• CrimeConUK – London June 2022
No Result
View All Result
Crime Traveller
 
  • Home
  • Research

    R. Kelly: Aided By A Network of Complicity Enabling His Crimes

    How Social Media Turns Online Arguments Between Teens Into Real-World Violence

    Kathleen Folbigg’s Children Likely Died Of Natural Causes, Not Murder. Here’s The Evidence My Team Found

    Do criminals freely decide to commit offences? How the courts decide

    We might not be able to understand free will with science. Here’s why

    Indian Trafficked Brides: The Stories of Three Women

    Trending Tags

    • Neuroscience
    • Mental Health
    • Criminal Brain
    • Juvenile Crime
  • Psychology
    Image: Shutterstock

    Psychopaths – Born Or Made?

    The Question of Why: Did Ted Bundy have Dissociative Identity Disorder?

    Teenage psychopathy

    What Should We Do With Teenage Psychopaths?

    A Criminal Disorder? Advances in Neurocriminology Are Leading The Way

    Mark Safarik

    An Interview With Former FBI Profiler Mark Safarik on Violent Offending and Criminal Behavioral Analysis

    The Criminal Mind: An Interview With Forensic Psychologist and Author Katherine Ramsland

    Trending Tags

    • Narcissism
    • Psychopathy
    • Profiling
    • Mental Health
    • Psychology
  • Family Violence

    Reckless Speculation about Jeffrey MacDonald

    O. J. Simpson Trial: 26 Years Later

    O. J. Simpson: Murder in the First Degree

    Reasonable Doubt: The Hendricks Family Murders

    Melanie McGuire

    A Convicted Killer, Two Criminologists, and One Podcast: Direct Appeal Investigates ‘Suitcase Killer’ Melanie McGuire Case

    Family Annihilation: The Crimes and Psychology of Familicide

    Trending Tags

    • True Crime
      Who killed Marilyn Sheppard cover image

      Who Killed Marilyn Sheppard? Ohio’s Most Enduring Murder Mystery [Part Two]

      Who killed Marilyn Sheppard?

      Who Killed Marilyn Sheppard? Ohio’s Most Enduring Murder Mystery [Part One]

      The JFK Assassination … Case Still Closed

      6 Pros And Cons Of Hiring A Private Criminal Lawyer

      Murder To Movies: ‘I Want To Live’

      Real crime stories of murders that went into movies

      From Murder to Movies

      Trending Tags

      • Unsolved
      • Serial Murder
      • Documentaries
      • Guest Posts
    • Book Reviews
      The Girl I Never Knew - Who Killed Melissa Witt?

      The Girl I Never Knew: Melissa Ann Witt Deserves Justice

      Befriending A Serial Killer: An Interview With Mark Austin

      The Husband Poisoner: Lethal Ladies and Dangerously Tasty Recipes

      Details are Unprintable: Wayne Lonergan and the Sensational Café Society Murder

      Operation Jacknap: A True Story of Kidnapping, Extortion, Ransom and Rescue

      Stephanie Scott

      United in Grief: The Murder of Stephanie Scott

      Trending Tags

      • Interviews
      • Historical Crime Books
    • Crime Spotlight
      Korean Zodiac Killer case

      A Tale of Two Zodiacs

      5 Tell-Tale Signs Of An Abusive Person

      There Were Two Killers in 10 Rillington Place: An Interview With Peter Thorley

      Has The Zodiac Finally Been Discovered? [Part 1]

      David Wilson and Emilia Fox

      If It Bleeds It Leads: A Q&A With Professor David Wilson

      A Psych For Sore Minds - An Interview with Dr Sohom Das

      A Psych For Sore Minds: An Interview with Forensic Psychiatrist Dr Sohom Das

    No Result
    View All Result
    Crime Traveller
    • Home
    • Research

      R. Kelly: Aided By A Network of Complicity Enabling His Crimes

      How Social Media Turns Online Arguments Between Teens Into Real-World Violence

      Kathleen Folbigg’s Children Likely Died Of Natural Causes, Not Murder. Here’s The Evidence My Team Found

      Do criminals freely decide to commit offences? How the courts decide

      We might not be able to understand free will with science. Here’s why

      Indian Trafficked Brides: The Stories of Three Women

      Trending Tags

      • Neuroscience
      • Mental Health
      • Criminal Brain
      • Juvenile Crime
    • Psychology
      Image: Shutterstock

      Psychopaths – Born Or Made?

