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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMom says 'I am Adam Lanza's mother,' details life with terrifying son
In the post-Newtown debate over mental illness, a distraught and exhausted mother has written a chilling article describing life with her troubled son and the health care system's shortage of options. The boy, "Michael," remains undiagnosed, and despite medication he continues to exhibit a hair-trigger temper. His mother says Michael shares characteristics with gunman Adam Lanza and other mass killers, and during his unpredictable episodes he makes frightening and violent threats. The mother's lack of help is typified by her meeting with a social worker who informed her that their best option is to get Michael charged with a crime, because "Thats the only way youre ever going to get anything done. No one will pay attention to you unless youve got charges."
The entire article is republished below with permission from "The Blue Review."
Fridays horrific national tragedythe murder of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in New Town, Connecticuthas ignited a new discussion on violence in America. In kitchens and coffee shops across the country, we tearfully debate the many faces of violence in America: gun culture, media violence, lack of mental health services, overt and covert wars abroad, religion, politics and the way we raise our children. Liza Long, a writer based in Boise, says its easy to talk about guns. But its time to talk about mental illness.
Three days before 20 year-old Adam Lanza killed his mother, then opened fire on a classroom full of Connecticut kindergartners, my 13-year old son Michael (name changed) missed his bus because he was wearing the wrong color pants.
I can wear these pants, he said, his tone increasingly belligerent, the black-hole pupils of his eyes swallowing the blue irises.
They are navy blue, I told him. Your schools dress code says black or khaki pants only.
They told me I could wear these, he insisted. Youre a stupid bitch. I can wear whatever pants I want to. This is America. I have rights!
The entire article is republished below with permission from "The Blue Review."
Fridays horrific national tragedythe murder of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in New Town, Connecticuthas ignited a new discussion on violence in America. In kitchens and coffee shops across the country, we tearfully debate the many faces of violence in America: gun culture, media violence, lack of mental health services, overt and covert wars abroad, religion, politics and the way we raise our children. Liza Long, a writer based in Boise, says its easy to talk about guns. But its time to talk about mental illness.
Three days before 20 year-old Adam Lanza killed his mother, then opened fire on a classroom full of Connecticut kindergartners, my 13-year old son Michael (name changed) missed his bus because he was wearing the wrong color pants.
I can wear these pants, he said, his tone increasingly belligerent, the black-hole pupils of his eyes swallowing the blue irises.
They are navy blue, I told him. Your schools dress code says black or khaki pants only.
They told me I could wear these, he insisted. Youre a stupid bitch. I can wear whatever pants I want to. This is America. I have rights!
http://now.msn.com/i-am-adam-lanzas-mother-says-mom-of-mentally-ill-son
With state-run treatment centers and hospitals shuttered, prison is now the last resort for the mentally ill... What does that say about US as a country?
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Mom says 'I am Adam Lanza's mother,' details life with terrifying son (Original Post)
liberal N proud
Dec 2012
OP
Lifelong Protester
(8,421 posts)1. The conversation about mental health resources
also has to be a part of this national discussion.
Lasher
(27,597 posts)2. Reminds me of a lady who lived nearby.
Her disabled son lived with her. During his youth he had fried his brain on substance abuse, or so the story goes. She was so afraid of him that she locked her bedroom door every night. One day her body was found face down in a nearby creek. Her son had beat her with a a poker, I believe. The official cause of death was either blunt force trauma or drowning.
This happened a year ago.