Psychiatrist: treat the mentally ill because they suffer. Not because they are violent

[Cetacea]

"The mentally ill are no more violent than democrats or republicans." Forensic psychiatrist on MSNBC

It's good to see actual mental health experts finally getting some air time.

[RainDog]

1. k and r n/t

[JuniperLea]

2. Weird comment though...

There are many mentally ill people who are very dangerous and far more violent than the rest of the population. That's why they have places especially for the criminally insane.

Additionally, this statement seems to divide us into three groups... Democrats, Republicans, and the mentally ill. From my experience, there are mentally ill people across all social lines, and there are most certainly mentally ill people in both of the political parties mentioned.

[Cetacea]

5. If I may

He correctly cited studies that show that people suffering from mental illness have no more tendency to violence than so-called mentally healthy populations, and that we are using a violent act as a call to arms for increased funding for mental health. And that lost in this dialogue is the fact that the mentally ill are suffering, and THAT is the reason why we should increase spending on treatment. At least that is what I got from it.

[HuckleB]

9. +1,000,000,000,000 ... +

We're too quick to use "mental illness" as an explanation for violence.
http://www.slate.com/id/2280619/

[JuniperLea]

14. Human suffering is a horrible thing...

And I agree, that should be the reason. It never is, and it never will be. You can't frame the need with human suffering. Sadly, that doesn't have "bling" enough, nor does it help a bottom line.

The violent act is what will draw attention. If we can end human suffering by using this violent act, I say more power to us! Empathy isn't the world's strong suit.

[Posteritatis]

10. Plenty of non mentally-ill people more violent than most of the mentally ill population too

Just a little tired of the "assume mental illness = intrinsic threat to others" mindset.

You're right on the division; however, a lot of people take it a step further and divide us into two groups, those being the mentally ill and the party of the divider's choice. Attitudes here about it are better than they are on the right, but that's like saying a femoral fracture's preferable to a severed head.

[JuniperLea]

15. I have to wonder how much violence...

Can be atributed to mental illness. A man set his girlfriend on fire about a mile from my house a week or so ago. I'd say he's mentally ill. I can't see a well person doing that.

And when you force healthy people to do violent things, it causes mental illness... wars do that.

[conspirator]

16. Cheney and bush have killed thousands. You don't consider them more violent than any crazy?

Although they are probably a bad example because they do seem mentally ill.

[JuniperLea]

18. See how that works?

They are horribly violent and they do seem mentally ill... at our expense.

[Odin2005]

3. K&R

[firehorse]

4. & make it as easier to get affordable mental health treatment as it is to get guns

[Cetacea]

6. Absolutely.

A dear friend who is severely depressed has to wait six weeks to ssee someone due to recent budget cuts. That is disgusting.

[Posteritatis]

11. One of mine had to wait a month, too

Then the doc she was going to see had a medical emergency of his own (car accident or something) and it got delayed another month. No fault of the doctor's or my friend, but that was frustrating enough for me and I'm (probably) neurotypical.

[pacalo]

7. K&R.

[xchrom]

8. How very civilized - and yet civilization seems to be out of reach. Nt

[Forkboy]

12. K&R

[stray cat]

13. A certain percentage of paranoid or schizophrenic individuals are more violent

Than the general populace according to an article in the new York times today

[Cetacea]

17. Mentally ill 2 ½ times more likely to be attacked, raped or mugged

So we should also ask how many acts of violence by people with any mental health diagnosis' were acting in self-defense.
Given that, I suspect that the incidences of violence from persons with mental illness is even lower than what studies show.

http://www.stopstigma.samhsa.gov/topic/facts.aspx

[defendandprotect]

19. Wait ... mentally ill are no more violent than the rest of society ....

about 5% -- that's it --