Red Flags
There is no doubt about it. Robert Hawkins was a walking red flag.
- Dropped out of school
- Suffered from depression, ADD, impulsiveness, hyperactivity, and disorder characterized by negativity and hostility toward authority figures.
- Substance abuse problems, alcohol and drugs
- Threatened to kill stepmother
- Threatened to kill an acquaintance and burn their house down
- Owned weapons
- Fired from his job for stealing $17
- Girlfriend broke up with him
- Farewell phone calls
And, it is also quite clear that he received many services that could or should have been successful.
- Treatment center in 2003
- Group home in 2003
- Foster care program in 2004
- Treatment center in 2004
- Treatment center in 2005
- Psychiatric evaluations in 2005 and 2006
- Felony drug-possession charge in 2005
- Jailed in 2006 for not completing community service
Released
Hawkins was released on August 21, 2006 when parents, courts and social workers agreed it was time for him to go into the world. He was legally an adult so he was not released into anyone’s custody and no longer under state supervision. He went back home to live with his father but that did not last long. He was asked to leave for unknown reasons.
Depressed Teenagers
A depressed adolescent is not rare. By middle school or high school, depression may begin to appear but often goes undiagnosed. Teachers begin saying:
- He isn’t motivated.
- He isn’t trying very hard.
- He is giving up so easily.
- He needs to get rid of the attitude.
- He’s a different student this year.
- I'm not modifying anything--he can do the work.
And, since everyone assumes the behavior is a choice, a problem-solving meeting is not often called until the child begins to fail classes and miss school. Even after a diagnosis of depression, some teachers feel the student is just lazy, is trying to get sympathy or wants to work the system. The student may often develop symptoms of phobias or test anxiety and may drop out of activities he or she once enjoyed. There is a lack of understanding in the educational field about depression. Many feel the child should just snap out of it and get to work.
Many adolescents and adults self-medicate depression with alcohol and drugs. They know that something is wrong and don’t want to feel depressed, so alcohol and drugs temporarily lift their spirits. But, alcohol, being a depressant, doesn’t work well and just adds to the problem. Taking alcohol while on anti-depressants can cause serious side-effects and even death.
Treatment
It is unknown if Hawkins was on medication or should have been on medication. Perhaps he refused to take anti-depressants. He may have refused to cooperate during therapy or counseling sessions. It is also common to be on anti-depressants and still feel depressed. Was he misdiagnosed?
We do know that many individuals in two states tried to help Hawkins for many years. It may be possible that everyone did what they could but it was just not enough for the severity of problems this young man had.
Wake Up Call
After every shooting, many people come forward to state that the person had said something to them the night before, but they didn’t take it seriously. Or, someone shows them a suicide note or a gun and is not taken seriously. There were warning signs at Virginia Tech and there were warning signs in Omaha. Calling authorities could have prevented both tragedies.
No one wants to believe that someone among them could do such a thing but they can and do. In New York City, citizens are being proactive after 9-11 and calling authorities when suspicious behavior is observed. As a society, we need to be more aware of the depressed around us when they cry out for help. It is not a betrayal of confidence. It is a matter of life and death.
Sources: MSNBC.msn.com, December 6, 2007, FOX News
Related articles: Librescu: Virginia Tech Hero, Alcohol, Money and Teens
Read previous articles on Educational Issues.
Copyright article 2007 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.
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