Quote: @minny65 said:
@ JimmyinSD said:
@ bigbone62 said:
@ StickyBun said:
https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id...al-stalker
I think if my wife or girlfriend was the victim of this kind of stalking I would possibly either beat this guy to a pulp or worse. Its ridiculous that this is allowed to happen. I don't care about his mental health issues, its the reality of the situation that this guy could kill her. He needs to be locked away or put down. I wouldn't allow this to happen to someone I loved. What a crazy story.
You don't care about his mental health issues? He needs to be locked away or put down? Seriously, put down?
With attitudes like this it's no wonder our system is shit. The system is unfixable as long as society in large continues to be completely ignorant about mental health.
The issue of his mental health comes into play on whether he should go to prison or be locked up in a mental health facility, the matter of him being taken off the streets by any means necessary comes in when his mental health issues are threatening the lives of innocent people. The fact that this story was allowed to get this far suggests that yes there is a crisis in this country, but perhaps its that law enforcement is to slow to react to situations out of concern for law suits being brought because the optics of a situation aren't cut and dry legally. Imagine the outrage if they hadnt taken him off the streets and this story had a more tragic ending... where would the system be then?
The State of Mental Health Care In AmericaWhile many countries still struggle with opening the discussion around mental health care, the United States was ranked third for burden of mental and behavioral disorders, adjusting for population size, by the World Health Organization. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 47.6 million adults (19.1%) in the United States experienced a mental illness in 2018. On top of that 11.4 million adults (4.6%) experienced a serious mental illness that year. As for young people, in 2016, 7.7 million people aged 6-17 experienced a mental health disorder.
Yet, Mental Health America reports that this year over 26 million Americans with a mental illness are still going untreated. Yes, you read that right — over half (57.2%) of adults with a mental illness aren’t receiving treatment. For youth the numbers are just as upsetting with only 28.2% of those with severe depression reporting any consistent treatment, described as seven or more visits per year.
Now don’t go thinking this lack of care is by choice. In the same report, 22.3% of adults with a mental illness were found not to have access to the treatment they need, a figure that has sadly not decreased since 2011. No or limited insurance, lack of needed treatment type availability, and an ability to cover copays and treatments are just some of the contributing factors
No doubt we have a mental health crisis in the country. And I'm sympathetic. But that doesn't mean much when you are on the other side of death threats and stalking. When you actually fear for your life constantly and can't relax at any time. And some people do get care and then stop taking their medicine or other treatments. And as adults, there's not much that their family can do other than some short term interventions.
Its a complicated issue: but it becomes very distilled when you are a victim of what we are discussing in this thread.
Quote: @StickyBun said:
@ minny65 said:
@ JimmyinSD said:
@ bigbone62 said:
@ StickyBun said:
https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id...al-stalker
I think if my wife or girlfriend was the victim of this kind of stalking I would possibly either beat this guy to a pulp or worse. Its ridiculous that this is allowed to happen. I don't care about his mental health issues, its the reality of the situation that this guy could kill her. He needs to be locked away or put down. I wouldn't allow this to happen to someone I loved. What a crazy story.
You don't care about his mental health issues? He needs to be locked away or put down? Seriously, put down?
With attitudes like this it's no wonder our system is shit. The system is unfixable as long as society in large continues to be completely ignorant about mental health.
The issue of his mental health comes into play on whether he should go to prison or be locked up in a mental health facility, the matter of him being taken off the streets by any means necessary comes in when his mental health issues are threatening the lives of innocent people. The fact that this story was allowed to get this far suggests that yes there is a crisis in this country, but perhaps its that law enforcement is to slow to react to situations out of concern for law suits being brought because the optics of a situation aren't cut and dry legally. Imagine the outrage if they hadnt taken him off the streets and this story had a more tragic ending... where would the system be then?
The State of Mental Health Care In AmericaWhile many countries still struggle with opening the discussion around mental health care, the United States was ranked third for burden of mental and behavioral disorders, adjusting for population size, by the World Health Organization. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 47.6 million adults (19.1%) in the United States experienced a mental illness in 2018. On top of that 11.4 million adults (4.6%) experienced a serious mental illness that year. As for young people, in 2016, 7.7 million people aged 6-17 experienced a mental health disorder.
Yet, Mental Health America reports that this year over 26 million Americans with a mental illness are still going untreated. Yes, you read that right — over half (57.2%) of adults with a mental illness aren’t receiving treatment. For youth the numbers are just as upsetting with only 28.2% of those with severe depression reporting any consistent treatment, described as seven or more visits per year.
