Guns and Mental Illness : A "Dear Congress" letter from the mother of a son with bipolar disorder and his experience in his own words

2016 Ted Talk by Eric Walton from Boise Idaho

The life of Eric Walton … mental illness and fear until the age of thirteen. Now, three years after diagnosis and treatment, Eric talks about what it is to have bipolar disorder, what it is to grow up surrounded by fear and stigma, and what each person can do to help fix the issues surrounding mental illness. He helps us understand, from the inside, his journey from fear to strength.

His mother Liza Long responds to the Parkland shooting:

“What worked best for my son was the correct diagnosis. But sadly, the level of treatment we were able to access because of my viral essay remains out of reach for many children and families. In my response to the Parkland shooting published on 'The Mighty'  and on my blog, 'The Anarchist Soccer Mom', I called on Congress and the NRA to fund research and treatment for mental illness"