You must have heard of ‘Psychopaths’, ‘Serial Killers’ and ‘Sociopaths’ on the news or documentaries, so have you ever pondered as to why those monsters in human disguise became so horrible? Were they like this when they were born or, did certain circumstances force them to become such animals? Let’s find out in this article! 

So, let’s peek into the backstories of the worst serial killers, shall we?

(trigger warning: People might get triggered by the deeds of these criminals, so people who can’t handle such writing, I recommend you don’t read this article, but please do check out our other articles!)

 Okay, let’s go! 

Let’s start with the most abundant element of the equation to make a serial killer: loneliness.

CAUSE: LONELINESS

“Loneliness works both ways, according to Vronsky. Some children are inherently shy and withdrawn. Others, however, are rejected by their playmates or siblings, who already as children detect something menacing or repelling in them. Isolated and lonely, these children can develop and dwell on fantasies of power and revenge as a means of overcoming their rejection. Some of these lonely children succeed in their quest for redemption and power by becoming successful politicians, performers, artists or corporate CEOs. Others, with less talent or skill, find their quest for revenge and power fulfilled through acts of homicide and rape.”

Source 

 However, some people have bad mental health.

 catch a brief study on it in our article “DISTORTED HEALTH BUT MENTALLY: A Comprehensive Review of Mental Health Issues in Teens.” 

CAUSE: FANTASY 

A world in their imagination, in which no one can hurt them. But then it turns into a horrifying reality which they can’t escape from. The line between imagination and reality seems huge, for good things and achievements, but for bad ones, it isn’t long you find yourself in a state when you regret everything and can’t go to your old self. 

(Children who do not have the power to control the mistreatment they suffer sometimes create a new reality to which they can escape. This new reality becomes their fantasy that they have total control of and becomes part of their daily existence. In this fantasy world, their emotional development is guided and maintained. According to Garrison (1996), “the child becomes sociopathic because the normal development of the concepts of right and wrong and empathy towards others is retarded because the child’s emotional and social development occurs within his self-centred fantasies. A person can do no wrong in his world, and the pain of others is of no consequence when the purpose of the fantasy world is to satisfy the needs of one person” (Garrison, 1996). Boundaries between fantasy and reality are lost, and fantasies turn to dominance, control, sexual conquest, and violence, eventually leading to murder. Fantasy can lead to the first step in the process of a dissociative state, which, in the words of Stephen Giannangelo, “allows the serial killer to leave the stream of consciousness for what is, to him, a better place”.)

Source: Wikipedia (bracketed one)

CAUSE: EXPOSURE

Exposure to different kinds of advanced science etc., at a VERY young age, isn’t needed—especially exposure to dead animals or anything gory. For example, Jeffrey Dahmer got fascinated by his father’s lab, and his father helped him perform experiments on the bones of dead animals. He was already lonely, and this seemed like a hobby for him.

Later he used this on his victims to make them ‘living zombies’ by pouring acids into their skulls to make them last longer with him.

Let’s read more about Jeffery Dahmer now.

CASE: JEFFREY DAHMER

“Dahmer was born May 21, 1960, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the first of two sons of Joyce Annette (née Flint), a teletype machine instructor, and Lionel Herbert Dahmer, a Marquette University chemistry student. Lionel Dahmer was of German and Welsh ancestry, and Joyce Dahmer was of Norwegian and Irish ancestry.

Some sources report Dahmer was deprived of attention as an infant. Other sources, however, suggest that Dahmer was generally doted upon as an infant and toddler by both parents, although his mother was known to be tense, greedy for both attention and pity, and argumentative with her husband and their neighbours.

As Dahmer entered first grade, Lionel’s university studies kept him away from home much of the time; when he was home, his wife—a hypochondriac who suffered from depression—demanded constant attention and spent an increasing amount of time in bed. On one occasion, she is known to have attempted suicide with Equanil. Consequently, neither parent devoted much time to their son, who later recollected that, from an early age, he felt “unsure of the solidity of the family”, recalling extreme tension and numerous arguments between his parents during his early years.

Dahmer had been an “energetic and happy child” but became notably subdued after double hernia surgery shortly before his fourth birthday. At elementary school, Dahmer was regarded as quiet and timid; one teacher later recollected she detected early signs of abandonment in Dahmer due to his mother’s illnesses, the symptoms of which increased when she became pregnant with her second child. Nonetheless, in grade school, Dahmer did have a small number of friends.”

Source: Wikipedia 

It is said that the grandfather of the criminal was the only person who gave attention to him, and when he died, he started to associate love with dead bodies.

Jeffrey Dahmer is known to be one of the most lonely serial killers to exist. 

Other than that, there were many causes such as lust, thrill, power, and attention. 

On a side note, I am not trying to justify the horrendous and unspeakable acts they did; I am just trying to give a peek into their world. 

Also, this provides a reason as to why they shouldn’t have done those acts as they went through the same things they inflicted. If they didn’t get attention, they could do something remarkably good to gain attention, but they didn’t. 

Some serial killers, like the Lipstick Killer, said

“Catch me, catch me before I kill more. I can’t control myself.”

I wouldn’t call that as remorse, but more regret for having an unhealthy obsession.

It’s all about choices.

THE END.