The Mental Health & Recovery Services Board would like to extend its sympathies to the victims, family members, faculty, and community members who experienced such tragedy and violence at Virginia Tech this week. The shootings were senseless and horrific, and make us all wonder how such terrible things can happen.
As I have watched the news coverage of the heartbreaking events, I have wondered how we – people who are dedicated to helping people with mental illness – should respond. It is clear that the person behind these shocking acts had a history of mental illness and his taped and written communications portray a man tortured by delusions and rage. His mental state at the time of the crimes may offer us insight, but sadly, little comfort.
As the details of the shootings continue to emerge, it is important for us to maintain both our compassion and empathy for the victims and our perspective on people with mental illness. The reality is that the vast majority of persons with mental illness are not violent, even when their conditions are at their most debilitating. Statistically, persons with mental illnesses contribute only a small percentage of the violence in our culture.
According to the U.S Center for Mental Health Services, at any given moment more than 48 million Americans have a mental illness. Persons with mental illness are our neighbors, our coworkers, our siblings, and our friends. They are even members of our churches, synagogues, and other faith communities. And, the vast majority of these are not violent.
Our systems that are designed to care for persons with mental illnesses have limits. We strive to balance respect for the autonomy and dignity of the individual with their protection and the safety of the community. Fortunately, we can depend on the effective medications and treatments that help thousands of people recover every day. Sadly, there are times when a person’s right to self-determination leaves us helpless to help them.
We will continue to embrace the Virginia Tech community with our thoughts and prayers, and recommit ourselves to the belief in our core values of hope, help, and care. We hold the hope that every person can recover, we help with our immediate attention to the needs of persons with mental illnesses, and we care by continuing to give of ourselves to this noble cause.
Kindest Regards, Mike Schoenhofer |