      The Question of Why: Did Ted Bundy have Dissociative Identity Disorder?

      Teenage psychopathy

      What Should We Do With Teenage Psychopaths?

      A Criminal Disorder? Advances in Neurocriminology Are Leading The Way

      Mark Safarik

      An Interview With Former FBI Profiler Mark Safarik on Violent Offending and Criminal Behavioral Analysis

      The Criminal Mind: An Interview With Forensic Psychologist and Author Katherine Ramsland

      Trending Tags

      • Narcissism
      • Psychopathy
      • Profiling
      • Mental Health
      • Psychology
    • Family Violence

      Reckless Speculation about Jeffrey MacDonald

      O. J. Simpson Trial: 26 Years Later

      O. J. Simpson: Murder in the First Degree

      Reasonable Doubt: The Hendricks Family Murders

      Melanie McGuire

      A Convicted Killer, Two Criminologists, and One Podcast: Direct Appeal Investigates ‘Suitcase Killer’ Melanie McGuire Case

      Family Annihilation: The Crimes and Psychology of Familicide

      Trending Tags

      • True Crime
        Who killed Marilyn Sheppard cover image

        Who Killed Marilyn Sheppard? Ohio’s Most Enduring Murder Mystery [Part Two]

        Who killed Marilyn Sheppard?

        Who Killed Marilyn Sheppard? Ohio’s Most Enduring Murder Mystery [Part One]

        The JFK Assassination … Case Still Closed

        6 Pros And Cons Of Hiring A Private Criminal Lawyer

        Murder To Movies: ‘I Want To Live’

        Real crime stories of murders that went into movies

        From Murder to Movies

        Trending Tags

        • Unsolved
        • Serial Murder
        • Documentaries
        • Guest Posts
      • Book Reviews
        The Girl I Never Knew - Who Killed Melissa Witt?

        The Girl I Never Knew: Melissa Ann Witt Deserves Justice

        Befriending A Serial Killer: An Interview With Mark Austin

        The Husband Poisoner: Lethal Ladies and Dangerously Tasty Recipes

        Details are Unprintable: Wayne Lonergan and the Sensational Café Society Murder

        Operation Jacknap: A True Story of Kidnapping, Extortion, Ransom and Rescue

        Stephanie Scott

        United in Grief: The Murder of Stephanie Scott

        Trending Tags

        • Interviews
        • Historical Crime Books
      • Crime Spotlight
        Korean Zodiac Killer case

        A Tale of Two Zodiacs

        5 Tell-Tale Signs Of An Abusive Person

        There Were Two Killers in 10 Rillington Place: An Interview With Peter Thorley

        Has The Zodiac Finally Been Discovered? [Part 1]

        David Wilson and Emilia Fox

        If It Bleeds It Leads: A Q&A With Professor David Wilson

        A Psych For Sore Minds - An Interview with Dr Sohom Das

        A Psych For Sore Minds: An Interview with Forensic Psychiatrist Dr Sohom Das

      Crime Traveller
      No Result
      View All Result
      • Home
      • Research
      • Psychology
      • Family Violence
      • True Crime
      • Book Reviews
      • Crime Spotlight

      Home » Crime Spotlight » Addicted To Killing: Serial Killers and The Addiction Cycle

      Addicted To Killing: Serial Killers and The Addiction Cycle

      The repetitive compulsive behaviour of serial killers has prompted comparisons to the habitual behaviours of substance abusers trapped in the addiction cycle

      by Fiona Guy
      31 May, 2021
      in Crime Spotlight
      Reading Time: 11 mins read
      A A
      Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare

      The very nature of serial murder is a pattern of repeated behaviors, resulting in the often violent and brutal death of another. These routines have prompted a comparison to the behaviors of people addicted to drugs or alcohol. Some researchers have suggested that serial murder could, in fact, be a result of addictive thinking, with similarities to behaviors seen within substance addiction.

