As police work to figure out the motives in the horrific murder-suicides that have shaken South Florida in recent weeks, mental health experts say there are often signs to look out for before tragedy happens. NBC6’s Lorena Inclan reports
Several South Florida neighborhoods have now been the scenes of crimes involving murder-suicides in just the past five months.
Last month, in Hialeah, police investigated the shooting death of a 6-year-old boy at the hands of his father, who then turned the gun on himself.
This past Sunday, a man shot and killed his elderly parents and his partner before taking his own life in southwest Miami-Dade.
Days later, a shooting in Coral Gables left a man and woman dead and the woman’s son hospitalized.
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And on Friday, yet another tragedy — this time a woman and a child were killed inside their minivan at a Chase bank in southwest Miami-Dade, and the shooter then killed himself.
As police work to figure out the motives in these horrific killings, mental health experts say there are often signs to look out for before tragedy happens.
"People are overwhelmed and a lot of folks are not accessing mental health care," Dr. Delvena Thomas, a board-certified psychiatrist, told NBC6. "Oftentimes abusers will show you red flags in the beginning. They do things like, they’re very impulsive, they have an inability to control their emotions, they cannot refrain from becoming angry — they go from zero to a thousand."
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Dr. Thomas said when you see these red flags in the beginning, believe them and sever all ties with that person because often that behavior never changes.
Another challenge experts are seeing is the continued stigma of seeking mental health care. Those in crisis often feel isolated and unsupported.
"There’s something called a 'self-fulfilling prophecy,'" Dr. Thomas said. "'I’m always alone, I don’t have any friends' — people do things to create that scenario for themselves. They withdraw, they’re not social, they don’t interact with other people."
There are also important signs to watch for if you suspect someone may be suicidal.
"They don’t interact with the family, they’re not answering the phone, they’re not responding to text messages, they may start talking about just today, and they don’t talk about the future anymore," Dr. Thomas said.
But there’s always someone who can help, she said.
"Keep trying, don’t give up — that’s the important thing is to be resilient, tenacious and resilient with your own mental health care, and you should love yourself in that capacity," Dr. Thomas said.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.
