Dubai: Watching violent movies or TV shows can impact people’s emotions, thinking and rationalisation but those who copy the violence and act it out in real life may already have pre-existing psychological disorders, experts said.
The suspect who was arrested for murdering, decapitating and dismembering the body of his aunt, Maria Normita de Lima, a domestic worker in Abu Dhabi, confessed to police that he got the idea of how to carry out his crime from movies in general, and, zombie movies in particular.
Experts said this criminal act, termed as copycat crime, is only committed by people who may already have some mental illness.
“Not everybody who watches violence will behave violently. However, research shows that when an individual, of any age, watches too much violence, they can become agitated and aggressive but not everyone gets to the point of committing a crime like a murder in a copycat manner,” Dr Raymond Hamden, a specialist experienced in clinical and forensic psychology, told Gulf News.
“Those who do are persons with psychological disorders who have difficulty determining the difference between right and wrong, good or bad, reality and fantasy. They may also have delusions or hallucinations,” he added.
Watching zombie movies may heighten the impact on a person who is already emotionally disturbed, Mary John, a clinical psychologist said.
“Murdering a human being for whatever reason is definitely not normal behaviour. Doing it in a gruesome manner adds to the fact that he is not functioning and thinking in a normal way,” John said.
Spotting the signs of unusual or anti-social behaviour early on is crucial in order for the individual to get help, Dr Rommel Pilapil Sergio, a Dubai-based educator in psychology, said.
“The first red flag is verbal aggression. [When] a person normally uses profane language, it is already an indication [of aggression]. The second [sign] is if a person always wants to be superior to others, or be a power junkie. Third, if a person is manipulative,” Dr Sergio said, adding that these characteristics are often seen in persons who have experienced abuse in their early years.
Dr Sergio said it’s important to directly talk or counsel the person exhibiting these signs. If family members cannot handle the situation at home, they must seek professional help right away.
