Ineffective depression treatment a background factor in recent school massacre

[Santtu]

edit: previous title "depressed student kills 8 and himself in a school shooting in Finland"

Similarities to other massacres - but this was a very Finnish affair -Times Online*

School Shooter Kills 8, Self in Finland | World Latest | Guardian Unlimited

YouTube gunman kills eight at school - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

I spent the whole day following the news around this event. I was sad to know that the perpetrator suffered from depression he was unable to handle with prescribed SSRI medication. The man was most likely intelligent, a bit alienated from society, depressed, and had developed an antisocial stance on life.

Some prize-winning psychologist announced on the TV that the following days (and the future, for time unsaid) should be a time to take care of our youth, so as to not dismiss the signs when they seem depressed - for they will tell what's the matter with them, if someone just listenes.

I felt his story rather personally. I feel much the same - I understand that he may not appreciated the humankind for some unspecified reasons. I still think he shouldn't have stopped to care about them tho. Well, that's just naivety from my part. Tho there's more to it than just that.

It's just sad that some people can't find help, people around don't care enough.. and he was bullied at school. Now don't get this in the way that I would accept what he did, or that my only sympathies would be on the suicider-killer - no! It's just that it makes me cry inside to see how many are neglected and marginalized.

I hope that all the victims families may carry on in this devastating time full of sorrow. I still hope that this wouldn't have to be the kind of situation on arguing about gun politics or something like that.. but that people would collectively understand our need for one another, and the hurtful effect of social isolation and alienation that is happening in our country, and how much it would help for people to care about others so much as to have little time and understanding for them. Perhaps our depression, suicide and homicide rates would be a little lower.

Perhaps the depressed wouldn't then go unnoticed, uncared and stigmatized - and further marginalized by the society.

[prplchknz]

The sad thing is, it seems like no one cares about one another. I can't give a stranger a hug without being considered creepy. No one listens, we're to preoccupied with our own lives. Then when this happens everyone is shocked. I'm sorry I was alienated in highschool and I almost took a gun too school, but attempted to kill myself because I knew if I didn't I'd probably end up snapping and killing a bunch of people. It was the only way to get people to listen. If people would listen, and notice things and not ignore others. I am guilty of these things, I think we all are. it's so easy with all the violence we are exposed to these days.

I really don't know what to say to make any of this better for the families.

[Santtu]

Originally Posted by prplchknz

I really don't know what to say to make any of this better for the families.

Me neither. I just have to go to sleep.. this has been keeping me awake too long.