Georgia Constitutional Carry Act Means Extra Weapons, Suicides

This is a comment from Robert Pawlicki, a semi-retired psychologist and resident of Savannah.

This story contains a discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

“Hi, is that Dr. pawlicki Can you help me? My grandson is suicidal.” That’s not an unusual call I get as a semi-retired psychologist. Sometimes it’s a son or a daughter. Less commonly, but not uncommon, is a failed marriage or bankruptcy. My first question is, “Is there a gun in the house?”

Our country is currently under particular pressure. Psychiatrists are overwhelmed. Depression and anxiety are at record highs. In this stressed world, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a law called “Constitution Carry” that allows people to carry handguns without a license.

Aside from the terrifying vision of many of my fellow citizens bearing guns in public, I am deeply disturbed by another outcome of this new law. I see the very real potential for an increase in suicides.

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More from Robert Pawlicki:Do this during these mentally challenging times to counteract “darkness and doom.”

A bad bill at a bad time

One hundred and thirty suicides occur every day in the United States, most by handguns. When Americans hear that guns kill more than 40,000 people a year, they tend to think of criminal violence. They don’t realize that about two-thirds of those deaths are suicides.

States where gun laws are the mildest and gun ownership is highest also have the highest suicide rates. Gov. Kemp and Republican lawmakers are moving Georgia in that direction.

Signing the bill implementing the constitution, Kemp said, “The bill will ensure that law-abiding Georgians, including our daughters and also your family, can protect themselves without having to seek permission from your government.” In the presence of his wife and he proudly declared to his daughter: “Here in Gables, Marty and I brought Lucy her first firearm – a Glock 43X-9MM – which she carries today!”

Men who own handguns are eight times more likely to die by suicide than men who don’t, while women are more than 35 times more likely to commit suicide when they do own one. This is according to a study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The governor is doing irrefutable harm by encouraging everyone, especially girls and women, to buy guns. Men are many times more likely to kill themselves with guns than women. Why? Because men are far more likely to own guns and embrace gun culture more. By extending this culture to the world of girls and women, Governor Kemp is directly ensuring that Georgia’s suicide rate is likely to increase.

Legislation sponsored by the governor is a tragic mistake at any time, but especially appalling at this time of extraordinarily high suicide rates among our youth. In 2020, suicide was the second leading cause of death among adolescents aged 5 to 14. The isolation and stress of Covid-19 has only increased the risk of suicide.

Negative impact but no accountability

“Are there guns in the house?” Every psychiatrist asks this question as part of their first session, especially at the slightest sign of depression.

Everyone, professional or not, knows that families where suicide has been committed are scarred for life. The grief of the family is unbelievable.

Taking suicide rates into account does not appear to have come into play in the passage of Georgia’s new gun legislation. The likely motivation comes from Gov. Kemp and conservative lawmakers who need to appear strong to their base.

More from Robert Pawlicki:Are GA Republican leaders promoting ignorance and prejudice regarding Black history?

Governor Kemp advertised a picture of him with a shotgun and promised to personally escort illegal immigrants out of Georgia with it. The governor may be good at shaking up his base, but this constitutional legislation will make Georgians less secure. Many will live shorter lives.

With this new legislation, we can expect more suicides. We can expect an increase in youth deaths from guns. We can assume that girls will be more successful in ending their lives with guns than with pills or the less effective drugs they have used in the past.

You are unlikely to hear of these deaths caused by the state’s additional gun ownership. They will not appear on the front page. But they will happen, which is increasingly being made possible by the latest, more lenient gun laws.

And it’s extremely unlikely that any of the lawmakers responsible for making the Constitution’s legislation will attend their funerals.