Direct people to crisis hotline

Many thanks to Chris Churchill for helping Jon Romano tell his story (“2 decades after, a school shooter returns to talk," Oct. 6). As a teacher, scientist, and recipient of a variety of mental health diagnoses since I turned 14, I have a practical suggestion for reducing school shootings and violent crime in general.

When a person finds themselves in an intolerable situation, they may commit a crime or hurt themselves to bring about change. In 1984, all it took for me to get institutionalized was running away once and refusing to go to school. No crimes were being committed against me. I simply decided I would no longer accept the circumstances of my life.

Last year, due to disinvestment arising from half-completed reforms, we read about teenagers being forced to live in emergency departments, waiting for psychiatric beds to open up. Without adequate safety valves in society, explosions will result. Money is needed, but a relatively inexpensive measure could help: Media outlets could accompany all stories about violent crime with a statement directing people thinking of harming others to call 988, the suicide and crisis lifeline.

Some violent crime, like some self-harm and my own disobedience, is an adaptation to life made by people who simply cannot find another path. I think we conceive of violence against others as distinct from violence against self in part from good motives, but crisis is crisis. That’s what 988 is for.

Oh, and it does get better, sometimes very quickly.

James Lyons Walsh Albany