Violent Crimes – Is Mental Illness to Blame?
When we hear incidents of violent acts – in the news, social media, or other means – at times we tell ourselves, “The criminal must be out of his mind.” Well, that could literally be the case. Although most violent crimes are committed by people with stable state of mind, there are a few cases where crimes are done by people with mental illnesses. Does this tell us that mental illness plays a major role in violent crimes? Before we tackle the mental illness and violence relationship, it would be appropriate to first understand what mental illness is and how it affects individuals and families. What is Mental Illness? Some might have the impression that mental illness is synonymous to psychosis. Is that really so? According to Mayo Clinic, “mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions — disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior.” Of course, even a person without mental illness can experience mood changes at times. But a person with this condition...