Can someone explain to me mental problems and violence

[fefee]

Recently a friend of mine told me some horrible news, a next door nnearibour of his was killed violently by their son. I said why would the son to that and she replied getting had mental problems and deep depression .

Surely it must take more than this to commit such a horrific crime ? It scared me a bit

[Guest imalright]

:-(

I suppose it is possible that mental illness can lead to horrific crimes xx

But someone would have to be seriously ill XX

I am not an expert....at all. But I read a lot about crime and have done since a young age. There are many cases whereby a crisis or episode of severe mental illness has caused the person to commit bad crimes. For example - to look at one case - Andrea Yates - severe post natal depression/psychosis led to her terrible crime. There are loads and loads of cases.

I think it's wrong to lie to you about that. It is possible that mental illness can lead to it but I guess the liklihood of encountering it is very low - they're rare cases x

[dksea]

Some people commit crimes, some of them terrible crimes.

Some people have mental illness, sometimes severe mental illness.

There can be overlap between those two groups.

Having mental illnesses, like OCD doesn't mean you'll commit crimes.

Not having a mental illness doesn't mean you won't commit crimes.

Edited October 25, 2014 by dksea

[Caramoole]

Having mental illnesses, like OCD doesn't mean you'll commit crimes.

Not having a mental illness doesn't mean you won't commit crimes.

That sums it up really and then it's back to an OCD Sufferers biggest fear......the need for certainty, which can't be guaranteed in any area of life.

But probability is a different thing altogether....we have to settle for that

Caramoole

[Guest imalright]

Caramoole - I liked your post. It has really opened my eyes to my own OCD.

Thank you x

[Guest joannna]

Hi All

This topic freaked me out, specially case of Andrea Yates, I am a mum to 7 year old myself, and thoughts if I could do it aswell are killing me right now. Obviously I don't want to I love him loads and now having a really bad depression and harm related OCD I am ruminating about it I am also scared about psychosis, that if I get it I'll loose control I can see I am in this vicious cycle of uncertainty, but I am just scared

[fefee]

Sorry I hope I didn spike you , I thought ocd people never act on their thoughts and it has never been the case

[Guest joannna]

No you haven't, its ok, Anything or nothing at times can trigger my obsessive thinking if that makes sense- so no blame to you ;-) I know that people with OCD dont act, having had it for 10 years on and off I've never done anything but it still makes me doubt when obsessive thinking kicks in and it freaks me out

[fefee]

What's the difference between someone who has a mental illness and kills someone and someone with ocd and depression.

I'm really can't stop thinking about this now, I m very confused

[fefee]

I been asking my husband about it , he just says but not like that man , I think if I asking him again he will get fed up wif me

[PolarBear]

I'm not sure I understand where your confusion is coming from. Some people with mental illnesses commit crimes.

Are you wondering whether a person with OCD and depression could commit a crime?

[Caramoole]

I'm really can't stop thinking about this now

You need to try and stop ruminating and asking Hubbie for reassurance. You know it only fuels the OCD rather than helps it.

[fefee]

Yes I'm confused , my friend said this person committed this horrible crime as he had mental problems and deep depresion.

I have a mental health problem which is ocd , anxiety and depression although I quite well now , I actually don't even have harm ocd .

So I'm confused because what I took from what my friend said is that was that people with mental disorders eg. Depression could loose the plot and kill someone . Now I'm sure this is not true but I would like someone to explain .

So I'm just thinking all these people running around with depression going to kill people ? 1 in 4 people have it , we would all be dead surely , so it couldn be true

[PolarBear]

You are exhibiting signs of cognitive distortions. You are overestimating the threat present and you are over generalizing that everyone with a mental disorder is going to commit a crime.

Is it possible that someone with depression will go out and murder someone? Yes. Are all people with depression going to murder someone? No.

[fefee]

Yes polobear cause we have ocd and depression are we more likely to comit crimes. ?

As in the news they just say joe soap was killed by a person with mental problems

So we basically all doomed cause there is lots of people here with mental problem about so surely they mean wen they say mental problems ( siocopath)

[fefee]

I'm overestimating cause some one said , they have mental health problems ,

[PolarBear]

You are still overestimating the threat. As I said, yes, some people with mental disorders will murder people. It's just a fact of life. Just as some people murder other people without having a mental disorder.

[Imhotep]

Are prisons full of people with OCD? No. Are they full of depressed people? No, but there will be some as it is a common mental illness. Most prisoners you find don't have mental problems, its their upbringing, circumstances and nature that caused them to act in such a way. People with OCD are afraid to act in ways they find abhorrent because a) they don't want to and b) fear the consequences, which lead to compulsions, like ruminating, checking, etc.

[Guest imalright]

Feefee

Just....try to take a few steps back and rationalise here. I know it's hard. But try slow it down and have a think about what you're saying.

Do people with mental illness commit murder? Yes.

Do people without mental illness commit murder? Yes.

Does murder occur as a result of some mental health conditions? Yes - here in the UK you can pleas insanity/not fit to plead in such cases.

Do people with OCD commit murder because of their OCD? Well....you've answered that question in one of your posts above!

You're really over generalising here. I know it's hard...but you just need to break the cycle. Whatever you're doing now isn't helping so perhaps try something else? You've been obsessing over this since 10:300pm last night...it hasn't helped, has it?

Please take some time out to have a think about this.

Xx

[Guest joannna]

Having mental illnesses, like OCD doesn't mean you'll commit crimes.

Not having a mental illness doesn't mean you won't commit crimes.

I did like this quote. And it's completely true. Statistically more crimes are committed by people who don't suffer with MH problems. That's a fact.

I'm ruminating a lot as having a bad set back as I've previously mentioned, and it's hard to switch my thinking off, although I remember my Cbt from 3 years ago and therapist saying 'that we won't do what we fear most'

[Caramoole]

The bottom line is that you cannot have that certainty, no matter how hard you crave it or look for it.

We know that searching for that level of certainty worsens and strengthens the grip of obsessions. You have to reduce the compulsions.

[fefee]

Thanks for your help but I still very confused and don't understand

I don't have harm ocd , I

What I'm asking is people with ocd and depression going to turn into murders if it's gets sever.

I think I should be allowed the facts at least once in order from me to move on.

I am strong enough once I hear facts I can accept them and move on .

I have gout better from pocd and 4 other obsessions so I can move on once I no the facts esp as I only started to think about this today .

[Guest imalright]

Feefee

That's a real general statement to make. I am so literal minded so may not be the best person to ask.

To answer your question - do people with OCD and depression turn into murderers if it gets severe. Generally....I'd say that's a no. But, if the severe depression and OCD was then added to a number of other factors (such as another mental illness like psychosis or some personality disorser and a number of other social, environmental etc etc factors) - then I guess sometimes that can happen.

I think the others have got the right idea....we can never be certain about things.

Xx with me....sometimes I just gotta accept I cannot possibly get any more reassurance that it's my OCD and have to make the decision to move on xx

[fefee]

Thanks for that I m quite good if I no the facts I can move on ,

Yea I need to move on now ,

really don't need to worrying seems higly unlikely .

I think it's just the way my friend said it , as if mental issues and depression is all it took but really that's not the case , then the media says the same , then people are afraid to say they have mental disorder as people think there dangerous , which we are not.

I no I've been over worrying today and it's not healthy but it did confuse me wen she said that .

[Guest Anon]

Is it possible the son felt the parent had been the cause of their illness and all the subsequent suffering? If a person can attribute their pain to parental upbringing and that resultant pain is too great to handle, who knows where that would lead in times of desperation?

Anon