Violence and Death in NY Psychologist’s Office
February 16, 2008 7:47 pm CrisesThe recent story in the NY Times about a psychiatrist who was stabbed to death
and another who was critically injured brings up many fears about the mentally ill. It is a horrible very sad event, but it is important to keep in perspective the facts regarding mental illness and violence. Here are the numbers that may help to do that.
Violence in male persons with schizophrenia is 5.5% higher then in the “normal population”
Violence in women with schizophrenia is 5-9 times higher. (Women have much less violence rates to begin with)
Persons with Schizophrenia who are violent are most often off their medication and psychotic (hearing voices or delusional)
Inclusion in any group of people is not a predictor of violence.
Violence is difficult to Predict but the best predictors of violence are the following demographics (risk factors).
- Male under age of 30
- Previous history of violence
- Alcohol and drug use
- Victim or witness to violence
- Social isolation
- Low income
- Low intelligence & education
- Low assertiveness
- Impulsivity
- Unstable social situation
- Brain injury
