Even the media plays into the narrative: Research published in 2016 found that more than a third of news stories linked mental illness with violence toward others, which does not reflect actual rates of interpersonal violence where mental illness is involved. Sure, there are cases where mental illness might play a role in gun violence. Blanket statements that connect mental health conditions with shooting tragedies alienate the millions of people who live ― and live well ― with these issues, experts say. Positive and informative messaging around this topic is a good start to dismantling the falsehood that mental illness is a major factor in the majority of gun violence cases. Anyone can benefit from reading up, whether you’re living without a mental illness and looking to expand your knowledge or you have a mental health condition and just need some support right now.

Source: Huffington Post February 23, 2018 18:33 UTC