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MOST AMERICANS can probably remember a few events involving violence that negatively thrust mental health into the national spotlight, such as the 1999 Columbine school shootings or the 1998 Capitol Hill shooting.

Sensational media coverage often follows these tragedies, fueling fear, misguided public outcry, and reactionary public policy decisions.

In keeping with history, the Virginia Tech shooting stirred emotions and spawned discussion from all corners of this nation and across the world.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families, students and faculty who fell victim to this brutal and senseless act of violence. We know that everyone who lives, works, and raises children in the New River Valley is a victim. The entire community was damaged, thus we mourn deeply with them for this loss of innocence.

It was especially troubling to mental health professionals and advocates, and to all persons who now have or have had in the past some form of mental illness, to hear of Seung-Hui Cho's history of untreated psychiatric distress. As so often happens when a sensational act of violence is reported in the media, a causal connection between mental illness and inevitable violence is relentlessly repeated, prompting the general public to fear those with mental illness, or restrict their liberties in the name of enhanced public safety.

Each day, popular images and messages in film, television, and print media contribute to an inaccurate and unfair public perception that individuals with mental illnesses are responsible for the violence committed in our communities.

The reality is that the vast majority of people with mental health problems are no more likely to commit violent acts than the general public. Ironically, people with mental illnesses are actually more often victims of violence than perpetrators of it.

To illustrate how common mental illnesses are, consider this: 26 percent of American adults have some form of mental health disorder. This means we all have at least one relative, friend, neighbor, or co-worker living with a mental illness. And chances are we have never thought of them as violent.

Each time we equate mental illness to violence, we marginalize the millions of Americans who work to manage their illness and lead productive lives. What's more, by fueling this link between violence and mental illness, we discourage people who need medical care from seeking it.