The new feature series about the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer has fascinated many TV viewers in recent weeks, who are shocked by his actions (which include, among other things, murdering and eating his victims).
The word "psychopath" is thrown around more than once to psychologically describe, at least superficially, Dahmer's disturbing personality structure, but there are those who claim that it is not such an accurate diagnosis - or at all.
Evan Peters in the series "Monster: The Story of Jeffrey Dahmer", photo: courtesy of Netflix
Professor James Fallon, a scientist and researcher in the field of neurology from the University of California, now claims that the man whose character is at the center of one of the most talked about series in recent times is not a psychopath at all, since he "does not meet the definition" and his behavior does not match the pattern that describes a person as such.
Jeffrey Dahmer, photo: AP
Prof. Fallon (74) says that while psychopathy is characterized by a lack of empathy for others, Dahmer actually experiences empathy and a certain emotional identification.
Instead, Fallon claims that Dahmer, who murdered 17 men and children, suffered from borderline personality disorder.
This disorder is characterized by instability or emotional regulation ability and little impulse control.
As he diagnoses it, these are defining characteristics of the killer.
Fallon also says that the term "psychopath" should not be used as a generic description for all the characters at the center of true crime movies and series, as the subject is often more complex.
"Jeffrey Dahmer was not a psychopath at all," he says.
"It was never confirmed that he was a psychopath and he was not diagnosed as such, but everyone simplistically assumes that every bad person is a psychopath. He demonstrated emotional empathy, while many psychopaths lack this ability."
Another feature that characterizes those with borderline personality disorder is a fear of abandonment.
According to the professor, this is the reason why Dahmer murdered his victims.
"A common trait among those with a borderline personality is an insane fear of abandonment. And Dahmer seems to live in constant fear of abandonment," he says.
"When the men he met tried to leave him, he killed them so they couldn't."
He further claims that Dahmer's act of cannibalism was another way to ensure that they "couldn't leave".
Evan Peters in the series "Monster: The Story of Jeffrey Dahmer", photo: courtesy of Netflix
"A lot of people feel that way about babies or puppies," he added.
"A feeling of 'I love this baby so much that I want to eat him...'. Dahmer took this human tendency to the extreme, because he needed the feeling that the person would always stay with him and he would never be abandoned."
Also, Fallon identified in Dahmer unbridled behavior and sexual permissiveness - additional traits that characterize those with borderline personality disorder.
It should be noted that he emphasizes that since he does not have access to Dahmer's brain scans and other genetic data, it will never be possible to know for sure whether he was a person with extreme borderline personality disorder or a psychopath.
"Everyone tends to think that all serial killers are the same," he said, "but it was never confirmed that he was a psychopath. His characteristics don't match the definition and I don't believe he was one."
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