Marisa H

Hi Tayyaba! Great topic :)) True crime has definitely become more present in popular media over the last few years, and this has led some researchers to question its impact on our mental health. I linked an article from a website below that lists some studies, but I think the general consensus is that consuming true crime / crime fiction isn't harmful unless it starts to interfere with one's daily life. For example, women in particular are drawn to true crime stories about rape, murder, and serial killers (Vicary & Fraley, 2010). Theoretically, women use these stories to examine the crimes in case it were to ever happen to them. This can be good to raise awareness, but if a woman were to become overly paranoid or anxious and unable to normally work or leave her house, this would be an issue. Vicary, A. M., & Fraley, R. C. (2010). Captured by True Crime: Why Are Women Drawn to Tales of Rape, Murder, and Serial Killers? Social Psychological and Personality Science, 1(1), 81–86. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550609355486

I think it's really great that people are starting to recognize generational trauma and work to dismantle it! It seems like a really big movement nowadays (the movie "Encanto" is a perfect example in current media).

Great points! I suppose the first step is always to protect yourself and your private information.

There are a few theories into the psychopathology of pica disorder, but at the moment, there is no evidence for any type of direct causality. I think one plausible theory is that it is a self-soothing behavior. Pica disorder is often seen with patients with GI distress, psychological factors (like stress), and OCD. It may be that by consuming non-food items helps sooth the individual. I think the nutrient deficiency theory would make sense as well, especially because many patients have low serum levels of iron. However, it seems as though the substances these patients consume don't necessarily increase these low iron levels.

Yes, young children can suffer from depression. It can be difficult to recognize in kids because the symptoms can differ slightly from adults, and children do not have the vocabulary needed to explain how they're feeling. Some symptoms of depression in children include: - social withdrawal - poor academic performance - somatic symptoms that don't improve with treatment (headaches, stomach aches) This is a very informative article about pediatric depression.

The pandemic has been called a collective traumatic event that has affected nearly every individual in every country. I don't think things will ever go back to the way it was before. What I think would be more helpful is supporting people in adjusting to the way things are now. I agree with Julianna and Affra, the first step is always acknowledgement. The next step then, in my opinion, should be increasing accessibility to resources that support people in this time (therapy, food assistance, housing assistance, etc.). Here are some resources I've found for how cope with trauma. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/coping-after-disaster-trauma https://www.apa.org/topics/disasters-response/recovering

Hi Affra, thanks for finding the exact study! This is the research that was being summarized in the first article I posted. I think its the most prolific one on this topic - hopefully more people will be doing follow up studies so we can learn more about it.

I agree with you that it doesn't completely explain the difference between male and female serial killers! The author also clarifies this - "Evolution doesn’t mean you’re predetermined to do certain things or act a certain way. It means that it may be possible to make predictions about behavior based on our evolutionary past." I think the findings are meant to be seen as a pattern rather than a complete explanation.

Thanks for sharing, I didn't realize that a majority of female serial killers were from the US!! I wonder why that is.

Thanks for your perspective, Ayesha! I totally see what you're saying about the labeling point - it's important to know what you're dealing if you want to work with/improve it.

Ah thanks for clarifying! I'm from the Midwest so I posted this with a very middle-of-America centric view. But yes, let's hope they (very shortly) make this a federal level issue.

Hi Nina, sorry to hear you're not feeling well :(( One of my favorites is "Maniac" on Netflix. It's not a crime drama, but it does look into mental illness and relationships.

Hi Joathan, I just came across this short article that summarizes a study looking into the effects of Psilocybin. It seems to not have any negative effects on healthy people (given at specific dosages) and can be a potential treatment for depression or PTSD (under the supervision of a health professional).

@Julianna Kirschner Wow, I didn't realize it was that common! It's sad to think how many people have been wrongly put to death. I wish I could remember where I heard this - but I was once listening to a podcast and the speakers noted that the methods of putting people to death aren't guaranteed to be painless (even lethal injection). If we were to continue having the death penalty, we, as a society, have to accept it's brutality.

Hi Jonathan! This is a really great question. I agree with both Esther and Nina; we can't prevent the pain that comes with being human, nor can we control the things that happen to us. Whether a person develops PTSD after experiencing a traumatic event depends on the event itself as well as the individual's own resilience. This paper has a great summary of different types of methods that have been used to try to prevent PTSD after trauma. There are both behavioral methods (like CBT therapy) and pharmacological methods (like morphine or benzodiazapines).

Hi Ayesha, this is a really interesting question! According to this 2008 study (below), shoplifting is more common among those with higher education and income. They call this nonsensical shoplifting, because it isn't motivated by a financial need. It is likely there are both structural and psychological factors as to why this occurs. I've listed a few here, but there are many other theories out there: - Upper class individuals become socially isolated from the rest of society and therefore develop a separate group identity. This shapes feelings of entitlement and inattention to the consequences of one's actions on others. -They have the resources needed to deal with the consequences of unethical behavior (arrest, fines, etc.), whereas a lower-class individual would be more negatively impacted if they were caught. -These individuals may also be more likely to have received economics-oriented training that hones self-interest. These ideas around maximizing profit and self-interest can increase positive beliefs about greed.

Some resources for those who may be in crisis: The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (USA): 800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line: Text HELLO to 741741 to reach a volunteer crisis counselor Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255

I think a country's attitude about the death penalty depends on what the people think the justice system should achieve - rehabilitation or punishment. I do think there are some crimes that are unforgivable, but I can't 100% say that those perpetrators aren't capable of rehabilitation (although they might not ever gain redemption or access back to society). Also, although it is rare, there is always the risk that the executed person was innocent.

Hi Nina! Britney has spoken about having bipolar disorder and her difficulties with medication/her psychiatrist. She was placed under conservatorship after her public breakdown in 2008.

No shame here! And thank you for your perspective on this. I had no idea that conservatorship had such a long history, but I suppose it makes sense. Societies have always had the responsibility of taking care of its most vulnerable. Since you've done these evaluations before, I'm curious if you know .. do people often have their conservatorship removed? I understand that elderly people with dementia don't really ever recover, but are adults with intellectual disabilities commonly re-evaluated? I know there is a move for family members to have less authoritative roles and more supportive roles, but I'm not sure how this plays out legally.