      Serial killers tend to develop habitual characteristics in their killing. A modus operandi in the manner in which they kill and sometimes a signature, a unique aspect within their murders tied to them as individuals. This can be trophy taking, staging of the body after death, or specific acts carried out either during or after the killing.

      As a society, we assume individuals who commit brutal murders must be insane, mentally ill to the extent they are not in control of what they were doing and need help. However, this is not always the case. There are many examples of individuals and couples who have chosen to kill, often repeatedly, because they wanted to. John Wayne Gacy, Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka (The ‘Ken and Barbie’ Killers) and Fred and Rosemary West are just a few.

      Reference to serial killers who are addicted to murder is undoubtedly not new but the idea has received relatively little direct attention. Media such as television and film have regularly referred to addiction when portraying multiple murders. A concept that appears to make a good storyline. The hugely popular American TV series ‘Dexter’ has been running since 2006 portraying a blood-spatter analyst who is compelled to kill the perpetrators of crime who are not adequately punished by the legal system and is unable to stop himself from doing so.

      Serial Killers and Addictive Behaviour

      Some criminologists have highlighted specific behaviors seen by serial killers which can be related to the actions of substance addicts. Helen Morrison and Harold Goldberg for example in their book ‘My Life Among The Serial Killers‘ published in 2005, review many well-known cases such as Peter Sutcliffe, Fredrick West, and John Wayne Gacy, exploring their personalities and behavior through a series of prison interviews.

      The authors note that contrary to popular belief, mental illness and an abusive childhood are not necessarily present in all cases of serial murder or should they be considered as criteria for why an individual may go on to kill. They conclude by presenting a theory where due to such environmental factors not being a definitive cause for criminal behavior and murder, genetic predisposition must be the primary factor and indeed this behavior is an addiction. They also theorize that serial murderers have never fully progressed psychologically from infancy, they do not have the same values of right and wrong and have developed a need to kill as a result. This has proved to be a controversial theory, mainly attracting criticism for unsubstantiated claims not based on evidence; however, it is still an interesting one.

      Dr. Mark Griffiths, Professor of Behavioural Addiction at Nottingham Trent University states on his blog that he believes an addictive element to serial murder is possible within an addictive cycle, but it is by no means clear-cut. He highlights two books on infamous serial murderers, ‘Killing for Company: The Story of a Man Addicted to Murder‘ about Dennis Nilsen written by Brian Masters and ‘Addicted to Murder: The True Story of Dr. Harold Shipman’, written by Mikaela Sitford. Both of which refer to these serial killers as being in the grips of addiction, driving their repeated murders.

      “The urges and compulsions that drive these choices can be surprisingly similar.” Clinical Forensic Psychologist Joni E. Johnston writes in her article “Hooked on Homicide” about people addicted to drugs or alcohol and serial killers.

      Johnston further highlights what we can learn from ‘urge-driven disorders,’ disorders which are pushed forward by uncontrollable urges to carry out the behavior such as shoplifting and fire-setting. These behaviors tap into the pleasure-reward systems we have in our brains and release extra dopamine giving the feeling of pleasure. This shot of dopamine as a result of carrying out the behavior in question is what locks an individual into an addiction cycle. When these behaviors are criminal, an individual can end up “having the same difficulty resisting a crime as a substance abuser does resisting his or her cravings.” she says.

      Addictive Thinking and Crime

      Potentially, repeated criminal offenses may be due to an individual finding the feelings and emotions gained from this behavior addictive and therefore repeatedly returning to this pattern.  Abusers of substances often appear to show little interest in the consequences of their abuse, too tightly held by the hold of the substance to see clearly what damage their behavior is doing. For some, even though they are aware continued use of the substance is extremely detrimental to them, they continue using it regardless.

