Can depression explain away animal cruelty?

[asscherisme]

No, depression does not explain away what she did. That is sociopathic behavior. I won't click because I don't want to see the pics. This thread has prompted me to step away from my computer to go snuggle my cats. Animal cruelty gets me very upset.

 

[TooPatient]

No, depression does not explain away what she did. That is sociopathic behavior. I won't click because I don't want to see the pics. This thread has prompted me to step away from my computer to go snuggle my cats. Animal cruelty gets me very upset.

Thankfully, there are no pictures!

The worst of it is already contained in the name of the story given by the link.


(Not to push you to read! Just wanted to clarify for anyone who hasn't clicked that the story itself is no worse than the headline.)

 

[asscherisme]

Thanks for clarifying. I still though don't want to hear more details.

 

[partgypsy]

Explain it away? Of course not. What she did is deplorable.

Can depression or mental illness factor into abuse? Of course. For many reasons.

that's what I was going to say. Some people can be so depressed they are psychotic (basically, legally insane). It doesn't sound like that is the case here, that she simply did it for vindictive reasons.

 

[Tuckins1]

Animal cruelty is more likely to be associated with Conduct Disorder, Antisocial Personality disorder, or other pathological mental illnesses... It is not a criteria for depression (per the DSM-V). But there could be co morbid disorders going on, which could include depression. Sounds like a cop out. I hope whoever charges her gets a competent psychologist to evaluate. She is sick and needs help, or, at the very least, to be under someone's supervision so that she can't hurt any more animals (or people!!).