As predicted, the media is now making some very generalized and meaningless connections between Cho’s hospitalization 16 months ago in 2005, and his actions on Monday. The Los Angeles Times leads the charge,
Weary with grief and struggling to explain their failure to monitor Seung-hui Cho upon his release from a mental hospital 16 months ago, the leaders of Virginia Tech sought Thursday to begin the healing process for their shattered university.
“Failure to monitor?” Since when is it a university’s responsibility to monitor all of its students who’ve been diagnosed with depression or suicidal ideation for over a year? The implication is, had Cho been closely monitored over the past 16 months, the university could’ve forseen the murders and prevented them.
At no point in the LA Times reporting do they mention the fact that there is virtually no correlation between increased violence risk and mental illness (except in the case of substance abusers). The reporting treats everyone who has ever spent time in a psychiatric hospital as a potential criminal, ready to explode into a murderous rage. It is vile, indecent reporting that sensationalizes both the tragedy and Cho’s possible mental health issues.
Nobody is “monitored” for that period of time. If he was being seen by a therapist or psychiatrist, that professional would’ve kept tabs on him (but by no means would that have guaranteed a different outcome). Citizens, however, have freedom to choose, and that means refusing treatment if they aren’t in danger of harming themselves or others. According to the mental health professionals who saw him in 2005, he was observed not to be a danger to himself and released.
This happens hundreds of times a day throughout the U.S. — people are involuntarily committed for observation in a hospital, usually for being a danger to themselves (e.g., suicidal). The vast majority of them are released, like Cho, after they talk to a psychologist or psychiatrist and the person is obstensibly stabilized.
Once stabilized or determined not to be in immediate danger to themselves (or others), they are usually released and encouraged to seek followup care from a professional within the community (such as a therapist or psychiatrist). But such care is virtually always voluntary; it’s not clear Cho ever received any followup care.
This fingerpointing about who’s responsibility it was to keep tabs on Cho for 16 months after his hospitalization is pointless, unless it means improving the mental health care system in Blacksburg.
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Links to This Article
BeyondBehaviors.Com » Virginia Tech Massacre: The Quest to Find Answers (4/22/2007)
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5 Comments to
“Sensationalizing Murder and Mental Health”
I am so glad to see a Mental Healt Professional
talking about this!
I recently watched on Fox News (Thursday Night)
As Bill O’Reilly suggested all Persons who have ewver been of harm to themselves or other’s be put in an FBI data base…on Hannity & Colmes they went further using Mental Illness and Depression and Suicidal in the same sentence as “Whacko’s and Crazzies”. I have yet to see a mental Health authority take these this type of reproting to task! Depression ans Psychopathy are very different subjects. But your article will predominately be seen by other Doctors, no?
Is there anyone to call or write to to defend us
“crazzies”.
BiPolar in Baltimore.
I agree with what Dr. Grohol is saying.
I think it is time to challenge the media that depicts mental illness, depression, etc. incorrectly and makes faulty arguments as a result.
I had some of my preconceptions challenged when my own sister (who is Bipolar) was missing and found walking along a highway during Christmastime in her pajamas. She wasn’t taking her medication. Point is that it’s time for those not familiar with mental illness to learn more about it, especially if they report news in which it is a major factor. Thanks.
Laura Havlick
Finally, someone says what I have been screaming at my tv for days…
Hello,
I am Writing you today in light of recent events in Va. We held our walk on April 14, 2007.
We would like to greatly increase the amount raised so we may further serve the needs of
the mentally ill. Please take the time to make a tax deductible donation to NAMI.
Fund-Raising link:
http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=NAMIWALKS&template=/customsource/NAMIWalks/WalksiteDetail.cfm&walksiteID=150
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the largest education, support and advocacy
organization that serves the needs of al those whose lives are touched by these illnesses.
This includes persons with mental illness, their families, friends, employers, the law enforcement
community and policy makers. The NAMI organization is composed of approximately 1100 local
affiliates, 50 state offices and the national office.
The goals of the NAMIwalks program are: to fight the stigma that surrounds mental illness, to
build awareness of the fact that the mental health system in this country needs to be improved,
and to raise funds for NAMI so that they can continue their mission.
NAMI is a 501 (c) 3 charity and any donation you make to support NAMI is tax deductible.
NAMI has been rated by Worth magazine as among the top 100 charities “most likely to
save the world” and has been given an “A” rating by the American institute of Philanthropy for
efficient and effective use of charitable dollars.
Thank You in advance for your support
Sincerely,
NAMI_FRIEND
He’d done a lot more than just go into a mental hospital, though. He’d been taking unwanted photographs of female students during class, and acted out strangely enough that his fellow students stopped coming to class with him. He actually frightened some of the professors. So it was more than simply a depressed teen.
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Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 20 Apr 2007
