An anonymous source told The State News that McCarthy had been showing warning signs for quite some time, but Monday was the first instance of explosive behavior the source had seen from him. The source remembers a man from more than 10 years ago with a “wonderful sense of humor.”

This incident has been pivotal in bringing light to the mental health of both students and professors on campus. Mental health carries a stigma across the U.S., and seeing its possible effects might cause those who could be suffering from depression or bipolar disorder to reach out for help. This incident should serve as a reminder that mental illness is an important issue that should be taken seriously.

The university cannot be blamed for not realizing McCarthy was possibly suffering from a mental disorder. MSU provides its faculty and students with resources for mental health, and MSU’s faculty members are offered two different health insurance plans every year that each help provide services for mental illness. Faculty members also are offered the Employee Assistance Program, a program within the university that provides support for mental wellness.

But some students’ reactions to this matter ranged from insulting and insensitive to encouraging and uplifting. Through the use of social media, some expressed their sentiments of hope for the professor, saying they were glad he now is receiving treatment for a possible mental disorder. Others chose to mock McCarthy, tweeting and posting Facebook statuses that made fun of him and the incident.

There is no doubt this event was abnormal for students who were planning to attend their usual Monday calculus class, and the initial reaction to your professor stripping off his clothes and screaming could be to laugh, as many students probably would be uncomfortable in such a situation.

And there is no reason to blame students for reacting this way, as our generation has been raised with technology and social media and the immediacy they provide. But upon reflection, students should have realized that using social media to attack the professor and post photos of him is insensitive and demeaning. Those who chose to post photos and tweet about the incident should take a step back and recognize they should show more compassion for their superior. And students should have taken the time to learn all the facts about what McCarthy was dealing with before deciding to belittle his apparent condition.

Members of the MSU community always should be supportive of one another during difficult times, and right now, support must be shown for a professor who is facing a very trying time in his life. The most important thing is that he now is getting professional help and will hopefully fully recover from this incident.