The beginning of mental illness

Following the recent shooting tragedy in Texas – today in the USA, tomorrow somewhere in our courtyard, I am really horrified by these new behavioural trends amongst the youth population. In opinion there isn’t an instant or a single answer to this question concerning this very complex matter. Its underlying cause is always in the human psyche associated with number of other factors. A distorted and dysfunctional brain obviously. However, no one is born with such a brain, is it? The ‘’normal’’ human brain gradually develops into the dysfunctional one, and there are many reasons (causes) for that.

The key factors of sociopathy

In my view as well as working experience in trying to work and help young clients who have been diagnose F 60.2 (APD) or an Anti-Social Personality Disorder (so called ‘’sociopathy’’), in my view, some of the most frequent factors that can trigger such a sociopathy are the following:

  • Birth trauma
  • Early childhood trauma or neglect
  • These can trigger anxious disorder already in early years
  • Too much time online followed by a terribly violent VR game. All these certainly do not contribute to growing empathy but rather empathy deficiency lacking
  • Excessive ‘’consumption’’ and time spending on social media which are alienating people from each other rather than getting them closer
  • Poor lifestyle – nutrition, lack of sleep and physical activities. Poor diet lacking healthy fat and proteins triggers frequent inflammation, mood change, anxiety and depression.
  • Last but not least – pandemic online school and fast and lazy lifestyle, during the two years, significantly contributed to an extensive epidemic of alienation, loneliness, depression and variety of other mental health disorders. As a result, we are having the rise in suicidal teens and adolescents.
  • Being and feeling alienated and lonely triggers lack of purpose in life.

How can you recognize is someone’s brain is disfunctional?

Here are some of the most frequent features how can you recognize this pathological behavior, according to the DSM-5?

  • Failure to obey laws and norms by engaging in behaviours which results in criminal arrest, or would warrant criminal arrest
  • Lying, deception, and manipulation, for profit or self-amusement
  • Impulsive behaviour
  • Irritability and aggression, manifested as frequently assaults others, or engages in fighting
  • Blatantly disregards safety of self and others
  • A pattern of irresponsibility and last but not least lack of remorse for actions.

Please take an urgent action as a parent and seek a professional help if you recognized at least two of the above listed misbehaviours.

Time for action

All in all, there is still so much work to be done in order to break the invisible chains of ignorance and fear when it comes to mental health related issues. The new era is on the horizon. R&D, technology, the AI, the most sophisticated diagnostics in medicine have never been more developed than nowadays, yet, there have never been more sick, miserable, lonely, anxious, depressed people living meaningless life. Or I should better say people who exist rather than live a purposeful and meaningful life.

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Mirella Rasic Paolini, Holistički terapeut