De-institutionalization
I felt physically ill after reading Donald Trump’s statements about building more mental institutions to combat gun violence. This is a complete misinterpretation of the “we need to talk about mental illness” movement. Encouraging people to have open conversations about mental illness is meant to decrease stigma, normalize treatment, and urge early intervention. While I’m an advocate for seeking inpatient treatment when necessary, de-institutionalization gave people back their dignity and freedom to live meaningful lives. The fear of being institutionalized will only lead people experiencing symptoms to stay silent until they reach a crisis point. The circumstances of mass shootings are complex conversations, no matter what your views are on gun legislation. However, criminalizing the 25% of people with mental illness or the approximately 5% of people with serious mental illness who have caused no harm and pose no threat to society is a human rights issue.