Alcohol and Crime

by Dr. Gina Simmons

John took his girlfriend Elena to a nightclub with strong drinks and loud music. A few drinks later, John saw a drunk man grab Elena. The drunk tried to kiss Elena and began to grope her. John shoved the man and a fight ensued. Two bouncers pulled the men apart. John and Elena were ushered out the front door and the other man was taken out the back. John, Elena and the drunk man met in the parking lot. The fight continued, only this time the drunk had a knife. John was stabbed seven times before the police arrived. John survived, and two years later he still shakes as he talks about the night he almost died.

In 2008, about 19 percent of violent crimes were perpetrated by someone under the influence of alcohol. Between 1997 and 2008, violent crime decreased. The percentage of victims who perceived their offenders as under the influence of alcohol also declined from 25 percent in 1997 to 19 percent in 2008. About four in 10 fatal car accidents involve alcohol, and four in 10 offenders self-report that they were under the influence when they committed crimes.

Janey arrived at a counseling session in tears: "I love my husband, but when he drinks he turns into a monster." Janey said that she and her husband Mike were flown overseas by her employer for a business trip. After dinner and a few drinks, Janey wanted to stay and talk with her co-workers about their presentation the next morning. Mike, jealous and drunk, flew into a rage. He stomped up to their room and proceeded to destroy everything in the room, causing $5,000 worth of damage and their eviction from the luxury hotel. Janey, mortified and frightened, nearly lost her job.

In three out of four incidents of spousal victimization, alcohol played a role. Two-thirds of those who suffered violence by an intimate reported that alcohol came along for the ride. An estimated eight in 10 people, age 12 or older, report using alcohol sometime in their lives, and about half say they use alcohol regularly. On a positive note, alcohol consumption in the U.S. declined 10 percent since 1990. This corresponds with a decline in violent crime.

After their high school graduation, Susan, her boyfriend Taylor, her best friend Micah and her boyfriend Jacob, partied with friends. Honor students headed for good colleges, they wanted to celebrate together one last time. The foursome decided to make a run to a local convenience store a mile away, to buy more refreshments. Jacob only had a couple of beers that night, so he drove. They cranked up the volume on the stereo and sped down the winding road. He cut a corner too wide and smashed into a tree. Jacob, Taylor and Micah died at the scene. Susan, the only survivor, suffered brain damage.

On a more positive note, only 6 percent of teens said they drove under the influence on Prom night. As we approach graduation time parents worry whether someone they love might become a statistic. Fortunately, 89% of schools have programs in place to curtail alcohol consumption and provide safety protections. The presence of security guards, organized transportation, breathalyser tests and other programs continue to save lives. Peak times for teen drinking and driving are summer, 4th of July and New Years Eve. Parents can plan parties at home, arrange for fun activities that do not involve alcohol, and educate their kids. Encourage them to volunteer for Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD). This organization teaches healthy coping skills and provides resources for parents and educators.

Groups like SADD and MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) continue their work to change our cultural obsession with alcohol. Slogans like, "Friends don't let friends drive drunk," and programs promoting designated drivers appear effective in reducing alcohol-related tragedies. Many families come to my psychotherapy office with problems caused or fueled by alcohol. DUI's, domestic violence, child abuse, all lubricated by an unhealthy dose of booze. Winos of a feather get sauced together. These folks form networks that support drunkenness as an acceptable and necessary way to have fun. They get irritated when I try to influence them to drink less. "Alcohol is not a problem for me. I can stop any time. I've even gone a month at a time without it. I don't need it. I'm not an alcoholic." Their life is a disastrous mess, but quit drinking? Never!

Many drinkers are ignorant about healthy, moderate drinking. (Denial prevents them from reading the insert that comes with their car registration). According to research, moderate drinking means no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men. A drink is defined as a 12 ounce beer, a 5 ounce glass of wine, or a 1.5 ounce shot of liquor. Some people save all their drinking for the weekend. That's called binge drinking. It's healthier to drink a little everyday than to save it up and have seven on Friday night.

As we approach prom season and summer party madness, think about how you might enjoy life without the presence of alcohol or drugs. Swimming, sports, music, dance, hiking, camping, fishing, picnics, can brighten our lives without ethanol. (To sound like a drunk, say ethanol five times really fast). We are the creators of our culture. What we do influences others. Think about that the next time you find yourself laughing in drunken hilarity in front of children.

photo courtesy of FlySi

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The Movie Star Psychopath

by Gina Simmons, Ph.D.

I love movies. Action films, chick flicks, mock-umentaries, I love them all. One kind of film really troubles me, though. Picture a handsome leading man with a great sense of humor and eyes that seductively penetrate. He appears to understand the leading lady's every emotional need. His only flaw? The guy just happens to kill people for a living.

