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Mental Health Caucus Chairman Rep. Tim Murphy wants more research, discussion
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You -- you're right the -- Newtown thrusting the issue of mental illness into the national spotlight.
Exact details about -- -- -- mental state are just beginning to emerge but.
How do we deal with this as a nation congressman Tim Murphy co chair of the house doctors caucus.
Chairman the mental health caucus he's also a clinical child psychologists are good morning to you.
The morning what are we need to know -- -- we need to understand.
Well we need to understand as a nation that this is a mental illness issue and we cannot keep pushing aside and pretending its other than that.
After reach one of these tragedies after every suicide after -- mass shooting.
The underlying issue in the vast majority -- it is a mental illness issue in congress talks about the people talk about it and then we leave it alone.
How we can't do that anymore.
We need to deeply understand each one of these cases do more researchers understand the links between violence and mental illness understand that most mental illness does not need any violence.
But let's talk about those corporations and do the things we need to do there's a suggestion from the White House that it will perhaps push for tougher legislation.
Is that what color -- well they're looking for tougher look than legislation to -- with guns.
It's much like if you go to the doctor the doctors you need this treatment is no I don't want to do that I want to do this.
The common link between these people is not what was in their hands but what was in their hearts and what was in their minds.
And you have -- -- people with various -- to diagnosis schizophrenia bipolar.
Other illnesses taking place there.
You know who had a propensity towards violence -- in many case with violent games.
They continue to rehearse violent actions in households where parents even well intended good meaning parents.
Found themselves with someone who was overwhelming or do we even when parents in some cases that no such -- the Virginia Tech shooting.
Let's address the mental health issues.
Makes sense of this according to reports and we walk of caution here is we really don't know.
According to reports is no evidence that he was being treated.
With medication for mental illness.
That knowing experience you have what that's telling.
Well there's a couple things -- that again we don't know whether or not he was being treated.
Over 70%.
Of the time when people are taking a psychiatric medication it's prescribed by a non psychiatrist.
That's not appropriate.
If you have some with a diagnose the illness who we can get them treat him and treatment in the vast majority of cases.
There's great things that medication can do in conjunction also psychotherapy.
But other aspect of this the parents -- angry children.
An angry young adults find themselves a situation -- oftentimes.
They are overwhelmed they're scared to death and they have nowhere to turn and sometimes all that is offered is that the child commits a crime put him in juvenile detention facility for adult -- prison.
Those aren't appropriate places to treat mental illness -- we have closed state hospitals we've eliminated what's taken place in terms of -- treatment alternatives.
And that's another barrier for -- -- -- just put a fine point on this mental illness is treatable.
Yes.
And the majority of those who suffer from mental -- -- they don't show signs of violence do that.
No they don't it's a very small percentage particularly those -- may have broken -- -- abuse.
Are actually ones of meetings -- more violence.
I was talking yesterday with a national with the director of the national to some mental health we need more research and understanding this we can probably identify more.
But part of this too is you start to hear that people see signs of this through social media through friends and family.
They need to also speak up and make sure those parents -- -- incursion and they need to get help.
And -- do you still of the colleges and institutions which don't even tell the parents when someone is looked at a risk to themselves for the people.
We have to make sure we remove or we deal with those laws were schools are not afraid to communicate with the parity if indeed he was suffer from Asperger's -- -- explain anything.
No Asperger's it's not generally associated with violent behavior it may have to do with some of the links there of a very isolated person.
Who does not have friends that I have been -- to reach out to.
Tim Murphy thank you for your term Republican from Pennsylvania appreciate your expertise.
But with.
