Massacre @ Virginia Tech : Importance of recognising mental illnesses
A tragic incident that defies any logical explanations. A quiet but tormented and mentally unstable young man was pushed to a point where his delusions have empowered him to an insanely behaviour. In retrospect, he was said to be a textbook case of a mass murderer.
The process of seeking the truth about this person, who was already declared mentally unstable and a danger to himself and others years before, begins. Could further actions been taken earlier to avoid such a senseless tragedy? Shouldn't he have been withdrawn from the university considering his state of mind?
His writings was marred by vulgarities and a tendency for violent scenes. It was thought to be a form, or rather his form, of creative writing. Was it then a creative piece or was it a sign of a sick mind? Would the horrors of Stephen King then be seen in a darker light revealing a twisted mentality of the author?
Perhaps the only glaring fault here is the ease of purchasing firearms. Indeed it is enshrined in the constitution of the United States that individuals have the right to arm themselves, but could they not arm themselves with weapons other than guns. If there was proper gun control, then even villians will have a difficult assess to them, negating the need for others to arm themselves with guns. It will be a tough debate, especially for a nation going into presidential elections. Unfortunately, potential candidates will have to choose sides.
It brings into perspective the importance of recognising mental illnesses to avoid unnecessary events from suicides to similar mass murders. These diseases are as socially relevant as heart ailments or diabetes. It is perhaps more prevalent than we would like to think it is.
Just as we educate the public on healthy living, equal emphasis should be accorded to mental health and recognising warning signs of an unhealthy mental process. It is no doubt more subjective and abstract, often cloaked in the form of a deviant personality trait, thus making a diagnosis difficult.
I sense a global pandemic of mental illnesses with Virginia-like massacres waiting to happen. All it needs is the right ingredients making a perfect recipe for disaster.
As of now, we can only reflect on theVirginia massacre and empathise with the families of those slain, including that of the perpetrator.
The process of seeking the truth about this person, who was already declared mentally unstable and a danger to himself and others years before, begins. Could further actions been taken earlier to avoid such a senseless tragedy? Shouldn't he have been withdrawn from the university considering his state of mind?
His writings was marred by vulgarities and a tendency for violent scenes. It was thought to be a form, or rather his form, of creative writing. Was it then a creative piece or was it a sign of a sick mind? Would the horrors of Stephen King then be seen in a darker light revealing a twisted mentality of the author?
Perhaps the only glaring fault here is the ease of purchasing firearms. Indeed it is enshrined in the constitution of the United States that individuals have the right to arm themselves, but could they not arm themselves with weapons other than guns. If there was proper gun control, then even villians will have a difficult assess to them, negating the need for others to arm themselves with guns. It will be a tough debate, especially for a nation going into presidential elections. Unfortunately, potential candidates will have to choose sides.
It brings into perspective the importance of recognising mental illnesses to avoid unnecessary events from suicides to similar mass murders. These diseases are as socially relevant as heart ailments or diabetes. It is perhaps more prevalent than we would like to think it is.
Just as we educate the public on healthy living, equal emphasis should be accorded to mental health and recognising warning signs of an unhealthy mental process. It is no doubt more subjective and abstract, often cloaked in the form of a deviant personality trait, thus making a diagnosis difficult.
I sense a global pandemic of mental illnesses with Virginia-like massacres waiting to happen. All it needs is the right ingredients making a perfect recipe for disaster.
As of now, we can only reflect on theVirginia massacre and empathise with the families of those slain, including that of the perpetrator.