The plot to these films goes something like this: Boy meets girl. Girl falls in love with boy. Boy kills people for a living and for obvious reasons has to keep it a secret. Girl finds out secret. Boy gets a conscience because of love for girl. The End. Films like Gross Pointe Blank show a handsome, witty, bright, socially skilled John Cusack growing a conscience after attending a high school reunion party and meeting his love interest (Minnie Driver).

Of course, filmmakers vary the theme. In the 2005 comedy, The Matador, the astonishingly handsome Pierce Brosnan plays the hit-man with a newly discovered conscience. He's transformed by his relationship with a "normal" guy, played by Greg Kinnear. Sometimes the girl is the sympathetic psychopath. She usually hides a background of severe abuse (the sympathy factor) with predatory sex appeal (to sell movie tickets). La Femme Nikita and The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo fall into that category. In another variation on this theme, the 2005 film, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, shows the two most attractive people in the world playing serial killers for hire. The couple rekindle their love while trying to assassinate each other.

Films that portray attractive killers can psychologically liberate us from conventional morality. We get to imagine what it would feel like to place no limits on our behavior. Free from a conscience we can play god and enjoy limitless control over others. When the killer finds his/her conscience, we feel redeemed. The killer's redemption gives us permission enjoy the psychopath, because he's charming, smart and deep down inside, a good guy. We can laugh at a dark comedy about a sexy serial killer and the absurd predicaments he navigates because we suspend our sense of right and wrong for a time, only to get it back in the end.

The troubling concern I have about these films stems from the wreckage I see in the lives of some of my patients. These men and women find themselves in love with a psychopath, hoping for a happy ending. Some films show more realistic portrayals of psychopathic killers. The Godfather's Michael Corleone, the mental patient, Bushman, played by J.T. Walsh in Sling Blade, and Nicole Kidman in To Die For, capture the lack of empathy and emotional coldness of a true psychopath. I worry for those in relationships with these anti-social personalities. These cold-blooded individuals don't get better, grow a conscience, or become caring people. Instead, psychopaths:

Lack insight and judgment 

At the funeral for your beloved mother, the psychopath leans over and whispers, "This speaker is boring. I'm going to take a walk." Later when confronted by the insensitivity of that behavior, he says, "Why should I have to sit there just because your mother died?" These people cannot imagine how the feelings of others matter at all. 

Lack guilt or shame 

While shopping, the psychopath notices a beautiful necklace lying on a counter. She puts the necklace on and leaves the store. Horrified, you demand she put it back or pay for it. With a calm smile, she says, "Take a chill pill." The psychopath feels no remorse, regret or shame.

Lack anxiety or fear

Your parents visit from out of state. After dinner, everyone goes into the living room to relax and have a cup of coffee together. The psychopath motions you to come into the kitchen. While in the kitchen, he tries to have sex with you on the table. You say, "Not now, not here, we have guests!" The psychopath experiences no embarrassment or anxiety about inappropriate behavior.

Lack love and capacity for empathy

 

You just suffered a double mastectomy and while recovering in the hospital your psychopathic husband says, "I'm just not attracted to you any more." He pulls out divorce papers and asks you to sign them now because he has a plane to catch. These people don't love and cannot feel the emotional needs of others.

Are unreliable, irresponsible and insincere

Your psychopathic husband drops you and the baby off at the pediatrician's office and says, "I'll be right back." Three months later your car and husband are still missing. You get the bills for the credit card showing hotel and entertainment charges he's made all over the country. These people lie, cheat and steal without regret

These above examples are true stories from people both unknown and famous. See if you can spot the famous ones. I see too many good people in relationships with these predatory sharks. They forever feel surprised when the psychopath doesn't understand feelings and doesn't seem to care. They operate under the assumption that everyone possesses their capacity for emotional connection. This lack of awareness leaves people defenseless targets for an opportunistic psychopath. While these anti-social characters operate under a "mask of sanity," if you pay attention you can quickly spot the deviant behavior.

Researchers find both structural and chemical dysfunction in the brains of psychopaths. One difference is an overactive dopamine system. Dopamine regulates our pleasure and reward centers of the brain. This over-activity may explain why psychopaths appear most concerned about their own pleasure and lack fear while attempting to obtain rewards.

Psychology and modern medicine offer no cure for these human predators. Our best defense against victimization is awareness. The next time you see a movie where the self-centered, dead-beat, child-neglecting father comes back after screwing up the protagonist's life and does something nice (Wall Street 2, The Royal Tenenbaums), I hope a little buzzer goes off in your head. Wrong. This script needs a rewrite.

Photos courtesy of hot rod, Mika Stetsovski and Ben Fredericson.

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The Crime/Animal Cruelty Connection

by Gina Simmons, Ph.D. 

