Mental Aspect of Colorado Shooting **Trigger**

How do you like being called 'deranged' by the media because of mental illness. This young man has some sort of mental disorder or illness, and public officials are calling him unstable and deranged. He was either studying to become a neurologist, or in neuro science....he was either not taking his meds...or stressed out...but these labels are sooooo back woods in my opinion.

I understand how these words would hurt you or anyone with mental illness. Do you know he was on meds and under psychological counseling? The media shouldn't assume mental illness drove this act...but at the same time, people want some explanation...which causes people to place labels. I prefer to call the act extremely mean rather than attaching a mental term to it. A person can be plain old nasty and not mentally ill.

the governor was kinda out of line, I thought, like his speechwriter is on vacation. then the mayor, an old guy, came on tv and spoke some sense, but the governor? in over his head, definitely. sounded more like a little league coach than an elected official. not to mention making it probably impossible for the guy to get a fair trial. if the state doesn't get sued for what the governor said.

I agree....it was pretty crass.

A spokes persone in the meadia said, "We have put so many limits on gun control, and we have let the number of 'commitments' for the mentaly ill slide."

I don't think I'm stupid or ignorant in any way...I just see myself as emotional.



****Also...There is no proof he has mental illness, they've just been speculating! Therapists, and doctors..coming on and saying it must be schizophrenia. It's hard to swallow that people we turn to for help judge us, and people they haven't met....all to be on TV, and 'right'.*****

Great....He's taking the insanity plea. I'm on the fence about that. At least in CO, the prosecution has to prove that he is infact insane.

That makes me so nervous about people turning on mental illness out of anger, and the spread of the idea that we're all dangerous. I hope he at least expresses sympathy, if for nothing else, to make it harder for the media to spin the mentally ill as heartless.

Thinking positively, maybe this will get more people to do some research and to open their minds!

Mass murderers are not often mentally ill. They are usually seeking revenge or validation for their anger. I hate when tragedies happen because everyone pushes the blame over to the mentally ill without a second thought & it's kind of pathetic. "Normal" people do more harm than those that identify as mentally ill -- Usually due to trauma or undiagnosed problems. At least most of those diagnosed know themselves enough to prevent doing something so horrifying.

I saw this & had to say something. So many people have been starting **** with me lately because they know I want to major in behavioural neuroscience (like he does) & evidently that means I want to kill a theater full of people now? The ignorance is astounding.

I don't "know" if he is psychotic or not but a person who had drinks with him at a bar just two days before the shooting said he appeared normal at that time and there was no apparent psych problem or distress.

The shooter spent a great deal of time buying guns and ammo and setting up trip wires and explosives in his apartment. I don't know if he could have done this over that long period of time if he were having a psychotic break with reality.