Hate is a mental illness!
I just read a comment on Facebook which said that “Hate is not a mental illness. Focus on gun laws – not mental health.” I am well aware that these comments are a response to political leaders whose “attachment” or “addiction” to power, money and “winning” keep them from thinking rationally. These political so-called leaders were responding to the most recent mass shooting. These leaders say we need to focus on mental health and not gun laws.
We know that hate and what is conveniently often called evil or moral evil originates from one of two places:
Anger can be a response to feeling helpless in the face of injustice, a perceived injustice or it can be an inability to process incoming stimuli. One of the symptoms of acute anxiety, depression and exhaustion is often what I call a “New York City or Paris traffic jam” in the part of the brain which processes incoming stimuli. The brain becomes overwhelmed or flooded with incoming stimuli. Anger is a pushing away emotion; an often-unconscious attempt to reduce the flow of incoming stimuli. Anger is usually directed again a person, place or thing as if those are causing the traffic jam. The actual issue is what is happening in the brain. Anger can also be a response to an inability or a perceived inability to face one’s fears or the fact that one does not have control over another person, place or thing. Instead of dealing with one’s fear one may one look outside oneself for the source of discomfort. One may actually believe that the cause is coming from outside of oneself and may come to believe one has to eliminate the source of discomfort or the imminent danger to oneself or one’s loved ones. Some of the “hate crimes” such the mass shootings this past weekend in Dayton and El Paso could well be an example of these false beliefs.
Mental illness is caused by chemical imbalance, foreign interference such as a brain tumor or some other medical issue. Often, but not always, mental illness can result in illogical thinking and even hatred, anger and other unpleasant and potentially dangerous emotions; dangerous to oneself or others. The malfunction of the brain can be temporary such as with a unitary tract infection or can be some more long lasting or even permanent condition.
The way to respond to hate is not more hate. The way to respond to hate is with treatment and, in some cases, actions which ensure those unable to make rational choices are in a safe, respectful, healing place.
I think we in the United States needs to focus on:
None of these recommendations will stop all violence. It is, however, well past time that we elect leaders who model non-violent conflict resolution in their personal and public lives. Those who feed hate should not be in any position of leadership.
Written August 5, 2019
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
I just read a comment on Facebook which said that “Hate is not a mental illness. Focus on gun laws – not mental health.” I am well aware that these comments are a response to political leaders whose “attachment” or “addiction” to power, money and “winning” keep them from thinking rationally. These political so-called leaders were responding to the most recent mass shooting. These leaders say we need to focus on mental health and not gun laws.
We know that hate and what is conveniently often called evil or moral evil originates from one of two places:
- Deep fear and a learned response of projecting outward rather that looking inward and receiving help dealing with fear.
- Malfunction of the brain which leads to an inability to think clearly and to articulate a logical response. It is often a reaction thinking one is getting rid of the stimulus which is causing the malfunction.
Anger can be a response to feeling helpless in the face of injustice, a perceived injustice or it can be an inability to process incoming stimuli. One of the symptoms of acute anxiety, depression and exhaustion is often what I call a “New York City or Paris traffic jam” in the part of the brain which processes incoming stimuli. The brain becomes overwhelmed or flooded with incoming stimuli. Anger is a pushing away emotion; an often-unconscious attempt to reduce the flow of incoming stimuli. Anger is usually directed again a person, place or thing as if those are causing the traffic jam. The actual issue is what is happening in the brain. Anger can also be a response to an inability or a perceived inability to face one’s fears or the fact that one does not have control over another person, place or thing. Instead of dealing with one’s fear one may one look outside oneself for the source of discomfort. One may actually believe that the cause is coming from outside of oneself and may come to believe one has to eliminate the source of discomfort or the imminent danger to oneself or one’s loved ones. Some of the “hate crimes” such the mass shootings this past weekend in Dayton and El Paso could well be an example of these false beliefs.
Mental illness is caused by chemical imbalance, foreign interference such as a brain tumor or some other medical issue. Often, but not always, mental illness can result in illogical thinking and even hatred, anger and other unpleasant and potentially dangerous emotions; dangerous to oneself or others. The malfunction of the brain can be temporary such as with a unitary tract infection or can be some more long lasting or even permanent condition.
The way to respond to hate is not more hate. The way to respond to hate is with treatment and, in some cases, actions which ensure those unable to make rational choices are in a safe, respectful, healing place.
I think we in the United States needs to focus on:
- More aggressive treatment of mental illness.
- Not adding to mental illness by incarcerating sick people
- More accurate diagnosis of those who commit crimes. Diagnosing on the basis of symptoms is not effective.
- Laws severely restricting the manufacture and sale of all guns intended for killing people.
- Laws severely restricting the sale of all military weapons to other countries.
- Laws restricting the increase of our military budget and more focus on working with other countries; not bullying them.
- Use of less lethal weapons by law enforcement personnel.
- Work to make mental health a prerequire for election to any political office. Addiction to power, money, bully behavior, sex, power, and things should disqualify someone. Those who are successfully treated would, of course, be eligible.
- A reinterpretation of the second amendment restricting the owning of all non-hunting guns.
- Restriction of hunting to those who hunt for food used to feed their family and neighbors.
None of these recommendations will stop all violence. It is, however, well past time that we elect leaders who model non-violent conflict resolution in their personal and public lives. Those who feed hate should not be in any position of leadership.
Written August 5, 2019
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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