Gun Violence & Mental Health: Thoughts from a Therapist in Missouri

Mental health and gun violence have been in the news a lot lately. Some people say that there is a clear relationship between the two, while others claim that there is no connection at all. As a mental health professional, I believe that it is important to look at all sides of this issue and come to our own conclusions. To look for the “kernel of truth” in both sides no matter how difficult that is. In this blog post, we will explore the relationship between mental health and gun violence, and I’ll share my thoughts as a mental health professional living in Missouri where guns are common and important to many, many people.

Children are Dying.

Last week, there was yet another tragic shooting at an elementary school in Texas. An armed 18 year old tragically killed 19 students and 2 teachers. That's 21 families lives changed forever. 19 children who could've grown up to cure cancer, be president, save lives working in the ER or otherwise change the world and now won't.  It's impossible not to feel angry, sad and frustrated when something like this happens.

When something as senseless as this occurs, people inevitably want to find someone or something to blame. It's human nature to try and make sense of the incomprehensible. In the aftermath of a tragedy, it's natural for people to look for someone to hold accountable. And oftentimes, the finger gets pointed at mental illness.

I knew that mental illness comes up in every conversation about gun violence, so I forced myself to open up my phone this morning and read the now familiar news stories and social media posts. As expected, the same old arguments were made.

Mental illness is an issue in this country.

Mental illness is a very real and serious problem in our society. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five adults in the United States live with a mental illness. That's over 40 million people.

And there are many, many types of mental illness. In fact,  the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) lists over 200 different types of mental illness. So when people say that "mental illness" is the cause of gun violence, they are really oversimplifying a very complex issue.

And we DON'T have adequate access to mental health services in this country.

Unfortunately, many people living with a mental illness with America don't have access to the treatment and care they need. According to NAMI, only 41% of adults in the US with a mental illness received any mental health services in the past year.

This is a problem because we know that treatment works. In fact, research shows that at least 70-90% of people with a serious mental illness can experience symptom relief with  treatment.

Think about that for a moment. That's a HUGE number. Meaning that if we could get more people the treatment they need, we'd see a significant reduction in mental health problems in our country.

Barriers to Mental Health Treatment

So why don't more people get the mental health help they need? Well, there are a number of barriers that prevent people from getting treatment. These include:

-Lack of insurance or inadequate insurance coverage

-Stigma and discrimination

-Lack of providers (especially in rural areas)

-Cultural factors

-Issues leading expert clinicians to turn away from insurance

These are just a few of the reasons why people don't get the mental health treatment they need. But I think it's important to note that even if someone does have access to mental health care, that doesn't mean they will seek out help.

Mental illness is still highly stigmatized in our society. In fact, many people are embarrassed or ashamed to admit that they have a problem. They may worry that people will judge them or think they are weak. So even if someone does have access to mental health services, they may not actually use them.

But Mental Illness Doesn't CAUSE Gun Violence.

The simple truth is that mental illness isn’t the cause of gun violence. It's important to remember that the vast majority of people with mental illness are NOT violent. In fact, people with mental illness are actually more likely to be the victims of violence than the perpetrators.

So even though mental illness comes up every time a mass shooting makes the news, mental illness it is not the root cause. And just addressing mental health in our society alone is unlikely to stop the gun violence.

I have mixed feelings when the topic of mental health comes up after gun violence

And, as a mental health professional, I have really mixed feelings that come up when people start talking about mental illness after a mass shooting.

On one hand, I'm glad people are acknowledging the failures of our system to treat mental illness. Suddenly, people are saying the very things that I know are true every single day but typically get very little attention: that we aren’t adequately devoting resources to mental health in this country.

Honestly, talking about mental illness in relationship to gun violence can actually do more harm than good

On the other hand, I think it's dangerous to connect mental health in conversation with gun violence. I know that only adds to the stigma which can ultimately discourage people struggling to seek help.

The bottom line is that we DO need to be talking about access to mental health in this country. We need to talk about it every day and be looking for solutions as a society.

But mental illness isn’t what’s causing the gun violence. It just isn’t.

