Depression
Expert: Depression is not a motive
The police speaks at the Munich bombers of the “depressive trains”. In the DW-Interview suicide researchers Georg Fiedler refers to the complexity of the case and draws Parallels to events in the past.
DW: Mr Fiedler. It may be that someone is due to depressive trains his weapon against others?
Fiedler: First of all, it must be noted that depressive trains are used to describe how someone seems to other people. The police was in the description of the offender so be very careful. Because depressive traits do not necessarily mean that someone has suffered from a psychiatric illness. And even if Someone suffers from Depression, is actually on a rampage in the way. Depressive up your aggression, if at all, against himself. So you can’t assume that Depression is the cause or the trigger of such an act.
How prevalent are depressive traits or depression in Germany?
Depressive trains has maybe a third of the population of this country. This term is very broad: It can mean that someone lives in solitude, a lot of mulling, self-blame or self-responsible for everything. There’s a lot of things play a role. But all of these character traits does not mean that the Person concerned is ill. Depression in this country is sometimes an inflationary used term. A real Depression is a terrible disease. A Depression that includes symptoms such as strong Pondering, early awakening, insomnia, over a period of several weeks, a constant companion.
The perpetrator was an 18-year-old German-Iranian. What could have prompted such a young man to such a grisly act?
In the assessment of this case, you have to be very careful. One thing is clear: There is certainly only one cause for the fact. Apparently, the culprit seems to be in psychiatric treatment. A mental illness may have played a role, but that does not constitute a basis for this fact. Again and again attention is drawn to such acts of violence-glorifying computer games, which are for young people so popular. But also the fact that he has played so-called “ball games”, can not be used alone as a justification for a violent outburst. Who says so, makes it too easy for himself. The backgrounds for such acts are usually much more complex.
In connection with such actions, the concept of “extended suicide sometimes”. What does the term mean?
The concept is that a single offender takes several people from his environment in the death. This could be a mother who kills her child or a father who kills his family. In both cases, the perpetrator of the delusion are not liable to impose that the victims, without you life more capable. In this respect, one could speak in such cases, even an altruistic motive. The assassination of Munich, is not given at all.
Reminds you of the fact, from Munich to incidents in the past?
The psychologist Georg Fiedler warns against rash Judgments
An obvious example is the induced crash of the Germanwings machine in the past year. However, also here applies: The plot of the pilot was certainly not only due to his Depression. In my estimation, he also had a difficult Personality traits. A “delusional” perception of his environment. Think back a few years: the assassin from Winnenden has been due to a depressive disorder in treatment. But also in this case, was A whole series of other factors have led to the fact, which had nothing to do with the Depression. Because a psychiatric diagnosis of “Depression” includes actually such acts.
You see the connections between the actions?
I found quite striking is that the perpetrator seems to have of Munich, particularly young people, are targeted and shot. The group of victims reminds me of the assassination of Winnenden. Also, the attack in Norway that comes to my mind. Five years ago, the Norwegian bomber Anders Breivik, especially young people as victims in the spotlight.
The Interview was conducted by Daniel Heinrich.
The psychologist and suicide researcher Georg Fiedler works in Hamburg.