It’s no secret that gun violence has skyrocketed across the U.S. Just this year, there have been more than 500 mass shootings leading to the death of many and debilitating injuries for others.
As the federal government continues looking for strategies to curb this epidemic, one question remains: are mental disorders a risk factor for arms-related violence? Put simply; are people who live with a mental illness more likely to engage in mass shootings? This post explores the relationship between mental illness and gun violence. So read on to learn more:
Is Mental Illness a Risk Factor?
Anytime we hear of another gun-related massacre, most people automatically assume that the perpetrator was suffering from a psychiatric disorder. And why wouldn’t we? Who in their right minds would open fire on innocent souls?
So, should we blame the surge in mass shootings on mental illnesses? Well, statistics show that we shouldn’t. Although it’s true that a few mass shooters are people living with a mental illness, the numbers are too small to draw this conclusion.
According to this study, only 25% of mass murderers had signs of a mental illness. Of this percentage, the vast majority had not been reported to mental health professionals or law enforcement.
Another study showed fairly similar results. In the research, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) analyzed 63 active-shooter incidents that occurred between 2000 and 2013. They discovered that only 25% of the perpetrators had been diagnosed with a mental disorder of some sort.
Based on this, it’s safe to say that mental illness isn’t a strong indicator that a particular individual will commit crime or mass murder. In fact, this 2015 research published in the National Library of Medicine put the final nail in the coffin. It revealed that even if mental illnesses were to be taken out of the equation, acts of violence would reduce by a mere 4%.
Risk Factors of Gun Violence
If mental illness isn’t to blame, why is there such a rapid increase in cases of mass shootings? Well, researchers set out to examine some of the factors that lead to these incidents and discovered that:
- Perpetrators experience early exposure to violence – most mass murderers are individuals who had encountered trauma or intense forms of violence in their childhood. The scope of this exposure varies widely; from parental suicide to sexual or physical abuse.
- Mass shooters had reached a breaking point – the researchers also discovered that most perpetrators had reached their breaking point just before committing the crime. A big change in their professional lives, and a rejection or loss of a relationship were the most common triggers.
Ways to Reduce Gun Violence
There are several things that can be done to mitigate the risk of gun violence. These include:
- Enforcing strict requirements for owning firearms- there should be regulations that govern the purchase and ownership of firearms. For starters, anybody wishing to buy a firearm should have attained a certain age, apply for a license and undergo a modest training program for the same.
- Create awareness on firearms usage and likely consequences “The LORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence” (Psalms 11:5)
- Implement laws that reduce gun violence – for instance, at-risk persons should be prohibited from buying firearms. Anyone who’s been experiencing suicidal thoughts or diagnosed with a serious mental illness qualifies as an at-risk individual.
