In his address to the nation on Monday, President Donald Trump had an explanation for the pair of mass shootings that shook America in the span of a single weekend. “#Mentalillness and hatred pulls the trigger,” Trump said. “Not the gun.”
#JamesDonaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
That sentiment echoed Trump’s initial Twitter responses to the tragedies in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas, as well as comments from other lawmakers and public figures who blamed the shootings, and others before them, on #mentalillness. But as death tolls climb, doctors across specialties are growing increasingly frustrated by that framing, and arguing for a stronger focus on gun control over #mentalhealth.
“It’s really just scapegoating people with #mentalhealthissues,” says Dr. Seth Trueger, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Northwestern University. And while rates of #mentalhealthconditions such as #depression, #anxiety and #suicidalbehavior are on the rise in the U.S., Trueger says other nations have similar problems and experience far fewer #massshootings. “Other countries have the same kind of #mentalhealthissues we have, the same kind of violent video games we have, the same religiosity that we have. All that stuff is just a distraction” from the need for better gun control, he says.
That position is hardly new. Studies show that a relatively small percentage of violent crimes are perpetuated by people with diagnosed #mentalhealthissues, and that gun access—not mental health symptoms—is the primary predictor of firearm violence. As a result, an increasingly large and vocal cadre of doctors has been arguing for years that gun violence is more an issue of access and regulation than it is mental health. Groups including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medication Association are active in advocating for stronger gun laws and more widespread violence-prevention programs, and the American Psychological Association regularly cautions against blaming mass shootings on mental health.
“Routinely blaming #massshootings on #mentalillness is unfounded and stigmatizing,” read a statement the APA issued on Aug. 4, after the Dayton tragedy. “The rates of #mentalillness are roughly the same around the world, yet other countries are not experiencing these traumatic events as often as we face them. One critical factor is access to, and the lethality of, the weapons that are being used in these crimes. Adding racism, intolerance and bigotry to the mix is a recipe for disaster.”
Dr. Jennifer Gunter, a San Francisco-based obstetrician/gynecologist and outspoken medical Twitter personality, was one of many doctors to voice that feeling online, in an effort, she says, to amplify the voices of #mentalhealthprofessionals and emergency medicine doctors on the front lines. “We all have to hold the line. This crisis affects everybody,” Gunter says. “Doctors have no reason to lie to you about this. The only skin doctors have in this game is saving lives.”
Every doctor is tweeting that #massshootings are not a #mentalhealthissue, they are a gun access issue.
Jeff R Temple, PhD@DrJeffTemple
I’m a psychologist. I research violence. I study this topic. It’s access to guns. IT’S. NOT. #MENTALILLNESS. And while I’m screaming, IT’S NOT VIDEO GAMES either.
After the shootings, #mentalhealthprofessionals on #socialmedia also drew a distinction between #whitesupremacy—the apparent motive for the Texas shooting—and #mentalillness. While it’s easy to reduce any motive for horrific behavior to #mentalillness, doctors say that can be an over-simplification. Instead, they say, policymakers should focus on removing the firearms that allow individuals to follow through on their plans.
Enough with the #mentalhealth rhetoric.
White supremacy is not a #mentalhealthissue. Rampant access to weapons of war is not a #mentalhealthissue.
STOP excusing hate & political inaction while stigmatizing ppl actually suffering #mentalillness in the process.
When it comes to ending gun violence, improving #mentalhealthcare and access may be one piece of the puzzle. But Trueger says better firearms regulation and policy should be far more pressing concerns, along with improving scientists’ ability to do research on gun violence as a public-health issue and strategies that could prevent these tragedies. That’s currently difficult, since the 1996 Dickey Amendment prohibits the use of federal funding to promote gun control.
“The perfect analogy is motor vehicles. Driving has gotten remarkably safer over the last number of decades, because we’ve studied it, we funded research for it and we’ve figured out evidence-based policies to make cars and roads safer,” Trueger says. “[Gun violence requires] the same kind of approach.”
Write to Jamie Ducharme at [email protected].
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
[email protected]
1-800-745-3161 (voicemail & fax)
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at [email protected] and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
