A Preliminary Message

Perhaps the areas within conversation concerning firearms and their social, psychological, and environmental implications with the most agitation is concerning the legislative and judicial applications that are implemented and or debated over. At large this is understandable, a law is a solidification of a position with which all under the given jurisdiction must abide in whether personally in agreement or disagreement. Firearms are powerful force that has been used for both good and evil, making the weight of decision paramount and variance of opinion abundant. Furthermore, the United States is built upon a foundation that venerates the right to bear arms, making alterations and or adjustments equally as fundamental. This all in conjunction brings forth a matter that is necessary to clarify, especially in tandem with suicide prevention, yet potentially destructive to rectify. With all this said, it is not my aim here to take a stance but to build an edifying bridge between opinion, bringing forward an area of focus in the midst of the ongoing debate and discussion; lethal means safety and suicide prevention.

The Narrative

Within last week’s post, ERPOs or ‘Red Flag Laws’ were detailed and the legislative implications, enforcements, and overall structure were described. Last week’s entry ended with the notion that malice leads toward repulsion and it can be seen within the mental health sector that as legislation such as ERPOs increases, individuals reject the use of mental health resources entirely out of that fear and mistrust.

As I first began my work within lethal means safety and suicide prevention, I felt that I needed some perspective outside the world of mental health, within the populations that I was trying to reach and support. In this aim, I was able to establish some interviews with local firearm retailers within the area, trying to grasp how mental health and its professionals are perceived.

It worth mentioning that these two worlds, that of mental health and of firearm ownership, have little overlap with a cavern of misunderstanding and stereotyping separating the two. It is also worth mentioning that this ongoing mistrust is is fueled simply by misunderstanding.

Within my interactions with local firearm retailers, I was exposed to insightful perspectives as well as captivating stories, and throughout all of my interactions there was one similarity in perspective that was intriguing; a level of distrust in the mental health world and more specifically how laws and legislative initiatives such as ERPOs only cause more disdain for therapists and mental health professionals. I was shocked at the similarity of response and how all the retailers I conversed with specifically brought up Red Flag Laws as a poignant example.

The factual basis of these opinions are not at all the point. Furthermore, if more and more individuals begin to feel fear and mistrust, brought on by laws and legislation such as ERPOs, more and more validity will manifest behind such perspectives. What we see now is an unforeseen consequence from well-intended legislation; individuals who may need support retreat from those who are there to help out of feelings of malice brought on by a misunderstanding of intent.

Culmination: Perspectives Meet

When opportunistic resources are looked upon as oppressive punishment, it becomes clear why there is such a level of avoidance toward mental health resources; a therapist may not look like a means of support but an avenue in which legislation is exploited as a weapon of its own.

As stated above, the verity of this development comes not in the intent of the legislation itself but the effect it has on people, both of which we are responsible for. ERPOs are designated as a last resort effort with checks and balances interweaved to ensure the safety of individuals and the communities around them, not to maliciously infringe upon fundamental rights but to ensure that those rights can be safely pursued and individuals who may be at risk of harming themselves or others are not another another casualty in the debate over firearm restrictions.

Where perspectives meet is where new perspectives can be formed, and the more individuals turn away from resources out of distrust, the less perspectives intersect, thereby the more partial we all become, resuming the vicious cycle.

Local Initiatives and Involvements

Mental Health and Suicide Prevention 2025 EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN MESA COUNTY Register Here!

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST): January 16-17, March 20-21, September 18-19, November 6-7 This two-day workshop(16 hours) helps participants learn how to prevent suicide by recognizing signs, providing a skilled intervention, and developing a safety plan to keep someone alive.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA): January 31, February 21, April 11, September 26, October 17, December 5 This eight (8) hour training teaches people how to recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges in adults, how to offer and provide initial help, and how to guide a person toward appropriate care.

Youth Mental Health First Aid (Youth MHFA): March 7, April 18, August 29 This Six and half (6.5) hour training for adults who regularly interact with people ages 12-18. It introduces common mental health challenges, typical adolescent development, and plan for how to help in crisis and non-crisis situations

Soul Shop™: February 20, October 2 This 90-minute workshop equips faith community leaders and other people of faith to train their congregations to minister to those impacted by suicidal desperation.

If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal, call or text 988. The National Suicide Hotline is staffed around the clock with certified members of the American Association of Suicidology. Or the Crisis Text Line, text CO to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime. A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds, all from a secure online platform.