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With Firepower Comes Great Responsibility
Like a tank-top salesman on the first day of beach season, many American men eagerly exercise their right to bear arms. Whether you decide to pack heat for target practice, hunting, home defense, or the ASMR you get from cleaning all the fiddly bits, I’m not here to talk you out of the 2A lifestyle.
I’m here to help you avoid the biggest mistake of your life.
Every single day in the US, we lose 72 people to suicide by firearm. Add in the accidental deaths due to mishandling and you’re looking at a massive loss of life with an extremely simple solution. What’s better than a good guy with a gun? A safe, responsible, self-aware good guy with a gun.
Holster your assumptions and follow me on a short guide through the most important elements of firearm safety.
Dr. Rich at the Shooting Range
Some guys don’t like to talk about their feelings, so Man Therapy created Shoot the Shit targets where you can take a mental health assessment without using words, only bullets. Watch Dr. Rich demonstrate!
Shoot the Shit
Some (bullet) points to keep in mind
Would it surprise you to learn that suicides make up more than half of gun deaths in America?
If you own a gun, that means you shouldn’t just be on the lookout for a masked assailant or home invader to prevent yourself from being shot. You also need to keep an eye on yourself.
It’s not uncommon or a sign of weakness to have suicidal thoughts. As I’ve discussed elsewhere, it’s often a fleeting impulse, and the best thing you can do (besides going to therapy) is to make sure you can’t act on that impulse. In addition to suicidal ideation, other mental health issues like psychosis, delirium, dementia, or even adjusting to the effects of a new medication can make you a threat to yourself and others. Recognizing the signs of an impending mental health crisis and taking steps to remove guns from the equation is nothing short of an act of heroism.
Gun owners don’t deserve to be stigmatized or penalized for doing the right thing and protecting themselves during times of personal crisis. Mental Health America’s B4Stage4 philosophy explains that our best way to prevent death from cancers and other diseases is to intervene early. What if mental illness was approached the same way? If we were able to get people the help they need before stage four, we could save a lot of lives.
If you’d like to learn more about recognizing suicidal thoughts and how to keep them in check, swing on over to my Gentlemental Health 101 on the topic.
Firearm Statistics
- In 2021, a firearm was used in 54.6% of suicides.
- Of people who die by suicide, 46% had a known mental health condition.
- 44% of US adults own a firearm or live with someone who does.
- The average gun-owning American has 5 firearms.
Back to Basics
Guns are a blast, but that’s also what makes them dangerous.
Let’s go back to Boy-Scout basics for a minute. Even if self-harm isn’t something you’re worried about at the moment, proper gun safety is still a matter of life and death. Be sure to follow these basic rules whenever you handle, clean, and store your firearms.
Treat Every Gun Like It’s Loaded
This is the cardinal rule of gun safety. Even if you’ve checked the magazine and chamber nine thousand times and would bet your left nut that there isn’t a bullet in sight, it’s still loaded. Always. This means you never look down the barrel, you never do Annie-Oakley tricks to impress your friends, and you never point it at anything you don’t want to put a hole in.
Unload When Not in Use
As soon as you’re finished using your gun at the range or in the woods, unload it. Don’t drive home with it loaded; don’t put it in your bedside drawer loaded. Visually check every part of your gun to make sure it’s completely ammo-free, and store your guns and ammo in separate, secure places.
Know Your Target & What’s Behind It
Before you even think of pulling the trigger, you better be damn sure what you’re shooting at. Blind-firing, firing through a wall, or firing shots into the air are all recipes for disaster. Once you pull the trigger, that bullet is your responsibility. “Measure twice, cut once” isn’t just for woodwork, after all.
Don’t Touch the Trigger Until You’re Ready to Shoot
What’s the easiest way to tell if an action movie hero knows what he’s doing? Look at his index finger. If he’s whipping around corners or gesturing wildly with his finger inside the trigger guard, he doesn’t belong anywhere near a real-world gun. The only time your pointer finger should start to curl is the moment before you pull the trigger. Until then, it belongs on the frame away from the action.
...And Much More
We’ve barely scratched the surface, but I trust you to take gun safety seriously and fill in any gaps in your knowledge with research and/or a class. There, you’ll learn how to maintain and clean your firearms, select the correct ammunition, practice correct form and firing technique, and much more. Trust me, there’s always more to learn, and always something you’ve forgotten. Don’t let your pride and impatience cost you a bullet wound.
Prevent Unsafe Access
Better to be prepared.
