The Devil You Know: Encounters in Forensic Psychiatry

by Gwen Adshead, Eileen Horne

In this “unmissable book” (The Guardian), an internationally renowned forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist explores the psychology of violence and demonstrates the remarkable human capacity for radical empathy, change, and redemption.

What drives someone to commit an act of terrible violence? Drawing from her thirty years of experience in providing therapy to violent offenders in prisons and secure psychiatric hospitals who have committed serious offenses, Dr. Gwen Adshead provides fresh and surprising insights into violence and the criminal mind. Through a collaboration with coauthor Eileen Horne, Dr. Adshead brings her extraordinary career to life in a series of unflinching portraits.

Alongside doctor and patient, we discover what human cruelty, ranging from serial homicide to stalking, arson or sexual offending, means to perpetrators, experiencing firsthand how minds can change when the people some might label as “evil” are able to take responsibility for their life stories and get to know their own minds. With outcomes ranging from hope to despair, from denial to recovery, these men and women are revealed in all their complexity and shared humanity. In an era of mass incarceration, deep cuts in prison mental health care and extreme social schisms, this book offers a persuasive argument for compassion over condemnation.

Moving, thought-provoking, and brilliantly told, The Devil You Know is a rare and timely book with the power to transform our ideas about cruelty and violence, and to radically expand the limits of empathy. “A welcome contribution to the literature of crime and rehabilitation” (Kirkus Reviews).

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, True Crime, Crime, Mental Health, Science, Audiobook

319 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2021

About the author

Dr Gwen Adshead is Visiting Gresham Professor of Psychiatry and currently consultant forensic psychiatrist at Ravenswood House. Prior to this post, she worked at Broadmoor Hospital from 1996, first as Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, and then as a Consultant in Forensic Psychotherapy. In her role as both a forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, Professor Adshead has tried to understand the psychological mechanisms that give rise to violence and life threatening behaviour toward others. She has worked as a member of a therapeutic team whose role is to rehabilitate and offer secure psychiatric care to some of the most vilified and socially rejected members of society.

Professor Adshead qualified in medicine in 1983 and was elected member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 1987 before being made a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2005. She has a Masters’ Degree in medical Law & Ethics; is a qualified member of the Institute of Group Analysis; and holds a Master’s Degree in Mindfulness based Cognitive therapy. In 2013 she was awarded the Jochelson visiting professorship at Yale School of Law & Psychiatry and later that year, was awarded the President’s medal for her work in ethics in mental health. She has over 20 years practice in the NHS and has contributed to the work of the Royal College of Psychiatrists as chair of their Ethics Committee; and she has also contributed to Department of Health policy in relation to abnormal maternal illness behaviour.

Professor Adshead also has particular expertise in the assessment and treatment of doctors whose behaviour has caused them to be in conflict with others. She has set up a group called Mindfulness for Doctors, which aims to build resilience in doctors. Her extensive research interests include abnormal illness behaviour, professional ethics and boundaries in mental health, and attachment theory.

In addition to being a practising clinician, Professor Adshead has authored over 100 academic papers in books and journals. She is a regular guest on radio and television, where she has discussed issues as diverse as criminal mental health and her “Desert Island Discs”. She regularly teaches medical students, psychiatric trainees and presents at conferences nationally and internationally.

She is the co-editor of several books including Ethical Issues in Forensic Mental Health Research (with Dr Christine Brown); A Matter of Security: The Application of Attachment Theory to Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (with Professor Friedmann Pffafflin) and Personality disorder: the definitive collection (with Dr Caroline Jacob). Her most recent book, Clinical topics in personality Disorder (co-edited with Dr Jay Sarkar) was awarded first prize in the Psychiatry Section at the BMA Book Awards in 2013.

In her role as Visiting Gresham Professor of Psychiatry, Dr Adshead will present a series of lectures under the title Things of Darkness, based on a quote from The Tempest: ‘These things of darkness, I acknowledge mine’ in the 2014/15 academic year.

Professor Adshead continues her role as Visiting Gresham Professor of Psychiatry with a series of lectures for the 2015/16 academic year entitled Changing Minds.

Reviews

[Petra wonders if AI going to kill search engines? · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does a mental disorder really excuse evil, self-indulgent cruelty? I do wonder how someone can live in society, hold down a job, a relationship and absolutely no one knows that cruelty is their hobby and still not take responsibility for it? What kind of mental disorder is so selective?

This book is interesting from an unusual point of view. It's as much as about the therapeutic process, and about the psychiatrist as it is about the patient and their crimes. It is interesting to read how the author interprets words and gestures, and finds them not only indicative of something in the patient, but of something in herself too. If this seems to possibly prejudice the therapy in any way, she consults a supervisor or another psychiatrist.

The patients she sees are horrible people. Devils. Wicked. Evil. Just because someone pleads insanity and is judged at least by the court to have not been in their right mind when committing their crimes, doesn't take away from the fact that they were evil at that moment. It's all right saying, 'poor man, he was deluded' but what about the victims? It makes no difference to them if the perpetrator was sane or not.

