Do some Murderer’s get traumatized by their own kills?

r/

This has been on my mind recently and I was wondering if there are people who get traumatized after murdering someone, whether it be immediately after the death or much later.

Comments

  1. deep_sea2 Avatar

    They can. Some do, others do not.

  2. Ismone Avatar

    Soldiers sure as hell do. 

  3. anditurnedaround Avatar

    I watch and read a lot of true crime stuff. I would say yes and more often than the actual killer it’s the person that helped them. You do see occasionally a person kill someone and then confess and never retract it and say how sorry they are. 

    It’s hard to know how sorry some might be, because there is always a hope they don’t get the death penalty in some states, or they thing minimizing their part like saying it amwas self defense may let them be out one day. 

    Then there are plenty of murders that just say yes I did that and have no remorse. 

  4. Wyatt821 Avatar

    Ever read Crime and Punishment?

  5. AvailableReality557 Avatar

    Some do. Especially if it wasnt premeditated at first, everything feels numb. But later, little things sounds fleshes start showing up, and they dont know what to do with them

  6. Candid-Plant5745 Avatar

    a childhood friend murdered his 7 year old cousin when we were 15. he hung himself in prison when he was 18. i do think what he did traumatized him.

  7. geoff411 Avatar

    Yes I knew a man who was recruited to be a hit man. I would listen to his stories and tears would well up in his eyes. He had deep regrets about what he did.

  8. iFoegot Avatar

    I’d say most of them.

  9. madcats323 Avatar

    I represent them.

    I can tell you that many of them do suffer horrible trauma. Others don’t. Much depends on the circumstances of the situation.

  10. Jaguar_Ad Avatar

    Taking the life of another human being is never a good feeling, regardless of the circumstances.

  11. Kaiisim Avatar

    Most were traumatized to begin with.

  12. aloo555 Avatar

    If they only killed once then maybe, but not multiple bodies.
    i mean they are still killing children in gaza, burning them alive, sniper shooting them. If a murderer had even an ounce of a soul, the killing would have stopped at one

  13. CouchesAreDangerous Avatar

    Yes. Unless they on drugs they tryna suppress it w/o knowing (likely)

  14. doctor-rumack Avatar

    I read a book about the Boston Strangler by Sebastian Junger (author of The Perfect Storm), and he was describing how certain crime scenes look when the killer has remorse. Like in a situation where a guy murders his wife or girlfriend in a fit of rage and then immediately regrets it (or regrets it after he sobers up). Sometimes they position the body to look peaceful and comfortable, or they’ll clean her up and brush her hair. Or if the victim is their child, they will lay down toys and stuffed animals, as if they are offering an apology. Just heartbreaking to read.

    Btw, I’m not referring to any of the Boston Strangler’s crime scenes – Junger was talking about these in a more general sense of how some killers may act afterwards.

  15. AwareAd7096 Avatar

    I remember visiting a talk of Mark Benecke, biologist working for several crime investing institutes worldwide and he told that a significant number of murderers visit the toilet straight after the act, due to bowel movement caused by shock/trauma.

  16. ugly_convention Avatar

    There was a man in Canada who tried to claim benefits for the PTSD he incurred while killing his girlfriend (or wife?) I guess she was a member of the military and he a dependent. The Military said they shouldn’t have to pay out for that. PTSD is a reaction to a traumatic event. Even if that trauma was brought on by your own actions.

  17. GreyBeardEng Avatar

    I’m channeling my wife who is a psychotherapist when I say… I think it would largely depend on what if any personality disorders they may have.

  18. RMCapricorn84 Avatar

    Good try Mr FBI

  19. PhasmaFelis Avatar

    Lots of people do things in the heat of emotion that they regret deeply later, or even right away. I know I have, I’m sure you have.

    Some of those things have greater consequences than others.

  20. Shanstergoodheart Avatar

    I don’t think serial killers do but regular murderers absolutely.

