Should the Mentally Ill Be Barred From Owning Firearms

Thank you, Owl, for hosting this debate. I hope you don't forfeit like my previous opponent. I strongly believe people who suffer mental illnesses should be barred from owning firearms. I have two arguments: 1. Suicidal Tendencies 2. Risk of Violence 1. Suicidal Tendencies (Depression and Bipolar Disorder) A suicide attempt is a clear indication that something is gravely wrong in a person"s life. No matter the race or age of the person; how rich or poor they are, it is true that most people who die by suicide have a mental or emotional disorder. The most common underlying disorder is depression, 30% to 70% of suicide victims suffer from major depression or bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder. [1] To bring more depth, 25 million Americans suffer from depression each year. Over 50 percent of all people who die by suicide suffer from major depression. If one includes alcoholics who are depressed, this figure rises to over 75 percent. Depression affects nearly 5-8 percent of Americans ages 18 and over in a given year. More Americans suffer from depression than coronary heart disease, cancer, and HIV/AIDS. In fact, people with bipolar disorder may be more of a threat to themselves than anyone else in their lives. Innocent bystanders may be worrying unnecessarily about their own safety when the reality is that bipolar disorder can lead to a lot more damage to the person living with it. Suicide or attempted suicide. Rates of suicide are significantly higher among people with bipolar disorder than their peers. People with bipolar disorder are close to nine times more likely to commit suicide than their peers.[2] In 2015 (latest available data), there were 44,193 reported suicide deaths. Currently, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. A person dies by suicide about every 11.9 minutes in the United States. Every day, approximately 121 Americans take their own life. [3] There is solid facts and evidences that show massive impact of mental illness to suicide. It is not the tenth leading cause of death for nothing. When given the opportunity to own firearms, the mentally-ill has a greater chance and a quicker way to ending their lives. It is counter-intuitive to the purpose of protection. 2. Risk of Violence (Schizophrenia) Some estimates have put the incidence of violent behaviour amongst people with schizophrenia at around 10-15 %. Others have put the incidence of violent behaviour or threats of violent behaviour as high as 23%. How does this compare with other mental health issues? Well, studies have shown that people with schizophrenia alone are less at risk of violent behaviour than those with depression, bipolar disorder, personality disorders or substance abuse problems. A study carried out about 14 years ago found that around 11% of unlawful killings in the UK are committed by people suffering with schizophrenia but that the number was declining by about 3% per year. More recent work has found that about 30 of the 600 murders in the UK each year are committed by schizophrenics. So the average probably lies somewhere between 5 and 10%. [4] Schizophrenic people tend to become what they are because of a history of traumatic stress. They assume multipersonalities in an attempt to block the emergence of bad experiences from their daily thoughts. They mentally become a hot-headed punk today and a sweetheart tomorrow. An introvert artist the next day and a sharp-tongued scholar the other. The danger in this illness is the multitude of forms in which their mind takes and we don't know how many gruesome characters will arise. Another complexity that occurs is the lack of awareness of a committed crime since people with MPDs have selective memories pertaining to the mental character at use. Would we allow these people to handle guns by themselves? The idea is absolutely horrendous. So, I advocate for the prohibition of possession of firearms to mentally-ill people for (a) they can easily end their lives when they are in a gloomy fit and, (b) their traumatic history and abnormal cognition makes them more violent. They should stay in a safe haven or be accompanied by an educated guardian so that they can't harm themselves and others. I shall expound on matters that I intended to paint gray on the succeeding rounds. For these reasons, I affirm. [1]http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net... [2] https://www.everydayhealth.com... [3] https://www.theovernight.org... [4] https://www.livingwithschizophreniauk.org...