Sandy Hook, Mental Health and Crime

The recent tragedy in the Sandy Hook School, Newtown, Connecticut brought about a national discussion on issues of Gun Control, Mental Health, Gun Violence, Grief, Mourning... Much has been written about this tragedy, and it is important that we review the facts of the incident for adequate processing, proper mourning and healing. I believe that our nation has shown great sympathy and empathy toward the victims and their families. In the process of moving in the direction of putting this tragedy behind us, it would help if the media stopped feeding off the tragedy for their news material and allow the families involved to heal privately from their traumatic loss and let THEM decide what ought to be public information if anything at all.

On another note we must be careful not to make general statements against people suffering mental illness. While numerous reports indicate that Adam Lanza, the perpetrator of this horrible act, had been diagnosed with Autism, Aperger Syndrome and an unspecified Personality Disorder, it is important to note that 1 in 88 children born in the USA is diagnosed with some form of Autism. According to the National Institute of Mental Health roughly 9% of adults in the US have a personality disorder. This tragedy was an unpredictable random act of violence.

This tragedy also helps to bring into perspective the importance of investing in Mental Health resources. Managed care, and health insurance companies ought to increase the MH benefits in their coverage rather than trimming MH benefits from their plans.

Finally, we can take this as another opportunity to reconnect with our Higher Power - whom I prefer to call God - pray and send positive thoughts to the victims and their families, pray for the entire community of Newtown that was affected; pray for teachers and elementary school students everywhere that have been emotionally shaken by the tragedy. Pray for peace in our homes, for God to grant us serenity.

Here are some links to a a few interesting articles on these issues.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/18/opinion/carroll-mental-health/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/anxiety-files/201212/massacre-the-media

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/my-life-aspergers/201212/asperger-s-autism-and-mass-murder

Forgiving Myself

Last Sunday at the Spirituality in Recovery group, we felt a sweet atmosphere of serenity. The group was small, relaxation music was playing softly in the background, with dim lights, the group began to talk about various pressing issues affecting them at the moment. We listened and offered empathic feedback, but the theme that was recurring was that of previous mistakes and their present effect.

We practiced a brief relaxation exercise but we did not have much time left. The positive affirmation to be repeated in this session surfaced naturally from the shared experiences: “My past will not prevent me from moving forward". We repeated this phrase in unison a few times. With the sounds of the singing bowls the phrase became our mantra. Tears were flowing, I believe chains were chattered.

One of the most liberating experiences a person can have is self forgiveness of one’s own mistakes. 12 step groups address the concepts of personal inventory and making amends. In church there is the concept of confession of sins and repentance. Various approaches in therapy seek to help the individual to deal with the burdens of shame and guilt resulting from traumatic experiences and or from errors in judgment. The purging of these forces that held the soul in a choke hold resulted in a great act of liberation.

Free of guilt, free of shame, at peace with ourselves we are ready to enjoy every moment of life to the fullest.  Do not let your past prevent you from moving forward.

First thought

This blog is dedicated to matters of spirituality, healing, positive thinking, and holistic health approaches with a focus on our search for peace of mind and harmony with self and the world. I am a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern in the State of Florida and also I am a pastor of a Nondenominational Muticultural Christian Church my Sunday Message can be found at http://sundayword.blogspot.com/.

Here at Hope, Light and Life I also want to post thoughts and articles on Mental Health, Counseling, Psychotherapy, Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, Awareness, Anger Manangement, Addictions, Depression, Anxiety, Stress Reduction and related matters.

I will begin today with this thought:

It is good to listen to the advice of someone we can trust.

All our needs, imagined or real, wheather we like it or not, are our needs and as such they must be satisfied.

To sort what is real or imagined requires awareness of the here and now and understanding of our circumstance. To add understanding to the picture of our situation, we need to trust a friend to tell us the percieved  truth of our experience. Another's perspective can add deph and new dimensions to our world view.

Part of why it is so good to listen to someone we can trust is because we have someone we can trust.