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>>> WELCOME BACK TO THIS SPECIAL
EDITION OF "THE LEAD."
AARON ALEXIS HAD VIOLENT
OUTBURSTS, RUN-INS WITH THE
POLICE, AND POLICE NOW SAY HE
ALSO HEARD VOICES.
THE FATHER OF THE NAVY YARD
SHOOTER ALSO TOLD POLICE THAT
HIS SON'S ISSUES BEGAN OVER A
DECADE AGO, WHEN HE BEGAN TO
SUFFER FROM WHAT HE SAYS WAS
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
AFTER THE SEPTEMBER 11th, 2001
ATTACKS.
THAT ALL PAINTS A TROUBLING
PICTURE OF THE MIND OF A MAN
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS OF 12
PEOPLE HERE AT THE WASHINGTON
NAVY YARD.
I WANT TO BRING IN DR. GALE
SALTZ, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF
PSYCHIATRY AT NEW YORK
PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL.
DOCTOR, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
WE CERTAINLY DON'T KNOW FOR SURE
WHAT CAUSED AARON ALEXIS TO
SNAP.
BUT WHEN YOU HEAR OF ALL THESE
INCIDENTS, SHOOTING THE TIRES,
SAYING HE HAD BLACKOUTS, HEARING
VOICES THROUGH THE WALL, SAYING
THAT SOMEBODY WAS SENDING
VIBRATIONS THROUGH A MICROWAVE,
WHAT SORT OF MENTAL HEALTH
CONCERNS LEAP TO MIND FOR YOU?
>> WELL, YOU'RE DESCRIBING
SYMPTOMS OF PSYCHOSIS, THE
HEARING THINGS THROUGH THE WALL
AND HEARING VOICES WHICH ARE
CALLED AUDITORY HALLUCINATIONS,
ARE SYMPTOMS OF PSYCHOTIC
THINKING.
PSYCHOTIC THINKING CAN BE DUE
TO, IN SOME INSTANCES,
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
BUT OFTEN IT'S DUE TO ANOTHER
PSYCHIATRIC DIAGNOSIS LIKE
SCHIZOPHRENIA, LIKE SEVERE
BIPOLAR DISORDER, AND EARLY 20s
IS A TYPICAL TIME FOR THOSE
KINDS OF DISORDERS TO FIRST
PRESENT.
CERTAINLY SOMEONE WHO IS
PSYCHOTIC SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO
HAVE A WEAPON, BUT I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO
UNDERSTAND THAT MOST PEOPLE WHO
ARE EVEN SERIOUSLY SI
PSYCHIATRICALLY ILL, EVEN
PSYCHOTIC, WILL NOT COMMIT A
VIOLENT ACT.
THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE
VICTIMS THEMSELVES.
HOWEVER, THE FACT THAT PEOPLE
SAY HE APPEARED SUSPICIOUS AND
PARANOID AND THAT HE HAD HAD
SOME VIOLENT BEHAVIOR IN THE
PAST, THOSE ARE RED FLAGS
BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO FEEL THAT
OTHERS ARE OUT TO PERSECUTE THEM