I won’t repeat the platitudes and we will continue to hear about the horror that occurred in Newtown, Connecticut
As a psychiatrist, I can say it’s very likely this young man was a disturbed and tortured soul whose inner demons exploded on that horrific day. I’m struck by the fact that in each of these mass killings—whether in Aurora, Colorado, Arizona, Virginia Tech, a shopping mall, a high school, an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, or wherever these horrific events have occurred—the shooter was always a young, loner male with deep-rooted mental problems that were inadequately treated.
Invariably, after a few days of media frenzy and semi-soul searching, we go about our lives. Except for those directly affected, the tragedy fades into the background. Of course, the effects ripple outward to the victim’s families, friends, the neighborhood, the town, and eventually, to all of us as a nation.
We must reflect on ourselves as a culture, and we’re obligated to make changes in many ways: first and foremost, we must change our mental health delivery system. Otherwise, these tragedies will occur again and again.
Mark Rubinstein,
Author, Mad Dog House