And, if we're going to talk about gun violence & mental health, we have to address the elephant in the room: Suicide

I'm going to go just slightly off topic here, because it's relevant and comes up in my mind every single time we're talking about gun violence & mental health. As a social worker, I know just how common death by suicide is where a gun was the lethal method used.  In fact, firearms are the most common means of death by suicide.

So while I understand that people want to talk about mental illness & gun violence, I think it's important to also talk about suicide. After all, mental illness is a factor in the vast majority of suicides.

If we're going to talk about gun violence & mental health, we need to also be talking about suicide prevention. And that's a conversation for another day so I won't stay on this soapbox too long, but please do keep in mind that mass shootings aren't the only way people are dying from guns every year in the US.

Addressing Mental Illness Alone is Unlikely to Totally Stop Gun Violence

I think it's important to have a conversation about mental health in America. But I also think we need to be clear that addressing mental illness alone is not going to stop gun violence. Even if every single person who needed it had access to mental health treatment (and let's be honest, I don't see that happening anytime soon), I think we'd still have a problem.

Let's Have the Hard Conversation About Gun Laws

I hate to be controversial and usually try to shy away from politics in my blog posts. But as a mental health professional, the simple truth is that we need to address the issue of guns in this country if we want to see a reduction in mass shootings as well as suicides. And that means talking about some really difficult and controversial topics.

It means asking ourselves questions like, should there be a waiting period before a person can purchase a gun. To return to the topic of suicide, we know suicide is often impulsive so simply adding a waiting period may save some lives in that respect.

Addressing gun violence may mean asking ourselves who should have access to automatic  and semi-automatic weapons. It may mean talking about if there should be laws related to the storage or supervision of children like there are laws around things like buckling children into safety seats.

I come from a family of hunters and I completely get that most gun owners are responsible. I've talked to my own children about gun safety. And I'm not saying we should do away with all guns. Folks, I'm just saying let's stop avoiding the conversation or getting caught in "pro" or "anti" gun camps. For the sake of the children in this country, let's have honest conversation.  We need to do something to reduce gun violence in America and it starts with talking about guns and having an open enough mind that we truly listen to one another.

Gun Violence is a Complex Issue Likely Needing a Complex Solution

I'm not going to pretend to have all the answers here. But I think we need to start asking ourselves these tough questions if we want to see any real change when it comes to gun violence in America.

Mental health is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to gun violence. So let's stop acting like it's the only piece. And let's start having some tough conversations about guns in America.

I know that not everyone will agree with me on this. And that's ok. I accept that. But I think it's important to have a conversation about it if we're serious about saving the lives of innocent children in this country. An honest, direct and respectful conversation about it. So let me know what you think in the comments below. Do you think mental health is a factor in gun violence? If so, how do you think we should address it?

Improving Access to Mental Healthcare is Good, but we Need to do Much More to Stop Gun Violence.

So what can we do?

If we want to address gun violence in America, we need to have a multi-faceted approach that looks at all of the factors involved. That means looking at things like poverty, racism, access to guns (so many different ways to approach this!), and yes- mental health.

And we need to remember that this is a complex issue with no easy answers. There is no one "cause" of gun violence. There is no one "solution" to the problem.

It's going to take all of us working together to make a change.

Counseling and Mental Health Support in Missouri

At Aspire Counseling, we believe that you, or a loved one, deserves counseling that truly works. This is why our counselors focus so heavily on using evidence-based counseling methods while always individualizing your treatment to fit your unique needs, and to fit you as a person. We are proud to offer different services, as our therapists have several different specialties such as, depression counseling, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), anxiety treatment, trauma therapy/ PTSD treatment, along with counseling for children, teens, college students, and more.

We know that looking for a therapist can be both stressful and daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. If you reach out, our intake team will take the time to find out what you are looking for and suggest a therapist that will be a good fit. Then, you will have a free consultation with that therapist. And if that therapist isn’t a good fit? Our intake team is dedicated to helping you figure out another therapist to try. We understand how important it is to find the right person, and the right therapist to speak to, and we want to help you find a counselor with the skills, and training to truly help.

Please call (573-328-2288) or reach out to our team online. We offer counseling at our Columbia, MO counseling office. We also offer online counseling, that allows us to work with clients anywhere in the state of Missouri. So, don’t let location stop you from finding a great therapist. We’re here to help you get the treatment that you deserve.