Today, in America nearly 42.5 million adults suffer from a psychological disorder. This is a little over 18% of the population. Psychological disorders are often a sequence of behavioral or psychological symptoms that greatly impact a person’s life, these people are often considered to be outside of the social norm. Out of the 18% who are suffering, 4% are unable to function on a daily basis or carry out necessary normal duties because of the seriousness of their illness. The statistics surrounding psychological disorders and their effects on the lives of the people affected are astonishing; and reveal that out of every 5 Americans there is at least one suffering from some sort of psychological disorder. These disorders vary but are most generally …show more content…
The cause of this disorder stems from his troubling childhood where he was severely abused by his parents and forced to live in a shed. The movie opens in a mental asylum where Childers has been incarcerated since the age of 12 for 25 years for the murder of his mother and her lover. He is interviewed during this scene of the film and he describes the harsh treatment he received as a child by his parents as well as the mistreatment he received from other children around him. During the opening of the film he shows no visible emotion when describing the events in his life. When asked if he would kill again he replies “I reckon I got no reason to kill nobody.” Following the completion of his final interview he is deemed harmless to society and finally released from the asylum. Upon his release he makes a very good friend who helps him feel more comfortable with life outside of the asylum. In efforts to protect the little boy from harm similar to what he faced as a child, Childers ultimately goes against his word and murders …show more content…
Although it was not clearly stated at any part of the film, it was implied because he displayed many symptoms of an individual suffering from this disorder. As stated before a person who suffers from this disorder often displays symptoms of: failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors, impulsivity, and lack of remorse. In the film, Childers describes the murder of his mother and her lover. This criminal act reflects the behavior of someone with ASPD and the way he goes about committing the crime reflects his impulsivity as well as his lack of remorse. When Childers was a young child he walked in on what he believed to be his mother being raped by a man, but that was not the case. He describes this moment by saying “He was having his way with her… Well I just seen red.” His emotions took over and caused him to act impulsively. He then goes to grab a sling blade and comes back to murder the man, who he refers to as Jesse. After murdering Jesse his mother became hysterical and upset. She repeatedly screamed “Why’d you kill Jesse? Why’d you kill Jesse?” It is then that realizes that his mother consented to the sexual act in which he becomes extremely enraged causing him to murder her as well. He doesn’t express any regret or much of any other emotion when describing the act which is also common for someone who suffers from ASPD. Childers commits another murder towards the end of