• bmsok@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    The US has both a gun problem AND a mental health problem. We need more immediate access to long term healthcare.

    The addition of the 988 hotline is an ok start but mental health issues are still demonized and have limited resources.

    Tragic underfunding + stigma = tragedies

    Everyone check in on your friends and loved ones, too.

    • jordanlund@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      We need universal mental health care full stop. Even if you’re against universal health care in general, and I don’t know why anyone would be, start with universal mental health care.

      Get people assessed, get them the treatment they need. If they need to be held the rest of their lives, figure out how to make that work safely and humanely.

    • crashoverride@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      But let’s be clear here, this guy did not do these things because he had a mental health problem. Dude had a plan, a really complex one, and had extensive training in the army to carry a plan out like this , to avoid being captured and to cause as much damage as possible. If he was just suicidal, he would have just offed himself instead of 22 plus other casualties he caused. Do not blame on what he did on his mental health problem and failure to get it sorted

      I blame it on society as a whole, the failure to take away his guns whenever he checked into a mental health place, and for failure to take care of his veterans.

        • crashoverride@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Had problems with an ex, some old friends, and it looks like he was fired recently from a job. Wanted revenge I guess.

          • bmsok@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            I mean, that’s sort of exactly why everyone needs someone to talk to and process stuff. If you’ve lost a relationship, friends, and a job you should be able to access care when you start having dark thoughts like this.

            • crashoverride@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              Exactly, small things that build up can lead to tragedy. Especially when you’re mentally unstable to begin with. What happened with him was horrible and tragic, but not totally his fault. Society has some blame to take too because they let him out of that facility without a support system in place and they didn’t take his guns. Two things they should have done. In addition to help and support we also need trigger laws that take all your guns and other weapons, and inform your family and friends that this person is not allowed to have guns, and closely monitor his financials to see if he’s trying to buy a gun. Any ONE of those would have prevented what happened in Lewiston.

    • nutsack@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      the hotline is a copout to help people ignore the systemic problems fueling depression epidemic

      • bmsok@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Oh the whole thing is definitely a broader socioeconomic and societal issue, for sure. That’s why it’s a crisis line and not a therapy line.