Earl got a kick out of lighting firecrackers after placing them in the rectums of neighborhood dogs. He also hung cats by the neck. Earl Kenneth Shriner later raped, stabbed and mutilated a seven-year-old boy. 

Brenda Spencer loved to set fire to the tails of dogs and cats. She later opened fire on an elementary school in San Diego, killing two people and injuring nine others.

Sharon McDonough, 44, tortured and murdered dozens of pets and ran what her son called a "concentration camp for the animals." After her adult son turned her in, her seven children were placed in foster care. Judge C. Randall Hinrichs lamented he couldn't sentence her to more than the 2 year maximum sentence saying, "The penal law is inadequate to adequately address the true magnitude of the actions here."

The link between animal cruelty and crimes against people is well established. Children who harm animals tend to grow to abuse people. When a pattern of cruelty appears in children, they typically qualify for a diagnosis of conduct disorder. These kids often engage in vandalism, violence against others, and property crimes. When they grow up, they most often meet the criteria for antisocial personality disorder (APD). These are the psychopaths who lack empathy and find satisfaction from sadistic acts of cruelty.

Several states have proposed legislation for an animal abuse registry. California's bill, introduced by State Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez (AB 1277), sits in limbo because of California's budget woes. A registry like this can help law enforcement track those with this history and potentially prevent crimes against people. Of course the current economic climate makes passage of this legislation unlikely.

In March, a New York court was the first to use animal DNA to convict criminals of animal cruelty. Two young men doused a cat with lighter fluid and set it ablaze. Another young man beat a cat to death with an umbrella. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (A.S.P.S.A.) has collected animal DNA for six other cases. This trend can only grow, protecting both animals and humans from these sadistic criminals. 

Research shows that animal abusers often suffered physical and sexual abuse and witnessed domestic violence as children. Some of these children, with early intervention, might be helped. Teachers, counselors, neighbors and relatives of children with this problem can advocate for early mental health treatment. Care that coordinates law enforcement, counseling, child protective services and support can save some of these tormented youth. If these children obtain placement in a safe home early enough, many can grow to lead healthy, productive lives. 

Photos courtesy of Stoooi, DoubleNJenn and The fly over zone.

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The Psychology of Rape

by Gina Simmons, Ph.D.

On February 11, 2011, intrepid 60 Minutes reporter Lara Logan fell victim to an attack in Egypt as she covered the unrest and overthrow of the Egyptian government. She suffered a brutal sexual attack by a gang of men shouting accusations suggesting she spied for Israel. A group of women and members of the Egyptian army rescued her. Logan flew home and remained in a hospital for five days with severe internal injuries. Since January 30, 140 correspondents have been injured or killed while covering the unrest in Egypt. The list includes reporters Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour. Katie Couric described being "man-handled" while reporting in Egypt.

Sexual assault, like that sustained by Lara Logan, occurs about once every minute in the United States. In fact, one in ten rapes in the U.S. involve multiple assailants attacking a victim. In South Africa, Lara Logan's birthplace, one in three rapes involve multiple perpetrators.

Why do men around the world rape women? Rape researchers typically fall into about three different camps. Feminist researchers see anger and hatred for women as the primary cause of rape. Behaviorists focus on research showing that rapists respond to deviant sexual stimuli, unlike non-rapists. Evolutionary biologists see rape as biologically programmed to ensure that men with strong sex drives reproduce. In an attempt to understand the complexity of rape, Dr. Gordon Nagayama Hall found four main types of rapists:

• Type 1: The Aroused. Impulsive, he becomes aroused by deviant sexual stimuli such as bondage or cruelty to women.
• Type 2: The Conqueror. Often the date rapist. He believes women enjoy rape. Misinterprets signals from the woman. For example, if she invites him to her dorm room, he assumes she wants rape.
• Type 3: The Angry. Motivated by rage toward women. Acts out the anger in sexual attacks. Considered the most dangerous kind of rapist.
• Type 4: The Abused. The repeat offender. Likely abused as a child. Difficulty establishing long-term relationships.

Dr. Hall cautions against simple explanations for rape. Evolutionary biology theories do not explain the sexual assault of infants or senior citizens. Feminist theories don't explain how men with meaningful long-term relationships with women can then go out and rape strangers. He believes that by studying the multiple reasons for rape, researchers can reduce it's frequency and design better treatment methods for offenders.

I suggest the best place to begin rape prevention strategies is with our children. A recent study of 1,600 juvenile sexual assault offenders found:

• Just 33 percent of these boys perceived sex as a way to demonstrate love or caring;
• 23.5 percent believed that sex was a way to establish power and control;
• 9.4 percent found sex to be a good way to dissipate anger;
• 8.4 percent believed sex to be a way to punish others.