    It doesn’t take a lot be a murderer. You just need to have a few moments of rage and then that person is gone forever because of you. If we include killers just generally, you can kill someone with one punch.

    Even when it’s planned I expect some people are much more effected then they thought they would be or they have moment of clarity later when they realise what they’ve actually done.

  21. RockKandee Avatar

    I saw a psychologist who works with serial killers and she talked about this. Some serial killers do find the killing part traumatic. It depends on their reasons for killing.

  22. posicloid Avatar

    Not saying TV dramatizations are accurate at all, but the Dahmer series depicted him having a short mental breakdown after his first murder.

  23. Free_Wrangler_7532 Avatar

    Sure they do, true apathy is rare

  24. AsianMysteryPoints Avatar

    Just a friendly heads up that you don’t need an apostrophe when describing multiples of something (“there were 7 murderers”); only when talking about possession (“the murderer’s dildo collection was both impressive and terrifying”).

    To answer your question, I imagine passion crimes instill more feelings of regret than premeditated ones. It’s one thing to catch your spouse in bed with someone and snap in the spur of the moment, it’s another thing to plan it out and orchestrate a killing with full time to consider the implications thereof.

  25. Bustedtelevision Avatar

    I think so. Killing someone has long been associated with a spirit haunting them. This could be an old-world explanation/interpretation of guilt and trauma.

  26. Kitchen_Panda_4290 Avatar

    Oh absolutely. Not everyone who murders someone is a psychopath or sociopath. Some people are on drugs, in psychosis due to other mental illnesses, crimes of passion, etc those people still usually have a conscience and are capable of feeling guilt and or being traumatized from their own actions.

  27. DamnitGravity Avatar

    I used to listen to 911 calls and I remember this one call from a guy who’d just killed his dad after an argument. They’d fought, and the son went and get his shotgun out his car (yay MERICA), came back and shot his father.

    His voice on the call was so dead and broken. When he realised what he’d done. Pretty sure he’s traumatised.

    A more interesting question would be: have serial killers ever been traumatised by the murders they’ve committed. I’m sure I’ve read someone that some famous killer was actually traumatised by one of his early kills, so never chose a victim like that again, but I can’t remember who it was.

  28. Dear-Relationship666 Avatar

    Not a murderer….. BUT as someone who has inflicted pain on others physically that has drawn blood rather undeserved or deserved.

    Yes, it was just the circumstances…. financially motivated or self defense. Most of my transgressions commited young 23 and younger.

    I think ” traumatized” would be a strong word but uncomfortable memories is more accurate. Actively beating someone and seeing wounds simultaneously spawn is unpleasant.

    I have thought about murdering someone multiple times. Its a family situation now; a lengthy court battle over a inheritance i might get screwed out of due to paperwork being late. One of my aunts is well deserving of it…..

    I wont go into detail, however, i am strongly leaning towards not commiting such an act. Life goes on…. i have to learn to cope about situations that are out of my control

  29. Top_Employee_8944 Avatar

    Early in WWII, Nazi soldiers were ordered to shoot tens of thousands of Jews and other prisoners within proximity in Eastern Europe. Having realized the difficulties experienced by the vast majority of common soldiers with committing such personal acts, the officers implored their generals to find a way to make mass murder more palatable for their troops..hence the creation of gas chambers…99% of ppl feel and act regardless.

  30. Expert-Apartment-18 Avatar

    Yeah I did hurt my inner child once over some pity thing, that haunted me. It took me time to get myself back.

  31. NoNeedForNorms Avatar

    I imagine many ‘crime of passion’ killers do.

  32. CelebrationNo7870 Avatar

    Yes, one time murders especially. Serial killers and mass shooters sometimes as well

  33. JohannReddit Avatar

    I think that’s exactly the reason you find so many terrible criminals turn to religion after they get caught. Nobody, including themselves, will ever forgive them for what they’ve done…except for “God”.