Here we go again. A drifter and lone wolf is somehow off his meds. His anger boils over while he has access to guns. He then goes on a shooting spree killing innocents who just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
How many times will the media avoid the most important questions in these recurring tragedies?
First, was John Russell Houser on or off his meds at the time of the shooting in the movie theater in Lafayette, Louisiana? If he was on them, what exactly was he taking? Was he also drinking at the same time? Was he taking other prescriptions simultaneously?
If he was not taking his prescribed psychoactive medications, were there withdrawal effects he may have been experiencing from stopping them? It’s clear from the news report that the family had a difficult time keeping him on his meds.
Since bipolar disorder can be very difficult to manage when not on the appropriate medication, the role that the psychiatric condition played is also a major unknown in this tragic episode.
What’s the point?
Powerful psychotropic drugs can have some serious side effects. The pharmaceutical companies rarely admit to some of the most radical psychological repercussions because of the obvious liability they would sustain, both legal and financial.