American Psychological Association blasts 'unfounded and stigmatizing' association of mental illness with mass shootings

Memorial to El Paso shooting victims.
(Image credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)

Another day, another mass shooting attributed to mental illness.

Both the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association have seen this story play out dozens of times, and they're sick of it. They both issued statements condemning the violence in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio over the weekend — and also condemned the unfounded association of mental illness with these and other mass shootings.

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The American Psychiatric Association's statement meanwhile called for firearm research and reform, as well as increased mental health care funding. But it was sure to note that "overwhelming majority of people with mental illness are not violent," and said "rhetoric that argues otherwise will further stigmatize and interfere with people accessing needed treatment."

The statements come after President Trump on Monday attributed both shootings to "mental illness and hatred."

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Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.