Our culture also encourages self-idolatry (flesh/intellect) and stigmatizes those who have faith in a loving, merciful, omnipotent, and omnipresent God.

You can't treat someone that thinks they are fine. His mom thought he was normal enough to take to the shooting range, what's that make her? If you want to place blame, look no further than mommy dearest, don't blame our mental illness culture.

Paul
I agree mental health care could probably helped both mother and son

Mr. Heroux, I expect more from an elected official than to play politics and engage in speculation in a matter like this. There are a number of uncofirmed news reports that indicate the murderer had mental health issues, that he had a number of diagnoses possibly ranging from Personality Disorder to Autism. There are also reports that he was on (or perhaps off) medication. You have NO idea what his clinical situation was, wether he was actively receiving treatment yet you speculate and then go on to imply that the state of the current mental healthcare system somehow bears some responsibility for this. For all anyone knows he could have had full access to adequate mental healthcare and that should be established BEFORE going on the record as you did. We all understand this is one of your pet issues but to politicize it this soon after the event is beneath contempt. It is not necessary for politicians this far removed from the situation to weigh in on this, we as constituents are more than capable of evaluating and grieving this situation without the additional input.

I couldnt agree with Paul more. But when the drug companies give bonuses to Dr.'s for giving a certain brand that might work because the bonus instead of the drug that works. See the Healthcare system has many issues but this is one the unethical actions of doctors has been an ongoing problem for years and has getting worse and worse as time goes on. Making sure that Mental Health issues is a priority but to make sure the Dr.'s stop being pushers to drug companies turning the people into a new form of addicts. There was an Article in the Huffington Post about the mother and her son that was suffering from this and that, but what really caught my eyes was the laundry list of drugs this kid was on. Makes you think. People loose control and commit horrific actions but now you see it more and more with "social Awkward" that are given drugs that is a mix of Anti depressants to Anti Psychotic add some Ritalin what do you expect. Then Over medicate because hell whats it is easier to get paid bu the script then to do real medical work.

As someone who worked with the mentally ill locally, I couldn't agree more. I helped run a National Alliance for Mentally Ill support group (NAMI-Attleboro) and found that those with mental illness face many obstacles. Insurance companies intentionally set up barriers to those with mental health challenges so that families and individuals don't get the help they need. That way they can lower costs.
Don't write about what you know nothing about and recycling old prejudices. Those struggling to recover and sustain mental wellness are some of the finest people I have ever known. For some of you regulars spouting off, what do you know? Are you really so unkind?
As for over prescription of meds: Paul Heroux is in favor of evidence based governance. To me, and I haven't talked to him, this would probably mean something called "evidence based medicine." If you want to learn something about mental health go to a PBS health program called Second Opinion. It's secondopinion-tv.com There's a link there to case studies with doctors, allied professionals, and patients discussing the issues.
And finally, the stigma of mental illness makes recovery far harder for people. Don't keep your thinking in the dark ages. Great progress is being made, even with schizophrenia. The local NAMI group brought in a psychiatrist from Butler hospital to talk about suicide prevention, and another from Mass General to talk about schizophrenia. Inform yourselves.

Did I miss something? Has the killer been diagnosed with a mental illness that led to this crime?

reportedly had a personality disorder

Reportedly Gretchen? Reportedly he had a mental illness that went untreated because he didnt have proper access to mental healthcare that caused him to murder these children?

I'm not saying that. Don't start with your inferences and assumptions. It's no help when people deliberately misunderstand what someone is saying. Let's think our way through this like reasonable adults please and not turn this discussion into a divisive one.
There are statistics that show that the mentally ill who are under treatment are no more likely to commit violent acts than the average person. I don't have those statistics at hand, and it's late. But they are available with a search.

There is yet to be any proof of a mental illness that directly led to this crime. IMO, many of those who claim to be advocates for the mentally ill are actually setting the afflicted back decades.
I have heard again and again this man must have been mentally ill. Maybe he was. But isn't it possible to be mentally ill and still be psychotic?

can you clarify your statement.

meanwhile read this from the mother a mentally ill son, what she goes through in a day
http://news.yahoo.com/am-adam-lanzas-mother-065125396.html

Deb, I couldn't agree with you more. People are jumping to conclusions based on unconfirmed news reports about a possible mental illness and if that's not enough, they're indicting the mental healthcare system as though somehow it failed in this case. They're referencing lists of drugs he was supposedly on as reported by Huffpo; I guess HIPPA is alive and well, isn't it? People are making armchair assumptions based on the supposed list of meds he was on. Even if he was mentally ill how does that translate to a breakdown in the mental healthcare system? For all anyone knows he could have been in treatment or at the very least had access to treatment & meds so to throw the mental healthcare system under the bus using this case as an argument is nothing more than politicizing a tragedy. I have seen nothing in the news that suggests he had a violent or criminal history that required forced hospitalization/medication. In my opinion a State Rep from Attleboro has no business weighing in on this subject at this time and in this manner. I'm not disputing anything that has been said about mental illness in general terms and I am as involved with neurological/cognitive/mental health issues as anyone here so I'm not insensitive to the issue.

your kidding, right. We don't have schools in Massachusetts? State Reps don't have a built in interest in protecting children? working with their locale (Attleboro) and local leaders, the public, schools, activists to assure that the proper steps are taken here to prevent something like this happening here??

