Last week, eight Fed-Ex employees were gunned down and killed at a warehouse in Indianapolis. The shooter, Brandon Scott Hole, was 19 years old and known to authorities. Just last year, he was placed under psychiatric detention because his mother was afraid he might commit “suicide by cop.”
This is just one example of a violent act committed by someone so young. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, 42% of homicides are committed by youth 10–29 years of age. It’s easy to point fingers and blame things like drugs and alcohol abuse, lack of a parent figure, mental health, exposure to violence at an early age, poverty and more. While these certainly can play a role, there is more to the story.
In my mental health practice and others around the country, we are seeing an alarming increase in our younger patients who are exhibiting extreme irritation, psychological agitation, and explosive anger, most times not rooted in any medical reasons but emotional and mental upheaval. In short, it’s due to an acute stress reaction from a buildup of stress, anxiety and negative emotions that cause someone to lose it and snap, committing a heinous act like we saw in Indianapolis. Think of a small pipe that carries water. When the amount of water and the pressure at which that water flows becomes too strong for the pipe, in mild cases the pipe will begin to leak. In time, if left untreated and more and more water gushes through the pipe, it will explode.
Sadly, our society today is filled with so much rage, hate, anger and worry over things like the pandemic, systemic racism and political differences. Even on a more personal level, people are dealing with extreme stress, job loss, financial worries, relationship issues and more. Our kids are more connected than ever on social platforms, but there are stressors that come with that particularly cyber-bullying and exposure to sex and violence at an earlier age. When these stressors become too much for the mind and body to handle, or they aren’t addressed quickly and properly, an acute stress reaction can occur in both people with a history of mental illness and those without one.
The solution starts at home with parents. Many teenagers are not just dealing with suicidal tendencies, but also homicidal tendencies. In many cases, this goes untreated because of the stigma around mental health and families not wanting to accept that their baby is homicidal and capable of such behavior. When the problems aren’t addressed and left untreated, the end results can become as severe as mass shootings. The person becomes so enraged, angry and upset that they do the unthinkable.
We can put a stop to the needless loss of life, but it requires parents to be proactive and more involved. April is National Stress Awareness Month, and the truth is that stress doesn’t discriminate, and it can have nasty consequences when left untreated. The sad part is we have so many effective treatments for acute stress, from medication management to psychotherapy and alternative treatments. Help is available and it works.
Parents are the eyes and ears on the frontline. If something doesn’t seem right, say something, ask questions, get involved. If your child appears sad, overly worried, tired, loses interest in activities that they usually find pleasurable, is angry, has changes in appetite or is sleeping too much or too little, exhibits violent behavior or sudden episodes of impulsivity and aggression, these are signs something could be wrong and stress could be eating away at them. It’s always better for parents to overreact and lean on the side of caution. Sometimes it’s nothing more than your child just going through puberty and adjusting to change. Other times, however, it can be something much more serious. Talk to your children. Talk to their teachers. Talk to their pediatrician. Talk to a mental health professional. Similarly, work with your kids and teach them vital life skills like how to control their anger, reduce stress and healthy ways to solve problems.
The point is, we can’t just sit dormant and expect things to dissipate on their own. Left untreated, mental health issues only escalate into bigger and more serious problems. I don’t know that we will ever eliminate mass shootings and other acts of violence altogether, but I believe we can dramatically reduce the frequency in which they occur. Like most things, the first place it starts is in the home.
Dr. Fumi Stephanie Hancock, DNP, PMHNP-BC, CNP is a board-certified psychiatric Dr. of Nurse Practice, Trauma Care expert, CEO of Pool of Bethesda Psychiatric Health, bestselling author of 24 self-help books, and a TEDx Talk Speaker. https://www.pobpsychiatry.com/ and https://www.drfumipsychdnp.com/
