Jekkone via flickr
May 3, 2011
Many people tend to link mental illness and violence, especially in the wake of a tragedy like Columbine or the shootings in Arizona earlier this year. However, research has shown that the vast majority of those are violent do not suffer from a mental illness, and having a mental illness doesn't mean a person will become violent. The stigma associated with mental illness largely comes from the association between mental illness and violence, according to the 1999 report"Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General." In addition, people with psychiatric disabilities are 12 times more likely to be victims of violent crime.
Greg Eells, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services at Cornell University
Glenn Liebman, CEO of the Mental Health Association in New York State