There’s a glut of so-called “studies” and surveys out there that are heavily funded by entities that have a bias against the exercise of the Second Amendment. At Bearing Arms, we try to report on work that’s done by groups that we trust. Walk the Talk America has been doing a fair amount of heavy lifting when it comes to “bridging the gap between mental health and responsible gun ownership.” They recently announced that their 2025 “Mental Health Survey” is now live.

This is the second crack that Walk the Talk America is taking at aggregating the answers to important questions. The 2023 survey rolled out with a short window to participate. This year, potential participants have an opportunity to have their survey answers recorded up until midnight, Pacific Time, on January 31, 2025.

What’s the survey aim to do? “Our goal is simple - we hope to gather a clear and accurate picture of gun owners regarding mental health and some legislation,” the information page on the survey states. “This way, we can lightly push back against inaccurate statistics.”

The approach of WTTA and being able to “lightly push back” is a powerful statement that shouldn’t be underestimated. Understand that WTTA will make their results public, as they did with the 2023 survey, and they’ll be available for all to see and use. We’ll be reporting on them.

WTTA asks a very pointed question that’s worth repeating. “Are you tired of hearing statistics thrown around in healthcare, the media, and lawmakers that don't accurately represent gun owners?” The primer to the survey asks. “We know we have had moments where we, too, get frustrated by some wildly inaccurate statistics thrown at us during important conversations. This is why we developed this survey to accurately understand what the 2A community thinks.”

One of the findings that was uncovered through last year’s survey is a rather important one. They observed that there are “statistics [spread] that don’t accurately represent” the experiences of gun owners. “One such example is that 87.5% of 361 respondents did not support Red Flag Laws or Extreme Risk Protection Orders in the 2023 edition of our survey,” they noted.

WTTA hopes to be able to tap into a much larger and broader audience this year. They noted that statistically more than the majority of the 2023 respondents were over the age of 60. It’s important that as many voices as possible are heard and our gun-owning community is properly represented.

“The 2A community is a diverse group of individuals with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives,” WTTA stated. “With the help of our partners and individuals, we will get a strong sample size of how gun owners feel about important issues.”

Other important findings were prevalent in the 2023 survey. For example, they observed that 92.8% of respondents owned a firearm for self-defense. Considering the average age of those who filled out the former survey, it’s not surprising that 70% of participants owned firearms for 21+ years. And, while the majority of respondents indicated that they owned more than one type of firearm, 97.8% stated they owned at least one semi-automatic pistol.

The 2025 Walk the Talk America Mental Health Survey might not be a scientific survey. Nor, is it one from one of the big survey clearing houses. But what it is though, is a survey for gun owners by gun owners, that’s designed to help better understand what we’re all thinking. Then, all that evidence can be brought to light. Further, the success of these kinds of efforts will grow the possibilities -- and needed funding -- for WTTA to launch more formal surveys in the future.

If you’re interested in participating in the 2025 survey, you can check it out HERE. You can also learn more about the organization by visiting walkthetalkamerica.org

Walk the Talk America is a non-profit 501(c)(3) dedicated to bridging the gap between mental health and responsible gun ownership. Our mission is to enhance the perception of mental health among gun owners while elevating the standard of mental health care within this community. Walk the Talk America is uniquely positioned as an organization that integrates the wisdom of gun-owning mental health professionals, offering innovative solutions derived from real-world experiences.