Mental Illness

I was listening to the BBC News last night and they were discussing the pandemic and it’s impact on suicides across the globe. The conclusion that the depressive nature of pandemic actually caused a reduction of suicides globally, because depressed people lack the energy to kill themselves. And they had then offered the standard boilerplate language about how help is available for anybody with thoughts of self-injury.

However, after the September 11th attacks, I can’t remember a single news report suggesting that mental health services are available, before hijacking an airplane, blowing up a building or killing people. I also can’t think of a crime story, be a murder or shooting, where they suggest to anyone thinking of engaging in murder or terrorism think again — that there are alternatives and that there are people out there willing to listen.

Why don’t they suggest that murders and terrorists step back and think about their actions before committing crime? It is is denialism upon the news media that we are no different from the terrorists, murders and criminals? Is it a belief that suicidal people are like ourselves while criminals are different? I think it would be good if news media would remind perspective terrorists and murders that there is alternative for their lives — to step back from the ledge and look forward to how they could improve their own lives and  the world too.