appropriate conversation.https://www.apa.org/topics/gun-violence-crime/shooting-aftermath?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=apa-helpcenter&utm_content=children-aftermath-shooting&fbclid=IwAR069gb42c ReNwqS_Fss8-lIFOjisv2NuHgbj_OEnV6zwTEi81tLPNFdTK4

Some information regarding Disaster Mental Health:

• We urge everyone in communities affected by trauma to keep an eye on those around them to make sure that those in need of help find their way to a professional counselor.
• The high cost of human-made disasters (2018)

Crisis Counseling reading:

• Crisis counseling: A blend of safety and compassion (2021)
• Crisis counseling via text (2021)

A note on mass shootings:

• We can agree that people who engage in violent shootings are not what we consider having good psychological wellbeing. Not mentally well, per se. Not emotionally well adjusted. That is very different from actually having a mental illness like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, etc. 
• Mass shooters have similar characteristics: not saying none have mental illness, some have to varying levels. But most have anger, bitterness, resentful bitter young men who have similar histories of social isolation, been bullied, harbor revenge fantasies, entitlement towards social standing, toward attention from women, feel like they aren’t getting the popularity, attention, recognition they believe they deserve. They think they are better than everyone thinks they are. They want to show the world that. 
• Those things can’t get appropriate medications like actual mental illnesses can (schizophrenia, etc.) We can't admit someone like that to a psychiatric hospital, treat them in 2 weeks & completely change the personality they spent their entire life building up. 
• Angry, socially isolated young man with no mental health/illness history. 

Statement of American Psychological Association (AP) CEO on Gun Violence and Mental Health: August 5, 2019

Blaming mental illness for gun violence is simplistic, inaccurate — and prevents us from solving the problem

WASHINGTON — Following is the statement of Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, CEO of the American Psychological Association, in reaction to President Trump’s statements today regarding gun violence and mental illness:

“Blaming mental illness for the gun violence in our country is simplistic and inaccurate and goes against the scientific evidence currently available.

“The United States is a global outlier when it comes to horrific headlines like the ones that consumed us all weekend. Although the United States makes up less than 5% of the world’s population, we are home to 31% of all mass shooters globally, according to a CNN analysis. This difference is not explained by the rate of mental illness in the U.S.

“The one stark difference? Access to guns.

“Americans own nearly half of the estimated 650 million civilian-owned guns in the world. Access to this final, fatal tool means more deaths that occur more quickly, whether in a mass shooting or in someone’s own home.

“As we psychological scientists have said repeatedly, the overwhelming majority of people with mental illness are not violent. And there is no single personality profile that can reliably predict who will resort to gun violence. Based on the research, we know only that a history of violence is the single best predictor of who will commit future violence. And access to more guns, and deadlier guns, means more lives lost.

“Based on the psychological science, we know some of the steps we need to take. We need to limit civilians’ access to assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. We need to institute universal background checks. And we should institute red flag laws that remove guns from people who are at high risk of committing violent acts.

“And although the president called on the nation to do a ‘better job of identifying and acting on early warning signs,’ that requires research to ensure we are making decisions based on data, not prejudices and fear.

“We agree with the president’s call to strengthen background checks. But this falls woefully short of what is needed. We must take a comprehensive public health approach and provide dedicated federal funding to agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, to better understand the causes, contributing factors and solutions to gun violence.

“The president clearly said that it is time to stop the hateful rhetoric that is infecting the public discourse. We ask that he use his powerful position to model that behavior. And we ask that the federal government support the research needed to better understand the causes of bigotry and hate, and their association to violence, so that we may devise evidence-based solutions.” 

https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2019/08/gun-violence-mental-health

Racial disparity with gun violence- “Sarro says it has seemed much easier for people to explain violence by White perpetrators in terms of mental health, whereas a Black person may be called violent even if they haven't committed a crime. "We cannot talk about violence and mental health without talking about race, white supremacy, and gender," they say.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/free-range-psychology/202104/the-psychological-impact-the-surge-in-mass-shootings#:~:text=Mass%20shootings%20are%20a%20collective%20trauma%2C%20regardless%20of,with%20mass%20violence%20is%20complicated%2C%20and%20often%20inexplicable.

https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/

https://abcnews.go.com/US/gun-violence-america-mental-health/story?id=79101219

"Blaming mental illness or mental health conditions for gun violence is really a distraction from the real issues at hand which are evidence-based risk factors and the fact that in our country, it’s easier to get a gun than to get mental health care," Kimball said.

As always, they encourage their listeners to provide feedback, comments as well as their opinions and experiences about their own experiences with major life transitions that impacted their mental health. The discussion offers resources and references for listeners to review and examine and listeners are encouraged to do their own research and draw their own conclusions about the issues discussed. As with most issues, there are negatives and positives found and the co-hosts recognize that as reality and have an honest conversation about it.

Subscribe on these podcast platforms https://blubrry.com/studio_talk_mental_health/ 

Submit your request for a discussion topic to studiotalkmentalhealth@gmail.com

Visit the podcast website at https://www.studiotalkpodcast.net/

Share this episode with your friends, family, and colleagues.

References: 

https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/mass-shootings

www.speakingofpsychology.org

Mental Health Resources:

https://www.thex-studio.org/resources

Studio Talk contact: studiotalkmentalhealth@gmail.com

Learn more about our co-hosts: 

Xiomara A. Sosa https://www.swmhs.net/

Victoria Lockridge https://www.wildvioletcounseling.com/

The Studio Talk podcast and the information provided by Xiomara A. Sosa and Victoria Lockridge are solely intended for educational and social change advocacy purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although they are licensed mental health counselors, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical, psychological, or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician or appropriate mental health provider before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.

Copyright XAS Consulting, LLC DBA Studio Talk Podcast: Real Conversations About Mental Health

PLEASE READ: If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call a local emergency telephone number or go immediately to the nearest emergency room. If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services.