Leading organizations of psychiatrists and psychologists are pushing back against President Donald Trump and other Republicans’ go-to argument that claims mass shootings are caused by mental illness, not easy access to guns.
Trump claimed on Monday that “mental illness and hatred pull the trigger, not the gun” in his response to the mass shootings that in El Paso and Dayton that left more than 30 people dead this weekend.
But, without specifically mentioning Trump or other politicians, the American Psychiatric Association on Monday said that blaming mental illness is misguided.
In a Monday statement addressing the shootings, the organization of professional psychiatrists first noted that mental health programs are “severely underfunded in this country” to begin with (not to mention that Trump’s proposed cuts to the Affordable Care Act would further reduce access to care).
The group added: “It is important to note that the overwhelming majority of people with mental illness are not violent and far more likely to be victims of violent crime than perpetrators of violence. Rhetoric that argues otherwise will further stigmatize and interfere with people accessing needed treatment.”
Another major mental health organization, the American Psychological Association, issued a similar statement on Sunday.
“Routinely blaming mass shootings on mental illness is unfounded and stigmatizing,” the organization’s president said in a statement. “Research has shown that only a very small percentage of violent acts are committed by people who are diagnosed with, or in treatment for, mental illness.”
Additionally, investigators have found no sign so far that either of the two suspected shooters were mentally ill. The motive of the alleged gunman responsible for the Dayton massacre is still unknown, but police are investigating the El Paso shooting as a possible hate crime after they found a hate-filled manifesto online that the shooter may have posted before the attack.
“Leading organizations of psychiatrists and psychologists are pushing back against President Donald Trump and other Republicans’ go-to argument that claims mass shootings are caused by mental illness, not easy access to guns.”
Oh, c’mon, what in the hell do psychiatrists and psychologists know about mental health issues? I mean, really…*
*Above post available for purchase by Republicans everywhere.
“investigators have found no sign so far that either of the two suspected shooters were mentally ill.”
Sorry, but the GOP has us trapped in the circular argument: “Oh yeah? No evidence they were mentally ill? How about the fact that they went on a shooting rampage?”
THE GOP WANTS THE VIOLENCE.
Mental health, like patriotism, is another last refuge of assholes/Republicans: ignoring their own culpability, then lying about mental illness and thereby stigmatizing it further.
psychiatrists first noted that mental health programs are “severely underfunded in this country” to begin with
Thank the GOP for that one. At least that’s my experience in my state.
It is astonishing that all developed nations have the same prevalence of mental illness, yet only the USA has frequent mass shootings. All developed nations except the USA have sensible laws regulating firearms. Could there possibly be a connection?