The following commentary is offered by Rev. Norma S. Mengel, a member of the United Church of Christ Mental Illness Network and the UCC Disabilities Ministries, after the tragic incident at Virginia Tech.
There is much sadness and sympathy across the country for the families and friends of the persons killed at Virginia Tech on Monday. We are hearing that there were 32 victims. But really, there were 33 victims. Coverage of this terrible event included a CNN report that there were many signs that Seung-Hui Cho was in need of help–since his childhood in South Korea. On Thursday, April 19, 1907, Brian Williams of NBC News stated that mental illness is at the very heart of this incident.
Why did Mr. Cho, despite the many symptoms of an illness, not get the treatment that was indicated by the symptoms observed by many people in various situations? Perhaps we can learn something from this tragedy that may help many people in the future.
Former President Bill Clinton said on “Larry King Live” (4/19/07):
First, we need to give voice to the pain and suffering of all involved….Then we need to look at what happened and see if there are ways to prevent these kinds of events happening again. We need to understand what was wrong with Mr. Cho and we need to ask ‘Do we need changes in the legal or the mental health system.’
…Should Mr. Cho have been given support and taken out of the ordinary population before tragedy occurred? It gives occasion to look at how the legal and mental health systems work–and recognize that there needs to be serious changes in the way both function.
Barriers in our society keep individuals who have symptoms of brain disorders (commonly known as mental illnesses) from seeking and receiving treatment. Though the media would have us believe that violence and mental illness go together, the fact is that persons who are adequately treated for these illnesses of the brain have a much lower incidence of violence than in the general public.
Untreated illness does have a potential to result in violence since the part of the brain that governs judgment is often affected. Unfortunately, the deep-seated stigma and radical health insurance discrimination in our society, keep many people from seeking treatment, even when they, or family members, know they are ill.
Medical research also has shown that a basic symptom of a person with a serious brain illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, both of which can result in paranoid delusional psychosis, is the “fervent belief that he or she is not ill.” This keeps persons from seeking treatment even when it is recommended by family, friends, or in this case, by university personnel.
As Xavier Amador states in I Am Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help:
Unawareness of an illness is a symptom brought on by the disease. It is not a choice that an ill person makes….Once you understand that the ill person’s refusal to accept treatment typically results from a brain dysfunction that is beyond his/her control, your will see why you shouldn’t blame the person for what appears to be deliberate denial.
This lack of insight, coupled with the legal restrictions in most states that keep persons who see the symptoms of a serious illness (such as roommates, school personnel and even doctors) from notifying parents or from keeping even very sick people in the hospital, is a great barrier for the individual in getting appropriate treatment.
This was seen in media reporting of this violent event. Many people saw serious symptoms in Mr. Cho in the college environment. They reported them to authorities, but no effective treatment resulted to ameliorate symptoms. Apparently, family members who might have been able to help were never notified.
The Treatment Advocacy Center in Arlington, VA, is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating legal and clinical barriers to the timely and effective treatment of these severe brain illnesses.
Mary Zdanowicz, an attorney with the Center, stated on CNN-TV:
The mental health provider community is hyper-vigilant to psychiatric laws. That, and many other factors, indicates a broken system that leads to these tragedies. Science tells us if these illnesses are not treated, there are apt to be bad consequences.
The law that prevents very seriously ill people from getting treatment unless they are an imminent danger to one’s self or others must be changed for the welfare of all concerned.
All of the above, coupled with the ease of availability to guns of any kind, but especially to assault weapons, and the pervading violence of movies, TV and video games, calls us all to renewed effort:
.a. To educate ourselves, our congregations, school personnel at all levels, our legislators, medical providers, the media, the courts, the police, the prison system, etc., to all aspects of the serious biological brain illnesses, commonly called “mental illnesses†with the goal of eliminating stigma and discrimination in all areas of our common life.
The education of high school and college staff is especially important because these serious illnesses often first show symptoms in the adolescent and young adult population. Early treatment is crucial;
b. To bring justice in health insurance coverage, medical care and research for these illnesses that is equal to all other serious medical illnesses so that comprehensive treatment will be available to all who need it, to promote a productive life for individuals and families so affected, and to reduce crimes and imprisonment without treatment;
c. To change our laws to reduce the ease of availability of lethal weapons in our society;
d. To work to combat the culture of violence prevalent in so many areas in our society; and
e. To encourage one another to affirm that we are created to be interdependent neighbors, loved by and made in the image of God.
Resources
Websites:
TreatmentAdvocacyCenter.orgNami.org
Pathways2Promise.org
UCCDM.org
UCC.org–Includes a prayer related to Virginia Tech events, by
President, John Thomas at http://news.ucc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=895&Itemid=56
Books:
I Am Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help. Xavier Amador, Ph.D. Vida Press, 2006.
Crazy: A Father’s Search through America’s Mental Health Madness. Pete Earley, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2006 (a previous investigative reporter for the “Washington Post†and “New York Times“.)
Surviving Schizophrenia. E. Fuller Torrey, M.D. 2006
Surviving Manic-Depression: A Manual on Bipolar Disorder for Patients, Families and Providers. E. Fuller Torrey, M.D. Basic Books, 2002.
Out of the Shadows: Confronting America’s Mental Health Crisis. E. Fuller Torrey, M.D. 1996
Strength for His People: A Ministry for Families of Persons Who Are Mentally Ill. Pastor Steven Waterhouse, Th. M., Source: westcliffbible@amaonline.com
Contact information:
Rev. Norma S. Mengel, M.Div, M.P.H, B.S.N
Normamengel@hotmail.com