      In the same vein, it could be said, some criminals show a similar disregard for the effects of their criminal behavior and the consequences for themselves should they be caught. Many enjoy the chase, the thrill of committing an act they know they are not supposed to and getting away with it. The case of Dr. Harold Shipman, who murdered up to 250 of his patients between 1975 and 1998 is one example and has been reviewed by some researchers who have referred to his ‘addiction to killing‘.

      Dr. Esmail wrote in her article “Physician as Serial Killer – The Shipman Case,” “He may have become addicted to killing, experiencing a “buzz” of pleasure from the association with death and the power and control that it gave him.” Owen Dyer wrote in the British Medical Journal in 2002 on the Shipman Inquiry. He quoted the High Court Judge, Dame Janet Smith who led the inquiry into Dr. Shipmans case who said: “I think it likely that whatever it was that caused Shipman to become addicted to pethidine also led to other forms of addictive behaviour…..it is possible that he was addicted to killing.”

      An article by CNN in 2012 claims Israel Keyes, who confessed to the murder of eight people, with at least three other suspected, is a “murder addict”.  According to the Alaska police who arrested him, this individual did not commit multiple murders because he was mentally ill or unstable or because he had a disturbed childhood which has led to abhorrent behavior.  He murdered because he enjoyed it plain and simple. “He was addicted to the feeling he got when he was doing this, addicted to the feel of the hunt and of killing,” said Alaska police Detective Monique Doll.

      Ian Brady was an infamous British serial killer, who along with his partner Myra Hindley killed four children after kidnapping and abusing them. Brady controversially published a book in 2001 about his crimes which he called “The Gates of Janus: Serial Killing and Its Analysis”. A rather self-serving attempt at explaining the behavior of serial killers through graphic descriptions of their crimes that were not well received, it was a book that attracted reviewer’s attention out of simple curiosity for what this man had to say. In one such review published in the Internet Journal of Criminology in 2009 by Anthony Metvier, Brady’s claims that the videos and audio recordings he and Hindley made of abuse of the children before they were killed were made to allow them to return to the act and to relive their crimes were highlighted. Furthermore, Brady claimed the act of murder itself held no excitement but was merely “a necessary conclusion to an exercise of power and will.”

      Robert Ressler was a prominent criminal profiler working in the FBI Behavioral Sciences Unit and in his book “Whoever Fights Monsters,” he uses the analogy of soap operas or series dramas we watch on TV to highlight addictive properties and compares this to the behavior of serial killers:

      “The serial adventures we used to see on Saturdays at the movies. Each week you’d be lured back to see another episode because at the end of each one was a cliff-hanger. In dramatic terms, this wasn’t a satisfactory ending, because it increased, not lessened the tension. The same dissatisfaction occurs in the mind of serial killers.” 

      Brady similarly refers to murder in his book stating: “With each subsequent killing, the homicidal drug, blunted by habitual use, creates a diminishing and disappointing impression.”

      Substance and Non-Substance Based Addiction

      We are familiar with addiction concerning alcohol and drugs and the physiological changes in the body that ingestion of such substances causes.  The characteristics of addiction include a cycle of stages ranging from craving through withdrawal to relapse, characterized by the term ‘addictive thinking.’

      Stages in the addiction cycle
      Stages in the addiction cycle

      Research has shown that many addictive drugs affect our brains reward system by releasing more of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is involved in learning, motivation, emotion and importantly pleasure. Dopamine increases in our brain reward system which gives us the feeling of pleasure.  It is believed drugs can cause an increase up to 10 times that of natural rewards such as food, and the brain has to try to compensate by reducing the amount of dopamine receptor cells at the synapse connection, therefore reducing the amount of dopamine that can enter the reward system.

      The brain then becomes less responsive to the drug which is why higher doses are needed for individuals to achieve the same level of pleasure, i.e., they become tolerant to the drug. The more a drug is used, the more the brain becomes familiar with it and adapts to account for it.

      Areas outside of the reward system are also affected with some regions reducing the numbers of neurons and others increasing the number of neurons producing more connections.  In this way brain areas responsible for decision-making, judgment, memory, and learning can all alter under continued drug use.

