Ballyjamesduff

[theskull1]

A lot of people believe its healthier for wider society to focus solely on the abhorrence of the crime as they are fearful that there's a minuscule level of justification when mental health issues are brought up to explain why they might happen and that future occurrences might be more likely as a result of that rationale.

[Milltown Row2]

How many on here have suffered a mental breakdown or supported someone who has either as a lay person or a medical professional?  I'd say very few. I have and what I can say is that there are times when you are depressed that all rationale and reasoning goes out through the gate. No one knows what precipitated this terrible event. We can speculate, condemn, sympathise, whatever, but no one knows what went on in the minutes, hours, days or even years leading up to this apart from the people involved. It was murder full stop but that does not mean there were not mental health issues. We are not in a court here trying to win a case. You can call something wrong but still realise and accept that there were horrible reasons before an event that contributed significantly to it. Mental health problems are rife in our country and if you look at the majority of crimes committed they are carried out by people with either mental health problems or poor education or both, with the mental health being untreated for years because of domestic circumstances, societal attitudes or simply ignorance on the part of the person.

That's fair enough, but people are allowed to be sicken/disgusted by such an event and express their views (as you have) as you have said and others no one really knows what lead to this, he could have suffered a mental breakdown or was a psychopath ...

Not talking about these things is bad and talking about them seems to be bad (depending on your point of view)

These things will always stir up bad reactions due to children being killed especially in the manner like this, as in the Omagh incident a few years ago... So asking, have people suffered depression won't be enough for people to think about his issues, most I'd imagine are thinking of what that family suffered during that attack!

I hope that depression and other mental issues get the treatment and attention required to prevent incidences like this ever happen again but not when most of the resources for this is limited

[omagh_gael]

I work in the area of mental health so have met many seriously unwell people in the darkest depths of depression or deeply lost in a world of detached reality. What I just can't wrap my head around is that If he was suffering from some sort of mental health issue that lead him commit this heinous crime then how the hell did he hide it so well? If you were unwell enough to commit such a desperate act then surely there would have been huge earning signs. Did I read they had attended a GAA match in the hours before? It really doesn't make sense. Gif rest those poor kids and mum, such a tragic end of innocent lives.

This is based on the presumption that Hounds post above is correct.

[Hound]

This is based on the presumption that Hounds post above is correct.

As reported by Irish Times this morning

[manfromdelmonte]

the fact that he probably planned the whole thing, is what gets me

he didn't just snap

the mind boggles

I think there is just so much pressure on people nowadays. In everything.

I know people on this forum have made fun of teachers and the holidays etc, but I know some teachers who genuinely hate the job and I don't how they come into school everyday.

[seafoid]

I work in the area of mental health so have met many seriously unwell people in the darkest depths of depression or deeply lost in a world of detached reality. What I just can't wrap my head around is that If he was suffering from some sort of mental health issue that lead him commit this heinous crime then how the hell did he hide it so well? If you were unwell enough to commit such a desperate act then surely there would have been huge earning signs. Did I read they had attended a GAA match in the hours before? It really doesn't make sense. Gif rest those poor kids and mum, such a tragic end of innocent lives.

This is based on the presumption that Hounds post above is correct.

He had a history of mental illness. Maybe the last time he got so down that he thought of suicide and taking the family with him. Say he had some bad news that tipped him over recently. The thought patterns would have returned.

[mrdeeds]

I work in the area of mental health so have met many seriously unwell people in the darkest depths of depression or deeply lost in a world of detached reality. What I just can't wrap my head around is that If he was suffering from some sort of mental health issue that lead him commit this heinous crime then how the hell did he hide it so well? If you were unwell enough to commit such a desperate act then surely there would have been huge earning signs. Did I read they had attended a GAA match in the hours before? It really doesn't make sense. Gif rest those poor kids and mum, such a tragic end of innocent lives.

This is based on the presumption that Hounds post above is correct.

He had a history of mental illness. Maybe the last time he got so down that he thought of suicide and taking the family with him. Say he had some bad news that tipped him over recently. The thought patterns would have returned.

He didn't have a history of mental illness.

Also he was collecting money at the gate for the club that afternoon. The whole thing is so unreal.

[theskull1]

I know people on this forum have made fun of teachers and the holidays etc, but I know some teachers who genuinely hate the job and I don't how they come into school everyday.

Genuinely puzzled at what you've typed there

[seafoid]

I work in the area of mental health so have met many seriously unwell people in the darkest depths of depression or deeply lost in a world of detached reality. What I just can't wrap my head around is that If he was suffering from some sort of mental health issue that lead him commit this heinous crime then how the hell did he hide it so well? If you were unwell enough to commit such a desperate act then surely there would have been huge earning signs. Did I read they had attended a GAA match in the hours before? It really doesn't make sense. Gif rest those poor kids and mum, such a tragic end of innocent lives.

This is based on the presumption that Hounds post above is correct.

He had a history of mental illness. Maybe the last time he got so down that he thought of suicide and taking the family with him. Say he had some bad news that tipped him over recently. The thought patterns would have returned.

He didn't have a history of mental illness.

Also he was collecting money at the gate for the club that afternoon. The whole thing is so unreal.

I read yesterday that he had.
He could still be suicidal and helping out the club.

[general_lee]

Just because someone is feeling suicidal it doesn't mean they sulk around moping all day with a long face on them

[screenexile]

Just because someone is feeling suicidal it doesn't mean they sulk around moping all day with a long face on them

True... I read a diary of a guy who attempted suicide recently who said that once he had decided he was going to do the deed he felt a calmness and serenity about him that finally it would be over and he was happy with that...

I haven't commented because I don't know what to feel about the whole thing. It's a heartbreaking atrocity I mean to murder your whole family... Why? What is wrong with you to do something like that.

On the other hand I know people who have gone through mental health issues and I want to understand that it's not the person it's the illness but for this man to take his whole family with him is just something I can't comprehend.

Anyway I feel for the family left behind on both sides I have no idea how they can come to terms with this but I hope they are able to and they can get past it somehow.

[seafoid]

I think I read somewhere about someone who killed his kids and then attempted suicide. The logic was that he didn't want the kids to be without their father

[theskull1]

A concerned parent no doubt 

Whatever the rationale of these murderers, their actions have to be vigorously decried so as to in some way offer an alternative perspective to the perverted thoughts of potential future perpetrators.

[general_lee]

Just because someone is feeling suicidal it doesn't mean they sulk around moping all day with a long face on them

On the other hand I know people who have gone through mental health issues and I want to understand that it's not the person it's the illness but for this man to take his whole family with him is just something I can't comprehend.

It's not an isolated case though. Surely if someone is willing to take their own life; it won't take much to go that extra bit further to kill their family (with the help of additional underlying mental condition(s)). It's probably a whole more complex than that but that would be my thinking on it.

[J70]

A concerned parent no doubt 

Whatever the rationale of these murderers, their actions have to be vigorously decried so as to in some way offer an alternative perspective to the perverted thoughts of potential future perpetrators.

Are you suggesting that murder-suicide involving one's wife and kids is something that is NOT seen as abhorrent or is seen as even acceptable?

This type of act is not rational. Whether the man had ongoing mental illness issues or had some kind of psychotic episode, I seriously doubt if the thought of society tut-tutting would have overwhelmed any destructive thoughts or urges or twisted logic he was experiencing.