Since the Newtown tragedy, I hear a lot of comments mentioning that the person who caused the death of those children was mentally ill. This morning I heard it again and I decided that enough is enough, I am coming out of the closet to denounce this accusation. I was 5 years-old when GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) manifested itself and it is only in 2005 that I was diagnosed. So, for 30 years, I lived with a mental illness that was not diagnosed nor treated. I went through very difficult challenges, I was bullied from elementary school through University, I have been through humiliation, abuse, violence and poverty. However, NEVER in those 30 years, have I ever thought about taking a weapon and kill other human beings. Statistics reveal that 20% of the general population will go through an episode of mental illness either temporary or permanent. Do all these people commit violent acts against other people? No.

I live a very ordinary life, I raise my daughter, I go to work, I have a busy social life and I contribute to society just like a lot of other people (according to my last income tax report, I’d say I even contribute a lot). I function just like you.

So, stop blaming mental illness, stop doing socio-political scrounging or yellow journalism. It was a glitch of the human soul that manifested itself and that’s it. As for the rest, decency should impose to us to let the parents of Newtown mourn in peace and away from scrutiny.