Also re the "stigma" attached to menthal health issues, what stigma? The percentage of kids in the schools on IEP's and with neurological/menthal health diagnoses is a significant percentage of the poplulation. Years ago it wasn't talked about, people were routinely institutionalized. More people are in psychotherapy and seeking treatment today than ever before in history. There's more acceptance and understanding of mental health issues than there ever has been before. Everyone has a family member or close friend w/ a family member with severe issues these days and by and large people are accepting of it. Those with affected family members talk about it openly. Could things be better? Of course, things can always be better, but enough with the victimzation and divisiveness which serves no purpose other than to make certain so-called mental health care advocates promote their political ideology. If anyone really wants to see what the day to day living with the severely impaired is all about send me your email address at yerkillinme@comcast.net Yes Gretchen, even you.

military personnel and veterans don't access mental health care because of the stigma... and not wanting to be labeled. That's one example. Some progress has been made, but more is needed.

So now you are shaming and blaming me, saying I have a political agenda. I am a medical person, a former RN and a minister with a long term commitment to the mentally ill. I am also an educator, who has lectured on the history of the treatment of mentally ill in America. Your shaming and blaming won't work with me. Turn your mock outrage to something productive.

I'm not sure what Paul Heroux means by more "access" to health care. Does that mean access to free health care? In this case, I'm not sure that would have been helpful either. His mother was supposedly "affluent". On another note, you can't force anyone to take medication thanks to the ACLU or be institutionalized, thanks to the ACLU. So, even if he had a diagnosed mental illness, he may not have accepted treatment. I think a discussion about mental health would be more helpful than gun control. Another law won't prevent this. I only wish it were that simple. Gun laws didn’t prevent 3000 people dying because of a box cutter.

Give it up, yerkillinme.

so here's an alternative point of view. We need all points of view and choose whatever is going to protect the children. Make classrooms inaccessible to the public, with locked doors. Only the entry area would be open to parents. Sounds like a prison but that might have made a difference.
Anyway, I bet this Texas newspaper doesn't get accused of exploiting a tragedy.....
apologies accepted.
http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/12/14/4486104/texas-school-where-teachers-carry.html

telling me and others not to make partisan posts is partisan. Check this out by friend, Doug Muder.
http://weeklysift.com/2012/12/17/dont-politicize-tragedy-is-itself-partisan-rhetoric/

How about not politicizing this tragedy and wait until the official facts from the authorities come out instead of basing your opinions on what is said or discussed in the media. Representative-Elect Heroux is doing a disservice by providing his opinions based on mere assumptions being played out in the media. Better yet, let the families and the country mourn this tragedy before we talk about the politics of how this could have been prevented.

and you just might be a wee bit biased in favor of the outgoing Rep. and thus wanting to criticize our incoming Rep-elect Paul Heroux at every turn

That maybe true; however, in this case my criticizism is justified. Just wait until the mourning period ends and after that period when there is enough concrete proof that this man did have a mental illness and what kind before we spout off our opinions. Heroux is merely basing his opinion on what is being speculated in the media, not the actual facts.

No, you are wrong. This gun violence and terrorism is something he knows to the core having studied it. And he is continuing to address issues of concern just as he did in Huffington Post before he ran for election and in local venues while he was running for State Rep. I believe you do him a disservice.

Keep it up, Gretchen. As we speak many parents of children with Asperger syndrome are fearful of people just like you.

no they're not. NAMI Attleboro brought in speakers from Bradley Hospital to speak on Autism and Asperger's Disease. Several parents came, some from as far away as Wrentham where there is an active group. It was videoed and shown on DoubleAces. People around the world can watch it via the internet.
And I co-led a novel about a boy who had Asperger's called "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night." The second brought in a good group of people, many of whom came to learn about Asperger's Disease.
I'd really like to know why you try to shoot down everything I say? Is it personal? I don't think we've ever met.

Are you directing your comment to me, Gretchen? If so, I assure you it is nothing personal. My intention is not to shoot down everything you say. In fact, I often hold back on commenting! Carry on!:)