There’s a pervasive stigma that suggests those with mental illness are responsible for most crimes. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure, many people in the world experience paranoia, mood swings, or hear voices, but these are not the hallmark traits of criminals.
Most crimes are not committed by people who are experiencing a mental health crisis. Take the example of someone who decides to rob a bank. That’s not paranoia or hearing voices at play. That’s cleverness, cunning, and intentional planning. If you’re mapping out how to get in, how to get away, and how to avoid being caught, that’s a calculated crime—not a symptom of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
In fact, most criminals aren't navigating mood swings or hallucinations; they're usually working with a clear, albeit morally questionable, mind. Mental illness tends to get unfairly scapegoated, when the reality is, the vast majority of people living with mental health conditions are not violent and are more likely to be victims of crime rather than perpetrators.
There’s a big difference between criminal behavior and the challenges faced by those with mental health issues. The stigma against mental illness tries to conflate the two, and that’s damaging. It not only distorts the public perception of mental illness but also minimizes the real reasons behind most crimes: greed, desperation, or simply bad choices.
So the next time you hear someone associating mental illness with crime, remember this: the real criminals out there are making calculated decisions, not experiencing delusions or hallucinations. Let’s stop letting this stigma create fear where there should be understanding and compassion.
The cleverness behind a well-planned crime doesn’t stem from mental illness—it stems from choice. And that distinction matters.
by Dan and Bonkers
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