The intersection of the Second Amendment and mental health stands at the heart of one of America’s most urgent and contentious debates— where the right to bear arms collides with the need to protect the minds of those who carry. As discussions of gun control continue to ripen— understanding the way mental health influences access to firearms is needed for creating policies that respect freedom, while addressing the risks posed by undiagnosed mental health issues.

Since 1968, the Gun Control Act created a list of individuals prohibited from owning firearms. This list includes convicted felons, drug users, those committed to a mental institution, and fugitives. However, prohibiting these people from the purchasing of guns will not stop them from obtaining them somehow. When mass shootings or gun-related suicides occur, the public often discusses mental health as a risk factor for violence. Which bears another question, is the process of purchasing firearms as secure as it should be? No, it is not.

It has been proven that in 30% of mass shootings, the perpetrator ends up killing themselves with their own gun. However, most mass shootings are not associated with red flags— no substance abuse, no diagnosed mental illness, and no past criminal activities. This making shootings very difficult to prevent. Thus raising the need for better screening when it comes to those bearing arms.

In 2025 alone, the United States has reported over 340 mass shootings as of October. Mass shootings are defined by incidents in which four or more victims are shot or killed, not including the shooter. As weapons used in mass shootings create a large-scale harm, the most common factor across most incidents is the shooter’s mental, emotional, or social instability. By focusing on who is buying, it adheres that the law would target the misuse of firearms instead of those who responsibly carry.

At the end of the day, the gun is not shooting itself— it’s the person behind the gun pulling the trigger. If firearms fall into the hands of people unfit to own them, that is where disaster strikes. Placing more intense laws onto people unfit for purchasing firearms is not to stigmatize them, but to protect them and the general public. When these laws are applied fairly, they can protect lives while respecting individual rights. With that being said, practicing proper mental health care is just as important as practicing the law.