Mental Health Matters, People with Mental Illness Matter Too

"As I followed the story and read the comments, I saw vicious remarks. Many people expressed thoughts not just about Morgan's fate, but about how society should treat people living with serious mental illness, in general. The remarks were not kind, with many writing that we need to bring back institutions and lock people away forever. I have come across other visceral reactions recently."

"The reality: Only a very small percentage of people living with mental illness enact violence. The relationship between having a mental health condition and being a potentially dangerous person is not well-established. The stigma sits there with a growing number of people eyeing us with contempt. As both a therapist who herself lives openly with mental health conditions, I feel less welcome."

Morgan Geiser stabbed a classmate at age 12 under a Slender Man delusion and received a diagnosis of Child Onset Schizophrenia after the survivor suffered near-fatal injuries. A recent escape from a group home prompted public panic and calls for permanent institutionalization. Some public figures suggested violent solutions for homeless people with serious mental illness. Research shows only a small percentage of people with mental illness commit violence and the link between mental illness and dangerousness is weak. Stigma and contempt toward people with mental illness are growing. A therapist who lives openly with mental illness reports feeling less welcome and fears exclusion. Calls include compassionate care, inclusion, and destigmatization.

Read at Psychology Today