Columbine. Virginia Tech. Aurora. Sandy Hook. Isla Vista. Sutherland Springs. Parkland.

While all of these events are very similar, there was one overwhelming factor they shared in the aftermath... the shooters were given the label "mentally ill."

As someone who struggles with mental health, I find this a bit disconcerting. Yes, I realize that mental illness has different effects on everyone, but those effects usually include depression and anxiety attacks, not using a weapon and killing numerous people.

There is already a stigma around mental health and its implications, as sometimes those people who are dealing with a mental condition may have problems getting employment, shelter or other necessities.

They are already being prejudged by society.

So now the media is adding the perception that mentally ill people will commit something as horrifying as a mass shooting. I'm not fully blaming the media, as I'm somewhat a member of it myself, but it certainly does play a major part in adding to the narrative.

Here is the truth, mentally ill people are more likely to hurt themselves than hurt others.

According to a study by the National Alliance of Mental Illness, about 22 percent of stories in the press about mass shootings made a reference to mental illness as the cause between 2005 and 2014.

The truth is, there is a higher probability that mental illness sufferers turn that gun onto themselves before using it on other people. The Pew Research Center found that there is a higher number of gun deaths by mentally ill people by suicide, not shooting and killing others.

Suicide is the 10th highest cause of death in the United States, and over 90 percent of those who commit suicide are children with mental disorders, NAMI claims.

And if we are blaming mental health for all of these shootings, why did President Trump undo a legislation put in place by former President Barack Obama that restricted mentally ill people from being able to obtain guns?

The bottom line is, there are many reasons why these tragic events happen, not justbecause of mental illness.