CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

Counseling center: Mentally ill getting bad rap for mass shootings, school shootings

Dothan Eagle - 5/27/2018

With mass shootings, school shootings, and random shootings occurring across the United Stated States, Dr. Virginia Mayer, executive director of Living Waters Counseling, is making a plea with the public to become educated on the difference between someone suffering from a mental illness and someone who is suffering because they are broken.

"Blaming all the shootings taking place on the mentally ill is easy and simple" Mayer said. "However, not in every situation does the shooter have a mental illness. Many of the shooters are angry, hurt, involved in a gang, or just wanting revenge. That is not a mental illness, that is evil in our society, and we all need to realize evil is in our society."

Mayer believes some shooters want to make a name of themselves or are under the impression they will become famous if they kill.

"This is a lie from the pit of hell" Mayer said. "This is evil thinking. Now, I will tell you some of the shooters have had mental illness issues, but not all. The assumption of saying all shooters have a mental illness is easy, but it is incorrect. Not all mental illness patients kill people."

According to Mayer, society needs to stop and take a minute to look at the people that are broken.

"What about the people who are broken physically and broken emotionally?" Mayer asked. "These people are not receiving the help they need. Instead, their brokenness just grows and grows until that individual can and will explode. We need to help the broken and in order to help the broken our culture needs to shift. We need to restore our families, restore family values, respect authority, find unity and most important but God back in our homes and schools. Until this is done, the shootings will just continue and will get worse."

Mayer believes the focal point should be taken off the mentally ill and placed on the emotionally disturbed. The emotionally disturbed can mask a situation. That mask can last for a day, months, or years. But that mask can disappear in a blink of an eye, she said.

"When a mask is removed that individual can snap and well, mass shootings and school shootings can occur," Mayer said. We as Christians need to stand up, but God first, unit and shift our culture for not only our children attending school but for everyone. A mass shooting could occur anywhere at any time. The answer to ending evil is God. We need God. We need God in our homes; we need parents to be engaged in their child's life. That child needs structure, guidance and discipline, and I believe if we put God back in our homes, everything else will fall into place."

Mayer said it is time to be specific and address the real issues taking place today.

"No one knows what emotional state anyone is in," Mayer said. "But sometimes there are signs. Look for those signs. It is going to take all of us working together. We all must be observant and open to anyone needing someone to talk to."