In a study of college men, 35 percent admitted they would violently rape a woman who had rejected a prior advance if they were assured of getting away with it. Many men and women believe a woman deserved rape if she was intoxicated, led the man on, or invited him into her bedroom. In a 2003 study, men who were highly competitive and win-oriented reported more sexual aggression and held beliefs that supported rape. This impulsive type may have much in common with the hostile group who attacked Lara Logan.

In a small town in Texas a high school cheerleader was dragged into a room and raped by two star football players. The victim, H.S., reported the crime. The boys were arrested, released and returned to the football team, while H.S. returned to cheerleading. In an act of protest, H.S. turned her back on the football player who raped her and refused to cheer for him. H.S. was kicked off the cheer team. Her family sued and the judge ruled that H.S. must cheer for her rapist. I offer another explanation for rape, of both the physical and legal kind. It appears many men, in positions both lofty and low, possess the emotional intelligence of a kumquat.

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Rape and the U.S. Congress

by Gina Simmons, Ph.D.

Angela, age 15, loved to dance hip-hop with her girlfriends. She earned good grades in school and got along well with her parents and her brothers. On a Saturday night, she left to spend the night at her girlfriend's house. Angela and her friend heard about another party, with boys, a few blocks away. The girls sneaked out of the house and went to the boy's party. One cute boy gave her a drink. She doesn't remember much more about that evening except waking up in a large closet, naked from the waist down, with blood running down her legs. She told me she hurt "down there," and her legs were covered with bruises.

Angela dressed, found her friend and left the party. They sneaked back to her friend's house and, after talking for hours, they fell asleep. The girls agreed to not talk about what happened. They didn't want to get into any trouble with their parents. Angela's parents might keep her away from her friend's house. It would prove terribly embarrassing to talk about the incident, and perhaps nothing bad really happened.

After a few weeks of vomiting, missing school and feeling weak, Angela's mother took her to the doctor. After a few tests, they heard the staggering news: Angela was pregnant. The family sought my help shortly after the pregnancy diagnosis. Angela had tried to convince herself that nothing had happened to her. Perhaps she got drunk and did it to herself. The pregnancy confirmed that she was a victim of rape. Angela, who had never experienced any kind of sexual intimacy with the exception of an awkward kiss, now found herself pregnant at 15.

Angela was drugged and, while unconscious, raped by an unknown attacker. Rape, or sexual assault, often goes unreported. According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), 60 percent of rapes are never reported to authorities. Victims often secretly struggle for the rest of their lives with the physical, mental and emotional scars. Teen girls like Angela fear the stigma of "damaged goods." Some worry that their drug and alcohol use will get them into trouble. Others opt to bury the secret to avoid burdening their families.

To understand why rape victims often never report it, read this rip-out-your-guts story, Stalking the Bogeyman, by David Holthouse. He planned the murder of his rapist because of his lifelong rage and fear. Yes, rape happens to men too (one in 33 men and one in six women). Rape damages the minds and bodies of both men and women. The difference is men don't get pregnant.

Now we come to the U.S. Congress part of our story. Representative Chris Smith, (R-N.J.) introduced HR-3, titled the "No Taxpayer Funding For Abortion Act." This bill currently has 173 co-sponsors. The ever-weepy House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has made passage of this bill a top priority. Since 1976, federal laws restricting the use of federal funds for abortions have included exemptions in the case of rape, incest and pregnancies that endanger the life of the woman. HR-3 originally aimed to change the language to exemptions for "forcible rape." Forcible rape (not a legal term) redefines rape as something using force rather than the more appropriate term, sexual assault, that can include rape while the victim is unconscious. They subsequently backed down after hearing an outcry from victims advocates. The writers of the bill intend to foment political division to weaken and destroy the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act is a sane and sensible law that actually solves some serious problems and helps Americans.

Women have fought long and hard for the rights of rape victims. Some survivors still experience blame, stigma, social isolation, physical abuse and public humiliation. Rape violates a woman's sense of control over her own body. Victims often feel victimized again by the court system. This bill puts another barrier between a woman and her own body.

The bill (HR-3) eliminates the incest exemption if the mother is over 18 and aims to eliminate tax deductions on private health insurance that includes abortion benefits. Currently, 87 percent of private policies include some type of abortion coverage. Sponsors of the bill hope to force private insurance companies to eliminate any coverage of abortion.

Abortion is such a painful, difficult issue with a long history. Sensitive people on both sides, pro-life and pro-choice, make reasoned arguments. I regularly donate to The Door of Hope, a safe haven for pregnant teens. These programs make it possible for abused and indigent youth to carry their babies to term in a healthy environment. These programs do more to prevent abortions than this worthless, waste-of-time law. If Rep. Smith really cared about preventing abortions and serving the people why not propose a law to increase funding for programs like The Door of Hope?

