One month after the catastrophic loss of life in Newtown, I
watch with apprehension as media attention shifts from universal
compassion to polarizing politics and blame. While we continue
to struggle to comprehend violence and loss of this magnitude,
as a mental health professional I am hoping we will direct our
energies to looking at how well we are meeting the needs of the
individuals in our community who suffer in isolation from mental
illness and traumatic life circumstances. I'm also hoping that
we commit to working together to increase access to effective,
comprehensive mental health diagnostic and treatment services.
Unfortunately, a great deal of the discourse surrounding this
tragedy feeds the stigma of mental illness and furthers the
misconception that people who struggle with mental illness, or
those who seek mental health treatment, are to be feared. This
has the unfortunate consequence of increasing community risk and
individual suffering, as those in need become reluctant to seek
professional me