Not Recognizing the Signs

“I can see that he was very depressed from losing his job and he was very frustrated with his English-speaking skills,” the woman, identified only as Nga, said on the “Today” show. “He didn’t share any of his thoughts and feelings, and he kept all of his frustration inside and didn’t want to share with anybody else in the family.”

Fear is a foreboding thing. In some ways fear can make you strong, giving a mother of sound mind enough strength to lift a car in order to save her child. In other ways fear can make you weak, making you so paranoid that you begin to doubt yourself and everything you see and experience.

I can just imagine the mental torture Jivery Wong endured before stepping into the American Civic Association in Binghamton, NY last Friday, April 3rd, to shoot 13 people then himself. It's hard to dissuade a man who thinks he has nothing to live for, especially if he is unwilling to be open and share his pain.

The Binghamton event was not a split second decision. It was an anguishing scene that was building and building with no stop gap measure insight. It is difficult to face these fears and not recognize the "coping" signs as they emerge. The depression, voices, visions, etc. The mind is a wondrous instrument that is not well understood.

When you see someone exhibiting extreme signs of introversion, intervention is required. Recognize that there are some things that are beyond our control. Seek a mental health professional, reach out to a friend, call LIFELINE or HOPELINE. Talk, talk, talk it out.

The Afterw@rd