Is Mental Illness a Risk Factor for Gun Violence?

Copyright

2021

This report looks at the risk factors involved in gun violence. Although many Americans believe that people with mental disorders pose a danger to themselves or others, the science reveals a more nuanced picture. Suicide risk is indeed elevated among people with certain mental illnesses (e.g., schizophrenia, depression, borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders), but suicide among those with such diagnoses is still rare.