A recent poll found the top three issues of concern to Americans today are:

• Unemployment
• The economy
• Health care

A Harvard study found that medical bills are the leading cause of bankruptcy in America. Millions face unemployment, home foreclosures, unaffordable insurance and the loss of their life savings. The nation is fighting two wars, a great recession and a mushrooming deficit. Why is it the top legislative priority of this Congress to make life even more difficult for poor women?

Photos courtesy of straightpost.com and theepochtimes.com.

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How To Stop a Stalker

by Gina Simmons, Ph.D.

Whip-smart, blonde, from a loving family, Peggy enthusiastically prepared for medical school. For the past three years, she'd dated a man named Patrick. Her family noticed changes in her personality after she entered into a relationship with Patrick. Peggy then broke up with him. Patrick relentlessly called, followed, and sent messages to Peggy. He jumped out of the bushes at her workplace with flowers, a ring, and a marriage proposal. Peggy insisted the relationship was over. Patrick circulated a flier in her neighborhood slandering her. Peggy reported Patrick's behavior to the police.

January is National Stalking Awareness Month, and cases like Peggy's highlight the importance of educating women.

That's because most stalking victims are women. In fact, one in twelve women will face victimization-by-stalking within her lifetime. One in 45 men will experience stalking victimization. Most victims of stalking knew their offender in some way. About 10 percent of victims were stalked for five years or more. About four in ten stalkers threaten not only the victim, but also the victim's family, friends, co-workers and even the family pet. Stalkers threaten workplaces and the community.

Peggy and her family went out of state to attend her brother's wedding. She brought her new boyfriend, Mark, with her. Patrick took the opportunity, in the family's absence, to vandalize Peggy's mother's home in Ohio and burn down Peggy's boyfriend's house in Albuquerque. Peggy, her family, and her boyfriend reported the crimes to the police.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics issued a Special Report on stalking victimization in 2009. Researchers found that typical stalking behaviors include:

• making unwanted telephone calls
• sending unsolicited and unwanted letters or e-mails
• following and/or spying on the victim
• showing up at places the victim attends without a legitimate reason
• waiting at places the victim is expected to attend
• leaving unwanted items, presents, or flowers
• posting information or spreading rumors about the victim on the internet, in a public place, or by word of mouth

If you have experienced at least one of these behaviors on more than one occasion, felt fear for your safety or the safety of a family member as a result of that behavior, or experienced additional behaviors that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear, then you are a victim of stalking. Victims stalked by a previous sexual partner are at higher risk for violence. 76 percent of female murder victims were stalked by their intimate partner and 67 percent experienced physical abuse. Of those who were physically abused, 89 percent had also been stalked in the twelve months before their murder.

Peggy, her boyfriend and family felt frustrated at the delays in the trial against Patrick. Despite the threats, vandalism and relentless pursuit of Peggy, Patrick still remained free. With his trial months away, and in fear for her safety, Peggy went into hiding. She set up a new life in another state, hundreds of miles from her stalker. She informed her new employer, friends and neighbors, advising them to call police if they saw her stalker. Peggy kept an unlisted phone number and address, and communicated with her family using every security precaution.

In 1990, California became the first state to enact an anti-stalking statute. Since then, every state has passed some type of anti-stalking or anti-harassment legislation. Judge Wells, former head of the Stalking Unit at the San Diego District Attorney's Office, said that there is no one profile of a stalker. Studies suggest that stalkers come from all walks of life. Stalkers can be intelligent, charming, and sophisticated, while some appear mentally ill, have controlling, dependent or narcissistic personality traits. The most dangerous, like Patrick, often have a love affair with guns and the power they can wield with weapons.

Patrick hired a private investigator to find Peggy. Even with a valid restraining order against him, the investigator gave him Peggy's location. Patrick checked an assault weapon and handgun at the airport, and flew to California. He picked up his bag with the two weapons and drove to Peggy's street. Posing as a detective he showed a delivery person Peggy's photo. The delivery person recognized Peggy and gave Patrick her exact address.

San Diego Superior Court Judge Kerry Wells says about stalking:

"The primary advantage to having a restraining order against the suspect is that it allows him to be immediately arrested when a violation occurs. It is thus vitally important that, when a police agency is attempting to utilize such orders as part of an overall intervention plan, the involved personnel be prepared to respond quickly to each violation. Only then is there a demonstration that the 'system' is determined to sanction the suspect in order to control his behavior." (From a presentation at the Stalking the Stalker Conference, 2001)

Restraining orders often provoke attacks because the perpetrator sees the order as humiliating or a threat to his power. If law enforcement can't respond in time, many victims obtain no protection from the order. A restraining order should not give victims any sense of security. Instead it should be seen as an aid to law enforcement. If the perpetrator is apprehended, a restraining order can allow stiffer penalties to hold him longer. As Wells says, a restraining order should be considered only one piece of a comprehensive protection plan.

