Number one Killer

"I killed him because I didn't want him to leave"- Jeffery Dahmer

Psychological disorders are common in the United States as well as internationally. Most don't realize they have a mental disorder and that poses a problem. If we could treat psychological disorders we could stop a lot of suicides, murders and other violent crimes. Psychosis, if left untreated, is a major problem and causes issues that our society has yet to face. Well it's about time we did.

In order to understand violent crimes we have to look in the brain. Nearly 57.7 million people in the United States for the ages eighteen and above suffer from some type of diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. Depression: a psychiatric disorder showing symptoms such as persistent feelings of hopelessness, dejection, lack of energy, and, sometimes, suicidal tendencies. However it is not the deadliest 'killer'. Schizophrenia is a severe and debilitating brain and behavior disorder affecting how one thinks, feels and acts. People with schizophrenia can have trouble distinguishing reality from fantasy, expressing and managing normal emotions. Thought processes may also be disorganized. Those with the condition may hear imaginary voices and believe others are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts or plotting to harm them. When mixed with the delusions and social withdrawal can cause extreme violence and, depending on how severe, sometimes murder.

Delusions are a common cause for acts of cruelty among those who suffer with schizophrenia, the delusions often lead the victim to believe that a certain person/group is out to cause them physical harm causing said party to react violently and in his/her mind defensively. A prime example of one of the most horrific serial killers was Jeffery Dahmer a.k.a 'The Milwaukee Cannibal'. Dahmer suffered from more than one psychotic disorder, the main one being schizophrenia. When he was younger Dahmer suffered sexual inadequacy and insecurity, he was very withdrawn and introverted which led to him being a social outcaste. People crave human contact and without it we slowly lose our mind set, as Dahmer did. Later in his lifetime he killed nearly 18 victims. His first victim, a nineteen year old man by the name of Steven Hicks was murdered because Dahmer didn't want him to leave. Dahmer's 'sickness' led him to horrific doings that shocked the world. The question is if Jeffery was treated for schizophrenia would he have done the same thing?

President Obama along with congress signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law, known as national healthcare reform, the new law includes many provisions that will impact community mental health and addictions treatment providers are trying to make health care centers more available. They are training law enforcement/school officials in 'first aid' for mental