General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: I have a brother with schizophrenia and I am sick of the bigotry against the mentally ill [View all]etherealtruth
(22,165 posts)We are all influenced by our personal experience ... I would have no doubt that your experience would have brought you into contact with folk that were out of control (and that your training was that of law enforcement ... your task was not to treat or de-escalate the situation).
The data is not nearly as clear as you perceive it. How many of the violent episodes occurred during hospitalization? incarceration or during arrest? how many of the violent episodes were triggered by the acts of others (i.e. if a schizophrenic is taunted and attacked on the street, responds in a violent manner ... we both know that it will likely be the mentally ill person that is arrested and charged).
I know I provided many links that countered your interpretation, as have others.
All bets are off when alcohol and drugs (illicit) enter the equation ... whether the person is mentally ill or not ... I am positive your experience will reflect this.
The link you provide really does not say what you are purporting .....? (Dr. Matejkowski et al. are correct that he and his coauthors did not claim in their study that individuals with severe and untreated psychiatric disorders are responsible for approximately 10% of the homicides in the United States. )
That said, you are talking to a person that strongly believes in strict gun control ... what I do not believe in is laying the problem of violence and gun violence at the feet of the mentally ill.
Whether intended or not (I am going with it is NOT your intent) ... your posts have offended people that are slowly coming forward to share their experiences (and those of their family members) ... these are people that have witnessed the victimization of those that they love or themselves ... and having those very same people held up as the poster children for murdering psychopaths.