      This suggests an individual can only really become addicted to something that is substance based with addictive properties.  However, that is not the case, and addiction is not all physical. There is a substantial contribution from psychological factors such as stress, fear, and anger. Research has shown that addiction to behaviors and actions, rather than substances is entirely possible and is become an increasing problem, for example, gambling.

      Similar characteristics are found where an individual experiences cravings for the excitement of feelings induced by the behavior in question. They suffer withdrawal symptoms of stress and mood changes when they are unable to indulge in this behavior. They build up a tolerance level where they need to take more significant risks to achieve the same euphoria and suffer relapses when trying to refrain from the behavior.

      Such characteristics mirror those experienced when addicted to substances leading to the suggestion that people can indeed be addicted to a non-substance based activity.

      These addictions have become known as ‘process’ addictions and have expanded traditional understanding of pharmacological addiction to something that is not solely physical, but an integrated illness encompassing biological, psychological and social aspects.  This does lend support to the idea that criminal behavior could become addictive for some individuals.

      Crime and the Addiction Cycle

      Serial murder is a continuation, a progression which few of us understand.  Addiction is a complex issue encompassing both physiological and psychological factors.  Every person is different, and while there may be common characteristics within dependence across substances or activities, each experience will be personal to them.

      If gambling, with the thrill of winning, the risk of losing and the knowledge of potential dangers can become an all-encompassing addition, it seems entirely possible that criminal activity could be the same. Committing illegal acts and serial murder does not cost money. It does not require a constant stream of funds to allow it to continue in that way that gambling and substance misuse needs. People can engage in such behavior without losing their jobs, their house, and their relationships as long as they don’t get caught. This may be part of the attraction. Getting away with it, not being caught and being able to continue with regular everyday routines.

      If indeed some perpetrators of crime are in an addiction cycle, this has potentially serious ramifications for treatment and rehabilitation.  With regards to serial murder, the possibility of addiction playing a part for some opens an exciting avenue for understanding such behavior.


      References
      1. Dyer, O. (2002). Shipman murdered more than 200 patients, inquiry finds. BMJ : British Medical Journal, 325(7357), 181
      2. Esmail, A. (2005) Physician as Serial Killer – The Shipman Case. N. Engl. J Med. 352:88. pp1843-1844
      3. Griffiths, M. (2017) Serial Delights: Killing as an Addiction. Dr. Mark Girffiths Blog
      4. Johnston, J.E. (2017) Hooked on Homicide. The Human Equation Blog. Psychology Today
      5. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); Office of the Surgeon General (US). Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health [Internet]. Washington (DC): US Department of Health and Human Services; 2016 Nov. CHAPTER 2, THE NEUROBIOLOGY OF SUBSTANCE USE, MISUSE, AND ADDICTION.
      6. Taylor, T. (2014) Is Serial Killing an Addiction? IOL News
      Cite This Article

      Guy, F. (2018, Jun 30) Addicted To Killing: Serial Killers and The Addiction Cycle. Crime Traveller. Retrieved from https://www.crimetraveller.org/2018/06/addicted-to-killing-serial-killers-addiction-cycle


      Crime Traveller is a proud media partner of CrimeConUK. In September 2021 in London, CrimeCon comes to the UK for the first time ever! For more info and tickets go to crimecon.co.uk. Use code CT21 to get a 10% discount on your tickets!

      Tags: Criminal BrainPsychology
      Share34Tweet21Pin13
      Previous Post

      A Criminal Disorder? Advances in Neurocriminology Are Leading The Way

      Next Post

      Antidepressants and the Risks of Committing Homicide

      Related Posts

      A Tale of Two Zodiacs

      13 May, 2022
      Korean Zodiac Killer case

      This Zodiac case did not happen in California. It occurred 5,700 miles away and is known as the "Korean Zodiac Killer case.”

      Read more

      5 Tell-Tale Signs Of An Abusive Person

      30 March, 2022

      For a healthy relationship to thrive, there needs to be a balanced power dynamic and nobody should try to assert dominance and power over the...

