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The Real Underlying Problem Behind Northern Illinois University, VT and Columbine Tragedies

Our nation is desperately seeking the cause, rationale, or motivation for the crisis at Northern Illinois University, as we did for Virginia Tech, amd after Columbine. Angry, grief stricken, and/or scared students, along with their families, fervently seek answers. Talk show hosts on television, demand an explanation for this kind of senseless massacre. Many are seeking victim status. Attorneys are preparing their law suits. The college is revaluating its policies. Law enforcement is revisiting security protocols. The judicial system is reconsidering its decisions. The government commissions its "blue ribbon" panels. It's only in the aftermath of a disaster like this do we get a sense of the true underlying cause of these senseless acts of violence.

Many would like to blame security or law enforcement for allowing a crime like this to take place. The fact is, after many years of experience in Iraq, we already know that if someone is willing to be killed or intends to take their own life in the execution of an act of mass murder, that there is little anybody can do to prevent it. Our country has a difficult time understanding the mind-set of an individual or a group of people that would readily forfeit their own lives for personal, political, or religious reasons. Albeit, the Northern Illinois University tragedy along the senseless VT killings and subsequent suicide(s) wasn't religious or politically motivated. The problem is more complicated and elusive.

Why do troubled students and violent workers slip between the cracks of our society? Why is counseling considered important and of some therapeutic value only after a horrendous tragedy? The problem is two-fold. First consider how we have stigmatized psychiatric treatment in this country and priced same out of the reach of most regular working people. Those fortunate folks that can afford counseling when they feel the need, are afraid that going to a psychiatrist or psychologist will impact their job, security clearance, professional licenses, and/or relationships. People "in need" don't trust a system that promises confidentiality. Further, not all medical insurance plans provide for mental health. For those folks without insurance, the cost most likely will be prohibitive. This is tragic because as a nation we work ourselves hard at the expense of our relationships and our own health. We set very challenging goals for ourselves, as we seek our vision of the Great American Dream. We are becoming more isolated, personally and socially.

Long past is the time when grandparents lived with their adult sons and daughters, providing nurturing advice and counseling. Busy parents working hard to provide for their children lack the energy or time to talk to their kids and maintain a meaningful relationship. We have created a stressful environment for ourselves and yet have compromised the integrity of those support vehicles designed to address the anxiety associated with our self-induced pressure.

We need to de-stigmatize psychiatric treatment. We need to make it more accessible and affordable. We need to revitalize and emphasize family communication. Not in terms of lightening bolts based on need, but by a steady stream of emotional and social support. We can make a difference. We need to take action now.

Learn more about this author, Dr. Alex Cullison.
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