Gun Violence a Mental Illness? Experts Say 'Not Necessarily'

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In trying to determine the connection between gun violence and mental illness, health experts say that the two are not necessarily linked.

Earlier this month, President Barack Obama presented new actions with regards to reducing gun violence in the country. According to the White House press release, more than 100,000 Americans have been fatally wounded by gun violence, while many more have been exposed to other gun crimes including robberies and assault.

In order to reduce gun violence, the President and Vice President are proposing to improve the guns laws through enhancing background checks, increasing mental health treatment, and improving gun safety mechanisms.

There is a certain way with how gun violence is presented by the media. According to CNN, the media spins mass shootings and gun-related tragedies as done by individuals with severe mental illness.

However, the outlet cites a research from last year about the assumption the mental illness causes gun violence, only a small portion of mentally ill people are three times more likely to be violent on themselves and others. Specifically, those with schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder only commit about 4 percent of firearm homicides in the country.

The research which was posted on National Institutes of Health cites three more assumptions about gun violence and mental health illness. It includes the assumption that a psychiatric diagnosis can predict the tendency of gun violence among individuals, mentally ill loners are to be feared as they may cause mass shootings and gun control cannot prevent mass shooters due to their psychiatric histories.

However, when it comes to suicides, CNN reports that it accounts 61% of firearm fatalities in the US in 2014 as recorded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Professor Jeffrey Swanson of Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina told International Business Times that the new rules contain "mixed messages."

Swanson told the outlet that the rule may fail to protect people at risk for suicide as it is too "broad and narrow."

"Lots of people with depression, mood disorders with a high risk of suicide don't get involuntarily committed. They're not prohibited persons," he said. "Lots of people who are at risk aren't even going to be susceptible to this policy."

Yahoo reports that the new gun control rules could mean better mental health progress and easier access to it. However, it would also perpetuate the perception that mental illness causes mass murders and violence.