Often, in the aftermath of a small- or large-scale shooting, people’s first assumptions are that the perpetrator of violence must have had a mental illness. However, less than four percent of shootings are committed by those with a mental illness. Beyond large-scale violence, whether jokingly or sincerely, guns and gun violence is commonly associated with mental illness. Let’s break this down.
It is true that people with mental illnesses have shot people, and I don’t mean to brush over that lightly - but the stigmas around gun violence are strong and ever-present, especially involving mental health. But more often than not, people who commit large-scale violence are simply often domestic terrorists. Mental illness can and does create a small likelihood of violence, but that doesn’t usually result in action. Just as someone who doesn’t own a car has a greater likelihood of walking places doesn’t mean that they walk everywhere, they probably take mass transit or taxis. And when violence is committed by mentally ill people, it is mostly towards themselves, but that is an often overlooked side to gun violence.
What, then, are factors that increase the likelihood of actions of violence? As with many behaviors, the foundations begin early. Those who are raised in environments of violence (domestic, physical, and sexual violence) can be more likely to be violent themselves. Addiction and consuming substances that inhibit activity in the frontal cortex (the part that controls attention and judgment) also play a role. In fact, alcohol alone plays a larger role in gun violence than mental health.
As with all stigmas, this stigma too creates a shockwave that affects more than it may seem. There are already many assumptions and expectations of mental illness and health that simply aren’t true, and the likelihood to commit a mass shooting is one of them. It is another reason people who suspect they may have a mental illness, and those who are struggling with their mental health may not - and don’t- speak up and ask for help. The media, too, portrays mentally ill people as violent and dangerous. I’m no stranger to the various spin offs of Law and Order, and I can count on one hand the number of episodes in which I can remember the perp not being mentally ill. The overlap of schizophrenic people and crime truly is not as common as these shows want us to think they are. Because, as long as violence is constrained to mental illness, the writers can provide a riveting story with a neat little conclusion in which the criminal has a mental breakdown and surrenders to the police.
This is also convenient for politicians, too. As long as people believe that mentally ill people are dangerous and violent, politicians can pass laws expanding the budget of psychiatric institutions, requiring mental health assessments to purchase a gun, and to justify police shooting a mentally ill person because “they looked threatening”. The truth is, preventing shootings and gun violence requires more intervention than expanding the mental health teams at hospitals. We need to be starting young; ensuring that families that own firearms are keeping them safely away from children; having a strong system of support in place for youth whose families may be violent or feel unsafe; encouraging people who are struggling with mental health or addiction to seek treatment - the list goes on. But the truth is, as long as we have the scapegoat of mental health to bear the ramifications of not truly trying to prevent shootings, lawmakers and politicians don’t really have to do anything, unless pushed by their conscience or their constituency.
What can we do? Spread the word: remind people that being diagnosed with a mental illness does not make someone violent, and that gun violence has more complex roots than a diagnosis. Volunteer: organizations like the Sandy Hook Promise have a simple application for their national volunteer base. Build community: creating strong and safe places for people - especially young people - to come and feel welcome is vital. See if you can find a local organization to help advocate or fundraise for. If you’re still curious, try checking out these websites: