Eleven years ago, at just 12 years old, Morgan Geiser stabbed a classmate under what she believed was the order of the internet creation 'Slender Man.' The survivor experienced near-fatal injuries. That same year, Morgan received her own diagnosis, "Child Onset Schizophrenia."

Her journey has been public.

Just a month ago, Morgan ran away from her group home, prompting panic. Would she strike again? Was society safe?

As I followed the story and read the comments, I saw vicious remarks. Many people expressed thoughts not just about Morgan's fate, but about how society should treat people living with serious mental illness, in general. The remarks were not kind, with many writing that we need to bring back institutions and lock people away forever.

I have come across other visceral reactions recently.

Just a few months ago, a news host recommended an intervention for homeless individuals living with serious mental illness: "Involuntary lethal injection, or something. Just kill 'em."

The reality: Only a very small percentage of people living with mental illness enact violence. The relationship between having a mental health condition and being a potentially dangerous person is not well-established. The stigma sits there with a growing number of people eyeing us with contempt.

As both a therapist who herself lives........

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