Responsible storage prevents unsafe access. Usually that means keeping children, guests, and thieves from getting their hands on your guns, but it can also mean delaying yourself from turning a momentary urge into a mistake that lasts the rest of your life.
You might be thinking, “If I really wanted to kill myself, I’d find another way.” But I respectfully disagree with you. The research shows that virtually every non-gun method you might turn to is less lethal and more likely to be aborted or reversed in time to save your life. There’s no doubt about it — reducing firearm access reduces suicide.
Here are some ways to put distance between your weapons and those who might misuse them.
Storage Ideas
Cable Lock
A cable lock runs through the barrel or action of a firearm to prevent it from accidentally being fired, requiring either a key or combination to unlock.
Lock Box
Lock boxes are a popular choice among gun owners. They’re smaller than a typical safe, so they’re easier to hide or transfer.
Safe
Some firearms are larger and require a full-sized safe. In addition to keeping your guns from falling into the wrong hands, they also protect from dust and other elements.
Someone You Trust
This is a mantra that I’ll repeat until my dying breath: It’s OK to ask for help. Depending on the laws in your state, you may be able to let a friend, family member, or someone you trust (like your local gun shop or range) hold onto your guns temporarily while you take care of your mental health.
If you don’t want to part with your prized piecemaker, if your state doesn’t allow you to transfer guns temporarily, or if your friend isn’t comfortable having intact weapons in their house, consider relinquishing a critical piece of the firearm, such as the firing pin or bolt carrier group.
Another option is to ask someone you trust to change the combination to your storage device. If none of those sound like good options, reach out to a group like holdmyguns.org, which can connect you with free off-site storage options during a crisis situation.
Hope For the Best, Prepare For the Worst
As a responsible gun owner, being prepared isn’t just about being armed to the teeth, ready to Rambo your way out of a sticky situation. It’s also about having a plan in place to protect yourself from jumping the gun on your own life. Here are three steps to take long before your firearms become a problem.
Make a Plan
First, have a specific plan for your firearm in case of a mental health crisis. Discuss with friends or family members where you can store your firearm temporarily, or who can hold onto it for you until you feel comfortable bringing it back into your home. Consider using the Cause A Pause technique, where you store your firearm with a picture of a loved one or another meaningful reminder, forcing you to stop for a second and consider if a gun is really the tool you need at the moment.
Check In
Second, check in on yourself regularly, not just during times of crisis. Take the Man Therapy Head Inspection quarterly or even more often to make sure you’re still doing well enough to keep firearms in the home. And whether you’re hitting the bullseye or dry-firing, it’s never a bad idea to schedule a session with a professional therapist in your neck of the woods.
Help Each Other
Lastly, if you’re comfortable, open up yourself as a resource for other gun owners who are looking to create a crisis prevention plan. We’re all stronger together, and forming a safety-conscious community will help to destigmatize honesty around mental health, and it will give you a trusted group of gun enthusiasts who can hold you to account.
As a responsible gun owner, take the same energy you have for defending yourself and your loved ones, and use it to prepare for a future mental health crisis. Don't wait for a crisis to hit. Start preparing now.
More for Firearm Safety
Just by reading this far, you’ve shown that you have exactly what Mr. Madison was looking for in a well-regulated militia.
But gun ownership is a fearsome responsibility that requires humility, vigilance, self-awareness, and a constant desire to improve.
Fortunately, I’ve racked up an arsenal of resources to make sure you have everything you need to keep living up to the task. Leading the lineup are organizations that we collaborated with on this effort, like Hold My Guns, an organization offering alternative locations to house your guns when you're feeling a little off. The Bullet Points Project, an organization that offers resources for the healthcare community about reducing firearm injuries, and Walk the Talk America, an organization that integrates the wisdom of gun-owning mental health professionals, offering innovative solutions derived from real-world experiences.
Let me ride shotgun, and I’ll show you how to start tough conversations with your fellow gun enthusiasts, monitor your mental health, and advocate for responsible gun ownership across this beautiful country of ours.
With a little bit of common sense and preparedness, you can make sure that you and your loved ones don’t go out with a bang.
Below, you’ll find an office chock-full of Gentlemental Health guides just like this one as well as other in-person and online community resources to leverage for your own mental health and to share with other guys who need a hand. Let’s dive in.
Suggested Resources
An office full of support and the information you need.
Gentlemental Health 101
Improving your mental health means taking charge of every aspect of your world. Mental health issues are often interconnected, so explore how other areas of your life can impact each other and get your brain and life into tip-top shape.