At what point are there recognizable signs a person might be a
danger to themselves or others?
At what point are there recognizable signs a person might be a danger to themselves or others?
It often is a difficult question to answer, and particularly problematic to address when that person in question is a grown adult.
That was the case with John Patrick Bedell, the 36-year-old Hollister resident who suffered for years with mental illness and resisted getting help, who walked to the Pentagon entrance Thursday and opened fire, injuring two police officers before being killed by return gunfire.
From what he has seen since news broke about Bedell, the director of mental health in the county said it would have been “very difficult” to fully understand his issues and intentions before what happened last week.
“With somebody that functions as highly as Mr. Bedell, it would be very difficult to be aware of what his intentions are,” said Alan Yamamoto, director of the county’s mental health department. “He was well enough equipped. He presented himself well to most people. He was going to school on a regular basis. Maybe his parents saw a different side.”
Yamamoto confirmed Bedell was a client at county mental health, but he could not discuss specifics of his history due to privacy laws and said he had not opened his file as of Monday morning because he was out of the office Friday.
Bedell’s family for years had tried to get him treatment, but he was in denial about his problems and growing paranoia and did not get the necessary help.
“To force somebody that’s an adult into involuntary treatment is a difficult situation and it should be, because people have civil liberties and those need to be respected,” Yamamoto said.
From what he could tell, the symptoms associated with Bedell point to paranoid delusions, but he said there are a range of disorders that potentially fit that symptom.
Yamamoto believes the mental illness, however, is not necessarily connected to the violence he acted out last week.
“The issue of stigma is a huge concern of ours here at mental health,” he said. “We don’t really think it’s true, that people with mental illness are prone to violence. The majority are likely a victim of violence rather than a perpetrator.”
TIPS TO RECOGNIZE MENTAL ILLNESS
Mental health Clinician Suzette Dierkes offered the following tips to recognize mental health issues in adults and youths:
– Any change of activity, such as going to an odd place, sleeping more, isolating more
– Withdrawal or isolation that is unusual for the person
– Suspicious signs such as paranoia
– Changes in communication, being more or less talkative or having bizarre conversation
– Increases or decreases in food intake
– Increases or decreases in drug or alcohol consumption
“You’ve got to really look at the whole picture,” Dierkes said.
