In reality, the mentally ill are far more likely to be the subject of an attack, than the aggressors in one. Somehow, this rousing point has been lost on Hollywood. It has also been lost on a society that quivers at the notion that their minds are just as susceptible to disease as their bodies. In our simple arrogance, we refuse to believe that mental illness can touch us. In reality, mental illness brushes up against us every day.
Mental illness is quite common, quite treatable and quite often, temporary.
Sadly, the stigma continues to spread like bacteria, causing us to marginalize the mentally ill, and to invite disaster for the millions of Americans who suffer from these common ailments. Write to Armstrong Williams at 435 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60611. The Idaho Statesman.