Now don’t go thinking this lack of care is by choice. In the same report, 22.3% of adults with a mental illness were found not to have access to the treatment they need, a figure that has sadly not decreased since 2011. No or limited insurance, lack of needed treatment type availability, and an ability to cover copays and treatments are just some of the contributing factors
No doubt we have a mental health crisis in the country. And I'm sympathetic. But that doesn't mean much when you are on the other side of death threats and stalking. When you actually fear for your life constantly and can't relax at any time. And some people do get care and then stop taking their medicine or other treatments. And as adults, there's not much that their family can do other than some short term interventions.
Its a complicated issue: but it becomes very distilled when you are a victim of what we are discussing in this thread.
Agree.....very complicated for all involved including law enforcement who are always thrown into the middle. Law enforcement can only enforce the law and our stocking laws are a joke.
We need to advocate/communicate for a much better, clear, and concise legal system to allow law enforcement to do their job better. Right now they are damned if they do (lawsuits) and damned if they don't (lawsuits) and somehow have to become clinical psychologists while dealing with the above stocking situation and all the others.
So we need: 1- a vastly improved Mental Healthcare system in this country which isn't going to happen - IMO
2 - we need a vastly improved stocking legal system which I think is much more achievable.
(obviously, I am not an fan of the vigilante approach But like you said I have not been face-to-face with someone stocking a loved one. I do have a vast array of direct/indirect family with various mental health issues, including a cousin with brain damage, a nephew with PTSD from Iraq/Afghan, a niece who suffers from oppositional defiant Bi-polar and suicidal thoughts, a Brother-in-law who is severe Bi-polar and the list can continue on.... I guess with 20% of the US pop (according to above study) suffering some mental illness, my family might be around typical because most go undiagnosed for lack of care)
20% of the US population.... as a species are we really that prone to mental health disorders? Are they over diagnosed in the US/under diagnosed in other places? Is there something that we are doing that is causing these issues? We know so little about the brain and mental related issues/matters its really interesting and frustrating to read on.
Quote: @StickyBun said:
@ AGRforever said:
@ bigbone62 said:
@ StickyBun said:
https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id...al-stalker
I think if my wife or girlfriend was the victim of this kind of stalking I would possibly either beat this guy to a pulp or worse. Its ridiculous that this is allowed to happen. I don't care about his mental health issues, its the reality of the situation that this guy could kill her. He needs to be locked away or put down. I wouldn't allow this to happen to someone I loved. What a crazy story.
You don't care about his mental health issues? He needs to be locked away or put down? Seriously, put down?
With attitudes like this it's no wonder our system is shit. The system is unfixable as long as society in large continues to be completely ignorant about mental health.
You can’t let him do what he’s doing either. I dont know the answer when it comes to mental health but the gal should be able to live without constantly being in fear for her life.
Yep. And if it were any of our daughters, than tell me how you'd feel. When the guy shows up at her doorstep and blows her head off with a shotgun, I guess its ok because he suffered from mental illness. Or she slowly becomes non-functional with PTSD over the constant stress over the years from being stalked and he life is forever changed. This story is one of many:
https://people.com/crime/rebecca-schaeff...r-stalker/
No problem telling you how I feel now, dont need to wait for your hyperbolic scenario to happen. I have worked in the mental health field for 20 plus years. I have worked in faculties, group homes, provided PEDs respite care, worked hourly HCBS services, done employment services and done extensive volunteer work. I currently work in a community mental health center and have a caseload of 48 men and woman with serous mental health diagnoses whom I visit in home monthly. Zero fear walking into their homes.
I take them to the ER when their non mentally ill spouse pummels or sexually assaults them. I take them to the bank when they discover their non mentally ill family member has been mishandling their finances. I take them to the cops to get a restraining order on the non mentally ill boyfriend or girlfriend who has physically/emotionally/financially/sexually abused them, and is now stalking them. You think this athlete with Nike's private security behind her had it rough. Try being someone with the mentally ill label trying to be taken serious. It gets blown off as you being paranoid or hallucinating
Many of my clients over the years have met members of my family. I have clients that know where my parents live, I live and where my wife works. They will visit with my wife when at the library she runs, or when they see my mom at the store. I am less concerned of my wife being alone with these people than I am with the general public.
Your assertation that he should be murdered because of a disease he has is about as ignorant of a thing as I have heard in 20 plus years on the job. I get it, you are uneducated on the subject, and it is normal to fear what we dont know. So rather than taking the time to educate yourself you run with the hyperbolic stores you see as being the norm. Case in point your story that is "one of many".
Sorry but people not affected by mental health issues are the overwhelming perps of violent crimes and crime in general. The fact of the matter is people suffering mental health issues are 10 times more likely to be victims of a violent crime than the general population. Further, less than 5% of violent crimes in the country are perpetuated by people with serious mental health issues. Until the citizens of this country stop getting their education on mental health from sensationalized news stories nothing is ever going to change.
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