Mental health in school, and in the high school environment, is something that should be addressed. In the United States, and in Canada many students don’t have the means or the support to seek mental help. Many of those students also may have issues during social situations, stigmatizing themselves to the point where bullying may take place or that they are viewed as weird.

This is the case with autism. Individuals with autism struggle in social situations, often failing to pick up common social cues. This must be addressed because it effects the life of those in the school environment. Although autism is a condition that affects people, there are many other illnesses that affect people in the high school environment, such as OCD, BDD (although uncommon), and social anxiety disorder. All of these accumulate with the high stress of tests, and the social environment of high school to create people such as Eric Harris, Dylan Klebold, and Nikolas Cruz.

56% of American adults with mental illness do not receive care, and even in the state with the best access to professional mental health care, 41.4% don’t get treatment. Many people wish to jump on a their respective political agenda, but the sad, honest truth is that society, and complete lack of care for mental illness in America, is what harbors this repressed rage that gives these mass murderers the motivation to kill their fellow class mates. One of the most telling quotes I could find was from the school shooter Eric Harris, “I hate all you people for leaving me out of so many fun things, and no don’t say ‘well that’s your fault’ because it isn’t you people had my phone number, and I asked and all, but no. no no no don’t let the weird looing Eric kid come along, ohh effing nooo.”

Eric Harris’s mental health and social standing were neglected. The sad truth that has made itself present ever since the Columbine mass shooting, is that these are deeply rooted societal issues that, when mixed with almost completely ignored mental health issues,  create mass shooters.