Homicidal ideation

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Homicidal ideation
SpecialtyPsychiatry

Homicidal ideation is a common medical term for thoughts about homicide. There is a range of homicidal thoughts which spans from vague ideas of revenge to detailed and fully formulated plans without the act itself.[1] Most people who have homicidal ideation do not commit homicide. 50–91% of people surveyed on university grounds in various places in the United States admit to having had a homicidal fantasy.[2] Homicidal ideation is common, accounting for 10–17% of patient presentations to psychiatric facilities in the United States.[1]

Homicidal ideation is not a disease itself, but may result from other illnesses such as delirium and psychosis. Psychosis, which accounts for 89% of admissions with homicidal ideation in one US study,[3] includes substance-induced psychosis (e.g. amphetamine psychosis) and the psychoses related to schizophreniform disorder and schizophrenia. Delirium is often drug induced or secondary to general medical illness(es).

It may arise in association with personality disorders or it may occur in people who do not have any detectable illness. In fact, surveys have shown that the majority of people have had homicidal fantasies at some stage in their life.[2] Many theories have been proposed to explain this.[2][4]

  1. ^ a b Thienhaus, Ole J.; Piasecki, Melissa (September 1, 1998). "Emergency Psychiatry : Assessment of Psychiatric Patients' Risk of Violence Toward Others". Psychiatric Services. 49 (9): 1129–1147. doi:10.1176/ps.49.9.1129. PMID 9735952.
  2. ^ a b c Duntley, Joshua D (August 2005). HOMICIDAL IDEATIONS (PDF). PhD Dissertation. University of Texas. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-07-04. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
  3. ^ Stern, Theodore F; Schwartz, Jonathon H; Cremens, M Cornelia; Mulley, Albert G (August 2005). "The evaluation of homicidal patients by psychiatric residents in the emergency room: A pilot study". Psychiatric Quarterly. 62 (4): 333–344. doi:10.1007/BF01958801. PMID 1809982. S2CID 7156135.
  4. ^ Carruthers, Peter; Laurence, Stephen; Stich, Stephen (2005). The Innate Mind: Structure and Contents. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-517967-5.