Mental Ilnesses and Their Association with Violence

Kristina Lockwood

Mental Illnesses and Their Association With Violence

There is a very large conception that violence is associated with mental illnesses. This conception is supported by the public and very strongly argued against by many experts. The general public tends to believe that many mentally ill are dangerous and violent while experts such as doctors and psychiatrists argue that yes, some mentally ill are violent, but there are many factors as to why they commit such crimes, and their illness is not one of them. Between public opinion, doctors studies, and psychiatrists depiction, there are varying arguments on the correlation between mental illnesses and the inclination of violent behavior.

To the public, a person suffering from a mental illness is seen as someone to avoid. People often dodge any interaction with the mentally ill, this is due to the common fear of their unpredictable behavior, creating a rapidly widening gap between the mentally stable and mentally unstable. One example would be the personal interview conducted of a common person picked from the public, Peter Haist. Peter was asked to express his beliefs on the correlation between mental illnesses and violence and his response was “that the correlation is direct, and I generally stay away from the mentally handicap in order to prevent from being harmed” (Cause). This directly shows, in the eyes of many experts, the misunderstanding the general public obtains. The media plays a large role in the development of the public’s uneasiness by portraying the mentally ill to be dangerous. “In films it is common for violent characters to be illustrated as psychotic; although it may be unintentional, this fictional connection is used by the public and applied to reality” (Damaging). This leads to the publics’ frequent misconception that any person committing a violent crime must be unstable, or that any act of violence committed by the mentally ill is due to their illness.

An example of the media influencing the public's views on the mentally ill is the documentary Why Did You Kill My Dad?. In this documentary Julian Hendy explains how his dad was murdered by a man with a mental illness and that the man had been seen just a few months before for his illness and was released with no suspicion of odd behaviors. In the eyes of Julian Hendy, if this man were to have been properly evaluated and taken care of, his dad would still be alive. The documentary was extremely sensationalized and used a ridiculous amount of pathos to distract the viewer from the inaccurate “facts” about the crime, when in reality, the murderer was abusing substances that influenced his violent behavior. This is very common, as the public tends to blame immoral acts on mental illnesses because “no person in their right mind would commit an act such as that”.

Many doctors would argue that violent crimes committed by the mentally ill are caused by forms of substance abuse rather than symptoms of their illness. “The various forms of substance abuse that directly affects a patient’s inclination towards violent behavior include but are not limited to: alcohol, street drugs, the misuse of prescribed drugs and prescription drugs that exhibit undesired results” (Abstract). Substance abuse increases the risk of disruptive behavior such as hostility and suicide. An increase in alcohol or illegal drug abuse can lead to an even greater chance of violent behavior. Additionally, if a patient has poor medication compliance, it can be titled substance abuse, giving the same results. Even if substance abuse isn’t a factor, some prescription drugs, that, even with the proper dosage display a worsening of symptoms resulting in disorders commonly associated with violence. To reduce the risk of violent behaviors, a patient may require integrated mental health and/or substance abuse treatment.

In the book Violence In Mental Health Settings: Settings, Consequences, Management, Dirk Richter and Richard Wittington explain in depths why mentally ill are targeted as violent by the public. It also explains how this is not entirely a misconception, mentally ill are, in fact, committing violent crimes. The misconception rather, is that the mental illness is actually the direct cause of these violent crimes. The authors thoroughly explain what mental health care facilities do to influence these violent crimes, without targeting anyone to be at fault. This is a very powerful approach as it states that everyone is a part of the problem, while at the same time it is saying that no one is guilty. Both offender and offended are victims in a way. If everyone were properly trained how to handle situations with the mentally ill, and the mentally ill were treated properly according to their disease, we would not be in this terrible predicament.

According to psychiatrists, violent crimes committed by mentally ill patients stems from social precursors. “Often times, these precursors include a lack of social interactions, being put in stressful or overwhelming situations, or most commonly, being previously attacked with a similar violent act to the one they committed” (CME Activity). Their previous social interactions and home life can greatly affect their likelihood of being aggressive. Many violent crimes committed by mentally ill take place in treatment facilities. “Some of the factors that contribute to this, according to psychiatrists, are lack of clinical leadership, overcrowding, lack of activities, or poorly structured activity transitions”(Fact Sheets). Other factors could include being put in congested places, being talked to in a stern manner, or being touched in a way that is unfamiliar to them. It is not uncommon for people with mental illnesses to live in dangerous and impoverished neighborhoods; this puts many patients at risk as it is more common for them to get victimized in such settings. After being subject to a violent crime, the mentally ill are more likely to commit an act of violence. Studies have shown that a person with a mental illness is much like a child in that way, and the chances of them actually committing a violent crime increase immensely after being a victim of one.

After reviewing multiple sources and obtaining a better understanding of the controversy, it becomes quite clear that the doctors and psychiatrists have a nearly synonymous view on the argument. Both doctors and psychiatrists alike have a goal of altering the public's negative outlook on the mentally ill and violence, to a more understanding and active role to prevent these conflicts. While the public relies solely on their instincts and the medias inaccurate depiction, the doctors and psychiatrists both use research and facts in order to reach their conclusions. The minute difference between their views comes from what they study and the research they use to reach their conclusions. Doctors look at more of a medical aspect, for example the medications prescribed to the patients and whether or not substance abuse is a factor. On the other hand, psychiatrists focus more on the social and emotional aspects. This could include studying their home life and how they are taken care of. So of course there will be varying conclusions through the different studies, but they both tie together to an underlying statement that the violence being exerted by the mentally ill is not due entirely to their illness.

There are many beliefs as to what causes a person with a mental illness to commit a violent crime. While some argue that violence stems directly from a mental illness, others would argue that there are other underlying factors involved. These arguments are influenced by media, case studies, and observations of patients. There is a strong relationship between violence and mental illness, but where this violence comes from and what causes it is still very controversial. After research and a better understanding, one can make an educated decision as to which side to take, and what actions need to be made accordingly.

Works Cited

"Cause of Violent Crimes Committed by Mentally Ill." Interview by Kristina K. Lockwood. n.d.: n. pag. Print.

"CME Activity." PsychiatryOnline. American Psychiatric Association, 1989. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.

"Fact Sheets." Facts About Mental Illness and Violence. Web. 28 Sept. 2014.

"Media’s Damaging Depictions of Mental Illness." Psych Central.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.

"Mental Illness and Violence." Mental Illness and Violence. N.p., Jan. 2011. Web. 30 Oct. 2014.

Stuart, Heather. "Abstract." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 22 Nov. 0005. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.