The Shootings

On top of the NIU shootings yesterday, there were two others in Southern California that had roots in mental illness. Mental health services are given short shrift in our society.

The stigma attached to mental illness is so big, that most people fail to see value in psychiatry or therapy. And many who go to psychiatrists don't go to therapists and vice versa. We must erase the stigma so that a more holistic approach is taken with each client --therapy, psychiatry, family life coaching. Treating mental illness must be seen as necessary as diagnosing and treating diabetes, high blood pressure and any other medical ailment. It's not a moral disease, it's a medical problem.

When aggression and violence are seen as the first means to solving anxiety, depression and anger, we know as a society we've taken a long slide in the wrong direction. We have to start hiking up a better path.