And that's all I'll say except that, yes, a break would probably be the best thing, for me at least.

Til later, take care.

Given to how the conversations have turned.

issue: our gun laws are ridiculous. They try and steer the conversation off to "we need better mental health care" and hope we will wander off the gun issue.

We do need better mental health care. But mental illness was not the causative factor in this tragedy. Guns were.

This family had money enough for all the mental health care it needed. This man still slaughtered dozens of babies.

I'm not afraid of people with mental illness. I'm afraid of people with guns.

I enjoyed it as a kid. But the fun of aiming has been brought to videogames for me. I do not own any weapons, except for my knife collection that I began because it was my dad's interest as well, and I liked carving blocks of wood.

I don't need a gun to feel safe.

and a store bought bow and arrows, along with homemade bows and arrows. Now, I use bows and arrows in Skyrim and that's about it. I've never had the urge to kill anyone. I really wish people would quit assuming we are all sitting around plotting mass murder. Geez, even before I found the right therapist, right diagnoses, and right doctor who gave me the right medicine (I had a horrible time finding the best medication for my condition), I never had any earthly urge to hurt anyone. I just wanted to quit hurting.

I do lots of woodworking and crafting hobbies where I need small bits of wood carved to fit just right. I have worn out lots of pocket knives doing little projects. I love my knife collection even if most of them are now too worn out to use any more.

My step dad has a couple of guns. He doesn't hunt any more. My mother made him stop that, lol. He only ever uses his guns around the holidays. One is a .22 and he uses it to shoot mistletoe out of a tree for Christmas decorations. Then it goes back on the wall in his gun rack he has on the wall. I've been around guns all my life, plenty of them. No one has ever been hurt by my hands, nor will they. Too bad the rest of DU thinks if I miss my anti-depressant that I will be a danger to them. That's downright weird that they think that way. If I miss my meds a day, I'm more apt to be in the bed in a fetal position, hurting physically, because whether or not they will acknowledge SSRI withdrawal syndrome as real, I have it if the drug store is late getting my prescription filled. I have taken to ordering my prescription a full month ahead of time. It's a nasty experience to go through SSR withdrawals if I miss a med, but it is much better than the alternative of being unable to enjoy life and unable to get through the day without such a heavy heart as before. I wouldn't trade them for the world.

I would say yes. There is mentally unwell & mentally well.
To perpetrate violence is a act of a mentally unwell person.
Obviously, not all mentally ill are violent. I'm not and I can't kill a fly. Neither would the vast amount of people who struggle with mental issues.

Doesn't mean I agree.

You could then make the argument that every criminal is mentally ill because they didn't follow the rules of society by harming other people to benefit themselves.

What you're saying, I think goes into the rapists favor.

And rapist are scum, obviously. That doesn't precluded them from being mentally ill scum.

I'm a 57 year old woman that has experienced sexual violence. I have my opinion, same as you, same as any given professional is entilted.
My opinion, to violently attack another human being is an act of mental un wellness ( mental illness )
You think otherwise. Oh well, so be it.

Not belaboring, but did want to 'contribute' something here, and this is it.

it would help, if people were not in the closet about their mental health.
I'm not and I will never be put there.
I am the face of mental illness. I would not feel shame if I had cancer. Why would I feel shame about by brain illness?
If others feel differently about me because of that, that's on them.
I am not a danger to anyone. That doesn't change the fact that a person who takes an assault weapon and shoots 20 kindergardeners at point blank range, to death is mentally ill.

Labeled autistic, then there's speculation about that now. It's only the 2nd day after the incident.

I feel exactly the same way. It feels like salt in the wound to be lumped into a category with someone who did something I find horrible. So, in addition to being horrified and saddened by what has happened, being mentally ill somehow makes us complicit in their eyes? To me, that is one of the ultimate insults. It really does feel like salt in the wound.

I'm not so sure I really have to say why I don't go there. But you could.

SUN DEC 16, 2012 AT 01:23 PM PST

I know you're busy blaming mental illness, but as a mentally ill person I'd like a moment.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/16/1170766/-I-know-you-re-busy-blaming-mental-illness-but-as-a-mentally-ill-person-I-d-like-a-moment#