When people hear about gun violence and mass shootings, they would wonder what their motives are behind their actions. Slowly, they would connect it with mental health. Before the 1970’s people would think of mental health as dangerous and people that are diagnosed with it are defective. The views of mental health started to change through the past few years and more people are getting educated on what mental health is. However there are still many that when a harm occurred in society occurs the first cause that they would think of is mental illness. Mental health isn’t the main reason for gun violence instead, there are many factors that cause the tragedy. Mental illness is very complicated. It’s linked with our emotions and affects how we act and think as a normal person. Not only that it’s complicated on the effects it gives to a person but also the treatment part. Mental disorders aren’t easy to cure and some might not even be curable and it also takes time.
On the other hand, gun violence isn’t just homicides which are the act of killing one person by another. It also include suicides and mass shootings with most suicides linking to mental health. As of in the US, the rate of gun murder has been increasing rapidly through the past few years especially during 2021. As of suicide firearms, it is too more than half of the other suicide deaths. The increasing rate is causing trauma and a mess to US society. Due to the legalization of owning firearms not only mass shootings and homicides increased but for the people trying to protect themselves from these situations also chooses to own a gun. What this causes are more gun violence and it creates a cycle that continues on and on.
The article Is Mental Illness a Risk Factor for Gun Violence? written by Rajeev Ramchand and Lynsay Ayer discusses on whether there are relations between mental health and self directed and impersonal gun violence based on scientific research. To find out the answer the answer, Ramchand and Ayer first researched about the connection with gun violence and suicide because most suicides are related to psychiatric disease and more than have of them chooses firearms to end their life. “A study of suicides and suicide attempts in Chicago between 1990 and 1997 found that those who used a gun were more likely to have a diagnosis of deppression or psychosis (Ramchand, Ayer).” There are still different reasons to why people who had a mental disorder to choose firearm as a way to suicide compared to the ones that didn’t suicide with a gun. It is also stated in the article that the ones that has a lower possibility to use a firearm to suicide was because they are being aware of and advised to not to do so. Moving on to homicides there is a study that shows “Amongst those same 951 people, 19 acts of gun violence committed by 9 people involved a stranger as a victim… and 1 percent committed an act of violence with a gun in which a stranger was the victim (Ramchand, Ayer).” Out of the 99 percent the victims aren’t strangers meaning that the assailants either know who their targets are or they know what they are doing. However there is also evidence stating that there is a high percentage that in the people that are victims of homicides, many of them are diagnosed with mental issues.
Moving on to the second article Changing the Narrative: Mental Illness and Gun Violence authored by Erin O’Brien claims that people are blaming the reason for homicides and mass shootings towards mental health. “‘People feel better blaming these events on something that is treatable/genetic,” Thrasher told Psychiatric Times. (O’Brien)”. There isn’t a direct answer as of what the assailant’s motives are but they still want to give a reason that is reasonable and they’ve come to the conclusion that the reason is mental health. It would cause people to panic if they found out that mental disorder isn’t the reason because then any normal person would commit homicide. Since it isn’t the problem of mental illness it can be the problem of legally owning guns. According to one of the interviews in the same article there are more guns owned than individuals. What is the relationship between mental issues and gun laws? “Some states have strict gun laws, while others are more lenient. Some allow citizens to buy and carry guns without permits, training, or background checks (O’Brien).” Compared to the states that are strict with gun laws, for the states that aren’t, anybody would be able to own a gun and they probably wouldn’t be using guns at the right time that they should. This can also include individuals that have mental issues. Therefore, even if mental health is the reason for gun violence it still isn’t the main cause. There should’ve been a more strict policy for gun control.
Many citizens believe that people that are mentally ill are the main elements of being a perpetrators of gun violence but they are rather the victims. Mental Illness Too Often Wrongly Associated with Gun Violence written by Katie O’Conner states, “In some circumstances, psychiatric patients may have a high risk of violence perpetration compared with the general population…Yet the risk violence may be correlated with other systemic concerns… (O’Conner).” There are other factors that can cause a psychiatric patient to become violent such as poverty or the use of drugs but it is not as likely for them to use a gun towards strangers. The reasons behind gun violence are still complicated. “…including being young, male, and disadvantaged and misusing drugs or alcohol (O’Conner).” The way how people are being raised and the disadvantages that they have really affects a person while they are still growing up. It can change the pathway of how their life would be like.
In conclusion, mental disorders aren’t the main cause of gun violence. Anyone could be the perpetrator. Although, people with mental issues can be the victims rather than the assailant. There should be more focus on the gun laws from each state and ask if it is safe enough. The main issue also isn’t to what’s the cause but to how can there be a reduction of gun violence because linking gun violence with mental health is also being biased.