Patrick attacked Peggy outside her home, duct-taped her hands and beat her head bloody with his gun. She broke away from him, ran into a neighbor's home, and called 911. Patrick broke down two doors to get to her. With the police outside the door, he shot Peggy in the back of the head and then killed himself.

How do you stop a stalker? Some victims report that the behavior stopped after the stalker was warned by police (15.6 percent). Others stopped after the victim agreed to talk with them (13.3 percent). About 12.2 percent of stalkers stopped after a friend or relative intervened. Only about a tenth of victims reported that a protective, restraining or stay away order stopped the stalking behavior. Threat Assessment expert, Gavin de Becker, cautions against giving pat answers to victims of stalking. Each case should be viewed individually, considering the behaviors of the perpetrator and victim within their unique context. If you're a victim of stalking, contact the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals for a referral.

Peggy Klinke's sister, Debbie Riddle, called the Stalking Resource Center, after her sister's tragic murder, with a passionate need to make things better for other stalking victims. She participated in a national program on Lifetime Television, hosted by Erin Brockovich, and a Lifetime video to train law enforcement about stalking. Last month, President Obama issued the first presidential proclamation declaring January, National Stalking Awareness Month.

We can all help by promoting National Stalking Awareness Month on our web and social media sites. Educate yourself and let others know about the Stalking Resource Center.

Peggy's last words, moments before she was shot, were:

"Please tell my mother that I love her. Please tell my niece that she will now have a guardian angel watching over her ... and tell my sister to name her baby after me."

For Peggy, her family, and all victims of stalking, let's never forget.

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The Psychotic Assassin: Jared Lee Loughner

by Gina Simmons, Ph.D.

A delusional young loner becomes obsessed with a blonde woman. Disgusted with politicians and the government, he writes rambling rants difficult to understand. He hides the truth about his life from his family. He isolates from friends, buys a gun, attempts to assassinate a politician.

While this sounds like the story of accused Arizona mass murderer Jared Lee Loughner, it's actually a synopsis of the iconic 1976 film Taxi Driver, starring Robert de Niro and Jodie Foster. Robert de Niro plays Travis Bickle, a psychotic cab driver in New York City. His attempt to assassinate a politician is thwarted. Through a series of random events, he changes his hostile focus from the politician to the pimp of a child prostitute, played by Foster. He commits mass murder.

The film made news again in 1981 when John Hinkley Jr. attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan. Hinkley's psychotic obsession with Jodie Foster's performance in the film reportedly inspired his attack on the President. Schizophrenic individuals, like the rest of us, are influenced by environment, media, family and random events. They don't just interpret those events rationally. For example, years ago, the supermarket chain Alpha Beta had a television slogan, "Tell a friend," to persuade people to shop there. A colleague of mine shared a story about a paranoid schizophrenic who, when told he would be going on a field trip from the hospital to a supermarket, said, "I won't go to Alpha Beta. They want you to 'tell a friend.' I don't want anyone to know where I shop."

According to news reports, Jared Lee Loughner engaged in bizarre, hostile behavior last year at Pima Community College. He later withdrew from the college after campus officials told him he needed a mental health evaluation and clearance before they would allow him to return. He then legally purchased a Glock 9 millimeter semi-automatic weapon and, months later, shot 20 people.

From the evidence reported in the news to date, and from Jared Loughner's disjointed YouTube videos, it appears he suffered from a psychotic disorder. Psychosis consists of a break with reality. The individual's thoughts don't connect with a logical thread. Sometimes they speak in a word salad, as if their thoughts were put into a bowl and randomly tossed. Loughner likely suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is an incurable mental illness, with genetic links, associated with significant destruction of brain tissue over time. Symptoms of the disease include hallucinations (sensing things that are not real) and delusions (false beliefs). The disease usually begins in late adolescence and early adulthood.

It appears Lougner's troubles began in his junior year of high school. That's when he broke up with his girlfriend, dropped out of high school, and slowly began to deteriorate. He allegedly abused drugs and alcohol, developed an interest in guns, and suffered from paranoid delusions. These delusions included the belief in mind control and in secret government conspiracies. Some schizophrenics, plagued by delusions of grandeur, believe they possess special powers or special importance.

Schizophrenics can unnerve us. In addition to the fear of death, most humans instinctively fear madness. The insane person doesn't respond to normal social cues, verbal persuasion or even common-sense safety. We feel helpless and confused about how to deal with their bizarre behavior. However, most mentally ill people never commit acts of aggression. The rate of violent acts for the mentally ill closely matches that of the general population. 

