According to the New York Times (8/22, A1, Dewan), “America’s mass killers fit no single profile and certainly no pattern of insanity – many, if not most, had never been diagnosed with a serious psychiatric disorder.” Rather, “many experts have come to focus on warning signs that occur whether or not actual mental illness is present, including marked changes in behavior, demeanor or appearance, uncharacteristic fights or arguments, and telling others of plans for violence, a phenomenon known as ‘leakage.’” This “warning signs approach has benefits: It can work even when the mental health system does not, and it sidesteps the complaint that blaming mass shootings on mental illness increases negative attitudes and stigma toward those who suffer from it.”
Related Links:
— “What Are the Real Warning Signs of a Mass Shooting? “Shaila Dewan, The New York Times, August 22, 2022