OREGON HEALTH NEWS (05/27/14) On the minds of many right now, is the senseless slaying of innocent lives in a college community where a mentally ill student, Elliot Rodger, with a history of emotional problems did the unthinkable. He went on a killing spree, leaving families, friends and a devastated community asking themselves and others why.
Many people want to make sense of this senseless tragedy.
“It stresses me out to hear these horrific things and this man’s thoughts about killing the students and women he blamed. It is so incredibly sad and scary”, said Sue Martin, a student from Portland, Oregon.
Hate, anger and jealousy are such strong emotions, coupled with isolation, rejection and a strong sense of entitlement , which seems to have opened up a portal straight into hell for Elliot Rodger. He was clearly a sick and tortured soul whose mindset was to inflict pain and suffering in retaliation for those he felt represented the responsibility for his miserable existence.
Perhaps his sick and twisted mind, never matured or outgrew the basic instinct of raw emotions that children learn to handle early on. Anger, fear, rejection. That coupled with his intense hate and distortion of life, has left us all reeling.
Mental illness effects 65.1 million Americans from all walks of life. It does not always come in the package we anticipate. The officers who interviewed Rodger said, he was polite, cordial, cooperative and shy. The mindset that mental illness only comes in the form of someone kicking, screaming, ranting or raving is no longer realistic. In truth, we are now all a witness to something evil. Something that got a hold of an angry sick mind and distorted it even further.
What should you do if you suspect someone with mental illness is going to harm themselves or someone else?
- Get vocal. Call the police and if necessary, go in person to your local police station and file a report. Insist that they take a serious look at this person’s behavior.
- Call again. Check back and ask them if they can continue to check into the situation.
- Share it. If it is a student, call your school counselor or someone in an authoritative position immediately. Do not be afraid to voice your concerns.
- Document incidents. Keep track of all incidents that you observed. Record dates, comments, social posts, videos and threats about harming themselves or others. This is important and will ensure that this person can be seriously looked at before harm comes to anyone.
- Get safe. Make sure you are not in a situation where you could become a victim.
- Reach out. Call a hot line and discuss the situation. They have phone numbers and resources in your area.
- Trust your instincts. If you have a gut feeling something is way off, confide in someone you trust.
- Pay attention. Watch your surroundings. Be aware of who is with you and what is going on around you.
The story of Elliot Rodger is one that will haunt us for a long time. If you want to talk to someone about your feelings, and have experienced a trauma or feel isolated, alone or bullied. There is help. Here is a list of many organizations and hot lines that can point you in the right direction. Our hearts go out to all the victims families and friends who are suffering with the aftermath of this unthinkable tragedy.