Community Chat

[Noel7]

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@Plaid Pants2 wrote:

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@Noel7 wrote:

@Plaid Pants2

I don't think it's as simple as that.  Particularly when it's not a common reaction.

Remember the term, "Going Postal"?  It meant freaking out totally and came from an occurrence where a postal worker wasn't getting along with others on the job, flipped out and shot his co-workers.

A lot of people are under tremendous stress on the job, get fired or don't get along with anyone and yet they don't end up killing the people they work with. 

There must have been studies on this... hopefully.

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Of course I have heard of the term "going postal", who hasn't.

But not everybody handles stress in the same way.

Some exercise, some clean, some drink, and a few go on a shooting spree.

Yes, stress that compounds, and builds, can cause a person to snap.

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@Plaid Pants2

Who hasn't?  Younger people.  I suspect you are younger than I

I agree, stress causes a lot of bursts of violence.  Thankfully not with everyone.  The key is to try to find out what causes susceptibility.

[Plaid Pants2]

I am 46, Noel, and I remember well the days of postal shootings.

I 100% abhor violence, but I can also understand that if someone is under constant, unrelenting stress, how the mind can snap, and the only "logical" solution is to go on a shooting rampage.

I don't agree with it, but I can understand it.

[Greeneyedlady21]

 @Plaid Pants2 I know exactly what you are saying and I agree. I have been under tremendous stress on and off..mostly on...for the last three years of my life. I have done some healthy things to try to deal with it, and for me I internalize things (which I know is not healthy). I think in general women internalize stress while males take it out more on others. In general. I don't like to generalize and there are always exceptions. But it is mostly males doing these shootings.

This notion of solving problems with guns is a complex issue. It is a never ending depressing hamster wheel, and we better figure out a way off.

[Noel7]

Tonight's local news has reported that shooter Jimmy Lam had a long history of mental heath problems which affected his job and his life outside the job.  He was also estranged from his wife.  He drove his BMW to work this morning, parked it carefully and went after his manager. It was said he continually had problems with all management.

[Noel7]

FYI:

In my experience, often this type of event is triggered by a breakup with a wife or girlfriend.  

We haven't heard how long Lam and his wife were estranged, but perhaps that was the trigger.

[catwhisperer]

@Noel7....I have a relative in SF. She was upset and called me earlier. We talked about it. Not much else to say. I know it's upsetting. I hope you can find peace. (((Hugs))).

[Noel7]

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@catwhisperer wrote:

@Noel7....I have a relative in SF. She was upset and called me earlier. We talked about it. Not much else to say. I know it's upsetting. I hope you can find peace. (((Hugs))).

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Thank you @catwhisperer. 

I understand how your relative feels.  The city officials have stepped up, providing therapists and other helping hands for friends and family.  The state UPS official was here by this afternoon, formulating plans to help the victims, there are several hospitalized.

[catwhisperer]

@Noel7..I know how upsetting it is when it is so close to home. It's so scary. I live in the San Diego area. We have police helicopters flying over all hours of the day and night. It's frightening and stressful.

[Shawnie]

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@Plaid Pants2 wrote:

I am 46, Noel, and I remember well the days of postal shootings.

I 100% abhor violence, but I can also understand that if someone is under constant, unrelenting stress, how the mind can snap, and the only "logical" solution is to go on a shooting rampage.

I don't agree with it, but I can understand it.

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You cant be serious.  

[Greeneyedlady21]

I don't want to speak for her at all, but my interpretation of what she was saying is that she understands that unrelenting stress can cause people to "snap". To the point that they make this decision. To me that's the critical mass-you make a decision regarding what to do about this stress. That's where appropriate  vs inappropriate action occurs.

A mentally ill person cannot possess the rational thinking ability to make an appropriate decision. That's the difference.

But anyone can succumb to extreme stress. The effects on the mind and body are astounding. All the research on that is available. Understanding is not the same as condoning. If we don't try to understand how do we solve these problems?