We are wrapping up Mental Illness Awareness Week.

Dr. David Ohrt is a licensed mental health counselor in Jefferson and says stresses are oftentimes the cause for many variations of mental illnesses from the mild to the most severe.  Genetics can also play a part and have a greater chance of a mental illness if someone in the family has been diagnosed.

When asked about whether or not there is a correlation between a mass shooting and a mental illness, Ohrt didn’t know if the alleged shooters had a mental illness, but he points out that those situations could have been from the male shooters being depressed and males tend to act out more violently than females.

Ohrt believes that the topic of mental illness needs to be less of a taboo issue and more normalized in society.

“There’s a lot of talk of improving it but I don’t see it coming to pass so much yet.  It’s going to take a lot of resources and a lot of commitment to make that happen.”

Currently, Ohrt says there isn’t a lot of accessibility to psychiatrists and so therefore individuals are forced to travel longer distances to obtain treatment.  It is even a bigger problem in rural areas, adds Ohrt.

For those who may have a mental illness and would like to seek treatment, Ohrt suggests finding a therapist that you are comfortable with.