Researchers found common characteristics in those mentally ill people at high risk for violence:

• Usually males under the age of 43
• Substance abusers
• Bipolar or depressed combined with substance abuse
• Income below $20,000 per year
• History of family violence, criminal activity, or juvenile detention
• Victimized, divorced, separated or unemployed in the past year

We can see this list of characteristics and wonder why someone could not stop this attack. To prevent other similar attacks by the mentally ill, we need to support:

• Good access to affordable mental health treatment, medications and hospitals. (See the Mental Health Parity Act)
• Accurate databases and strong laws preventing psychotic individuals from owning guns
• Public education about mental illness and treatment programs
• Law enforcement specially trained to manage mentally ill offenders (Special Response Teams)

Families with a mentally ill loved one often live for decades with a chronic anxiety: "Will he commit suicide?" "How long can she stay in the hospital?" "What programs can help him stay on his medication?" "Will the insurance approve this new medication?" The list of worries and dilemmas goes on and on. In addition to this tsunami of worries, mental illness carries with it a stigma of shame and blame. Some families try to hide the illness, growing more isolated even when they desperately need the help of the community. Many bloggers and pundits blame Lougner's family, deepening their devastating pain.

With education, community and mental health support, many psychotic individuals can lead more productive lives. Some can hold jobs and become self-supporting. Others will need care and support for the rest of their lives. Mental illness is not an individual problem. Mental illness poses a problem for families, communities, nations and international relations. Public figures bear a greater responsibility for the power and influence they wield. In the interest of good judgment, I suggest posing the editorial question, "How would a paranoid schizophrenic gun nut view this ad or speech?" Or ask, WWTBD? (What would Travis Bickle do?)

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How to Combat Fear and Loathing in 2011

by Gina Simmons, Ph.D.

The late gonzo journalist Hunter Thompson once said, “Call on God, but row away from the rocks.” He wrote the drug-crazed romp, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, that inspired the title for this post. Fear and loathing grow during economic slumps. News reports of double-dip recessions, inflation, deflation, terrorism, war, crime and corruption whip up a frothy mess of fear and anxiety. When we read about hate crimes, terrorism and neighborhood bomb factories, we sometimes feel helpless and confused. Fear and helplessness often inspire us to look for someone or something to blame. We want a cause for our predicament and we want to know whose butt to kick.

Conservatives blamed homosexuals for hurricane Katrina. Political pundits blame illegal immigrants for our high unemployment rate. Democrats blame Republicans, and the G.O.P. accuses the liberals. We look for scapegoats to blame for everything from global warming to the economy. Crimes of hate often start with fear-based anger.

Fear and anxiety take their toll on the nervous system. Short-term stress, like the jitters you feel before giving a speech, can be good for you by boosting norephinephrine levels, fostering creative thought and memory formation. Long-term fear and anxiety, like the stress of living with an angry alcoholic, overworks the limbic system, hippocampus and amygdala. This bad stress can mess with memory formation, weaken the immune system, and increase risk for depression and anxiety.

Anger and stress management experts know that hostile thoughts like, “They’ve messed with me for the last time!” keep people hyper-alert and sensitive to attack. It compresses you into a wound-up, ready-to-pounce state of arousal. Over time this can threaten your mental health and well-being. In the short run it can feel good to blame others for our present problems. We take the heat off of ourselves and put it outside of our responsibility. Psychologists call this the defense mechanism of projection. Like a movie projector, we light up others with the movie we have in our own mind. We see our own inner fears and hostilities acted out by the feared other.

Unfortunately, anxiety and anger narrow our ability to think creatively, problem-solve and see clearly. Our survival depends on quick thinking, keen observation and good judgment. Instead of looking for someone to blame, claim responsibility for the problem. Taking responsibility empowers us to change what we must. For example, if you feel angry about the economy, your job, your finances, I suggest that you ask yourself these five questions:

• “What is my problem?”

• “What did I do that contributes to my problem?”

• “What did I neglect to do that contributes to this problem?”

• “What can I do now to improve the situation?”

• “Who can I enlist for support or information to help me improve the situation?”

Asking these five questions mobilizes your can-do spirit. The first question, “What is my problem?” helps you stop worrying about things that aren’t your concern. The next questions focus your thinking on solutions. In contrast, fear and loathing keep you in a steaming vat of helpless tension with nowhere to go but down.

So the next time you find yourself blaming unions, or management, the poor, immigrants, rich people, the government, take a deep-cleansing breath. Ask yourself the five questions. Feel your heart rate return to normal. The philosopher Plato wrote, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” 2011 is a brand new year, rich with possibilities. Row. Row. Row.