      Read more

      There Were Two Killers in 10 Rillington Place: An Interview With Peter Thorley

      4 February, 2022

      Peter Thorley is Beryl Evan’s older brother. He has lived with the real truth for over 60 years. John Christie was not the only killer...

      Read more
      Load More
      Next Post

      Antidepressants and the Risks of Committing Homicide

      Rodion Raskolnikov played by actor Vladimir Koshevoy

      The Real-Life American Raskolnikov

      Involuntary intoxication by prescribed medications

      Prescription For Violence: The Involuntary Intoxication Through Prescribed Medication Defense

      Comments 2

      1. Valerie Cross says:
        5 years ago

        Being addicted to murdering people would explain why serial killers kill again and again. People get addicted to gambling I suppose because of the thrill of winning and the excitement of whether they will win or not. Not too much of a stretch to believe some people get a similar ‘thrill’ from murder. What makes someone like murder though?

      2. Cheryl says:
        5 years ago

        I would have never think of Church members to be involved in murder plot..even to actually pay for hire an organized group..somewhere the addictive, the hatered, the resentments or to jusify there actions with petty thoughts (reasons to them). is mentally distrub. But right now I am going through this as I type. The target on my family to get at me is criminial insane. These people have mastermind, this to cover about any aspect, the police, the community members because they are all in relations some way or another, high officals (tribal), church members, you name it just about all these people.

      CrimeCon UK

      What's New?

      Korean Zodiac Killer case
      Crime Spotlight

      A Tale of Two Zodiacs

      13 May, 2022
      Who killed Marilyn Sheppard cover image
      True Crime & Justice

      Who Killed Marilyn Sheppard? Ohio’s Most Enduring Murder Mystery [Part Two]

      22 May, 2022
      Who killed Marilyn Sheppard?
      True Crime & Justice

      Who Killed Marilyn Sheppard? Ohio’s Most Enduring Murder Mystery [Part One]

      22 May, 2022
      Load More

      Stay Connected

      Search

      No Result
      View All Result

      Categories

      You Might Also Like

      Crime Spotlight

      Executions: From Precarious Lethal Injection To Uncertain Nitrogen Gas

      31 May, 2021
      True Crime & Justice

      The True Story Behind the AHS Coven: Madame LaLaurie’s House of Horrors

      3 June, 2019
      Crime Spotlight

      O. J. Simpson Trial: 26 Years Later

      8 June, 2020
      Book Reviews

      The Unforgiven: The Untold Story of One Woman’s Search for Love and Justice

      31 May, 2021

      RECENT

      The Girl I Never Knew - Who Killed Melissa Witt?

      The Girl I Never Knew: Melissa Ann Witt Deserves Justice

      22 May, 2022

      A Tale of Two Zodiacs

      13 May, 2022

      Who Killed Marilyn Sheppard? Ohio’s Most Enduring Murder Mystery [Part Two]

      22 May, 2022

      POPULAR

      Executions: From Precarious Lethal Injection To Uncertain Nitrogen Gas

      The True Story Behind the AHS Coven: Madame LaLaurie’s House of Horrors

      O. J. Simpson Trial: 26 Years Later

      The Unforgiven: The Untold Story of One Woman’s Search for Love and Justice

      Site Links

      • About Crime Traveller
      • Contact Page
      • Request A Book Review
      • True Crime & Justice
      • CrimeCon UK: June 2022, London
      No Result
      View All Result
      • Terms
      • Privacy
      • Disclaimers
      • Cookies
      • DMCA
      • Newsletter

      Copyright © 2016 - 2022 Crime Traveller, a website owned and operated by Alythium | All Rights Reserved.

      No Result
      View All Result
      • Home
      • About
      • Contact
      • Crime Research
      • Psychology of Murder
      • Family Violence & Homicide
      • True Crime & Justice
      • Crime Spotlight
      • Book Reviews
      • Request A Book Review
      • Newsletter

      Copyright © 2016 - 2022 Crime Traveller, a website owned and operated by Alythium | All Rights Reserved.

      This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.