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When Hoarding Goes Ballistic

UPDATE: George Jakubec’s bomb-filled house was successfully burned down, San Diego County officials have announced. Jakubec had attempted to delay the burning of his home, but the judge denied the request, citing no "good reason to say 'hold off.'" 

by Gina Simmons, Ph.D.

What do you get when you cross a bank robber, a bomb maker and a hoarder? You get George Jakubec (left), a 54-year-old Serbic emigre recently arrested for possessing the single largest hoard of homemade explosives ever found in the United States. Investigators searched his rental home, in the sleepy southern California town of Escondido, and found a startling stash of pentaerythritol tentanitrate (PETN), an explosive used by Al Qaeda terrorists.  Federal authorities implemented full body scans at airports to find PETN. A prime ingredient in U.S. military ordinance, PETN was used by the unsuccessful shoe bomber Richard Reid.

Deputies removed nine pounds of the chemical hexamethylene tiperoxide diamine (HMTD) from Jakubec's home. HMTD is extremely sensitive to heat, friction and shock. Less than a gram of it can seriously injure a person. Investigators also discovered large amounts of sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, detonators, grenade casings, hand guns, molds of human faces, and wigs.

Jakubec was arrested after a gardener suffered injuries from an explosion while working in the yard. Investigators found the home so cluttered with explosives and debris that bomb experts deemed it unsafe to enter the home. They could not use robots because many of the rooms were impassible. Neighbors were evacuated. Governor Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency to contain the potential disaster. Crews erected a 16-foot-high and 75-foot-long fence around the property in preparation for a controlled burn of the entire home. Yes, authorities must annihilate the entire home to eliminate the hazard. The burn is scheduled this week pending the outcome of a motion filed by Jakubec's attorney to stop it.

I interviewed Lt. Commander Mark Milton of the Navy's Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit to learn why investigators determined Jakubec's home needed demolition. "If there was a lot of debris in the home and the chemicals had fallen onto the floor or leached into surrounding materials," he told me, "it would be unsafe to walk across the floor to remove those materials. The house, carpet, floor boards, everything, would have to be removed and destroyed piece by piece." Milton said that burning provides a safe and effective way to destroy explosives: "The bomb squad will likely use an accelerant such as fuel oil or diesel that can spread over the area, ignite evenly, and incinerate the contaminated material quickly before it can explode."

This is the hoarder's worst nightmare. All your stuff burns and you can't keep anything. Jakubec's estranged wife asked to enter the home to retrieve personal items. Jakubec's lawyer claims the home holds exculpatory evidence. Authorities are faced with an unprecedented problem. If they allow anyone in to get clothing or sentimental items they risk lives. If they burn down the house, they burn down a houseful of evidence. Investigators retrieved computers and other evidence, but photos taken at the scene reveal a chaotic mess.

Hoarding is listed as a symptom in a number of psychiatric disorders. Hoarders hold onto items, even those things with no intrinsic value, and feel enormous distress at the thought of throwing anything away. Hoarders often suffer from depression, anxiety or impulse control problems. Some hoarders suffer from obsessions and compulsions that interfere with their ability to function normally.

Research suggests that hoarding should be listed as it's own disorder in the latest diagnostic manual (DSM-V) of the American Psychiatric Association. Every time a new issue of the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual gets published there is much gnashing of the teeth over the changes proposed. Homosexuality, once considered a mental illness, was eliminated from the DSM in 1973. Changes proposed in the DSM-V, due for publication in May of 2013, include the elimination of bi-polar I disorder and narcissistic personality disorder, and the addition of hoarding as an independent disorder. If hoarding becomes a stand-alone disorder it will likely receive more research funding that could lead to more effective treatments for these troubled individuals.

Researchers studying the brains of hoarders found abnormal patterns of brain activation during decision-making tasks. Neuropsychology studies show that compulsive hoarders have deficits in executive functioning, attention, memory, organization and emotional regulation. Difficult to treat, hoarders resist change, frustrate family and aggravate landlords. They've even inspired a reality television show, Hoarders.

Most hoarders don't pose a violent threat to society. Hoarding can become dangerous when debris gets piled so high that it falls and injures someone, or when the debris serves as a breeding ground for disease-causing toxic mold or vermin.

It will be interesting to watch the federal case against Jakubec unfold. Is he connected to Al Qaeda or just a lone nut? Hopefully, the burn of the house will not damage the homes or lungs of Jakubec's neighbors. Meanwhile, Escondido police and federal officials have their hands full with yet another investigation. On November 28, 2010, Richard Hinkel, age 46, was arrested for making pipe bombs in his Escondido home. Investigators say the two cases appear unrelated. Just another paranoid, depressed, disorganized thinker in the neighborhood.

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