I read a book on schizophrenia, the best I have ever read, that had a tremendous influence on me Operators and Things: The Inner Life of a Schizophrenic. For the first time, I really understood how a person could genuinely lose themselves in a hallucinatory world. The following week in a place close to my village in Wales, a man just come out of prison and begging for medication to control his psychosis, which he didn't get, killed and began to eat a woman. express co uk/news/uk/779572/cannibal-killer-Matthew-Williams-pleaded-help-before-killing-Cerys-Yemm. Because of the book, I understood how his voices had controlled him. But it didn't take away from the evil act, and understanding will bring no peace at all to the poor young woman's family.

Even in cases that are far less than murder, and where I can't see any mental illness only desire to carry out evil acts, the author is able to slowly, slowly bring out the absolute horror, to take it from talking to a very ordinary person and show the monster within. The author could have a third career outside of psychiatry and writing non-fiction to writing horror stories, she'd be amazing at it.

[Paul Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book presents eleven case histories* of psychologically disturbed violent offenders. Of course these are not real cases, because there is such a thing as patient confidentiality. So what are they?

Drawing from many encounters and case studies over the years we have created composites; the eleven mosaic portraits presented here are clinically and psychologically accurate but won’t be found on Google.

For instance, we have the case of “Gabriel”. He is an immigrant from Eritrea who randomly stabbed a passer-by on a street. So “Gabriel” is a composite or mosaic drawn from different real offenders. We understand, then, that all of these details are true, such as his sad back story, but not all true about one particular individual. And the name must be true of one of them too, as Dr Adshead goes on about the significance of Gabriel’s name (“A name with meaning”).

But what about the very first of these composites, Tony the gay serial killer? There have been three such cases in the last 20 years in the UK, so if this chapter is really talking about a gay serial killer, it must be one of those guys. Or am I missing something? If I thought too much about this composite mosaic business, I got confused. So I tried to ignore that.

HARDCORE COMPASSION

The inmates in secure psychiatric hospitals have access to services the general public are denied, which means that the perpetrators of violence get therapy and their surviving victims don’t. Dr Adshead is aware of this, and thinks it very wrong, of course. But it is her job to treat these offenders. Back to Tony. According to this chapter he had strangled three men to death.

“Tony, I think you’re brave enough to look at something really difficult”…”I’m not brave”. I looked into his eyes. “You don’t think so? Well, I experience you as brave. It takes courage to think about past violence… you’ve shown real courage.”

And later

I gazed at him, this man who so wanted to talk and who felt things so deeply. I thought about how removed he was from the image I’d once had of the ruthless and unfeeling serial killer.

It’s possible that victim’s families will feel more than a little distressed should they happen to read this section. In another chapter she is dealing with Marcus who murdered his ex-girlfriend because she told him she was going to start dating other men.

I used the remainder of our session to explain our team’s set-up to Marcus. The goal was to work together to treat him for depression, aiming to reduce his suicide risk and get him back to prison

And later, also about Marcus

We had given him a chance to resolve his inner conflict by caring for him, allowing him to talk about his needs and his anger towards people who had failed him early in his life

This compassion for the perpetrators is probably entirely and absolutely correct but it really challenges the reader. You are perpetually thinking that there were never any teams of carers for the victims’ families.

SOME THINGS THAT GRATED

Dr A doesn’t indulge in too much therapy-speak (thank you for that Dr A!) but she is inclined to throw out general statements such as

In a psychiatric sense faiths are not delusions because they are based on reason and an awareness of doubt, as well as being culturally coherent, whereas delusions are rigid and culturally alien.

(“based on reason”?)

And she seems to approve of such borderline-useless statements as

Today’s statistics indicate that seven out of ten people in the UK are likely to experience PTSD in their lives

And

Intriguing research by American colleagues finds a correlation, particularly among men, between shame and higher rates of violence in times of increased social instability and wealth inequality.

(Oh you don’t say so? I wonder which times of relative social stability and wealth equality these researchers were using to make their comparisons.)

And also she has an off-putting tendency towards self-praise :

I was able to keep a neutral expression while still communicating interest and warmth with my body language, eye contact and careful listening and questions

NEVERTHELESS

Given all the above caveats and dubieties, there is no doubt these eleven “composite mosaic” account make compelling reading, even when, as happens, you are left with gaping questions that Dr A simply never addresses (why would a woman try to commit suicide by fire multiple times - why not try an overdose or another method?). Making an argument for the humanity of violent offenders is, I guess, a laudable enterprise. If you are thinking that while I was turning the pages I was feeling really very queasy the whole time you are quite right.

*THE ELEVEN CASE HISTORIES

Tony – murdered three men – wait, he thinks it might have been four
Gabriel – random street assault with knife
Kezia – murdered her care worker
Marcus – murdered his ex-girlfriend
Charlotte – part of a teenage group which killed a homeless man
Zahra – attempted suicide multiple times by setting fire to her rooms
Ian – sexually abused his two sons
Lydia – female stalker
Sharon – Munchausen’s Syndrome by Proxy
Sam – murdered his father
David – a GP with a nasty secret

[Nigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

In brief - Thoughtful, thought provoking and challenging at times - I really enjoyed this.

In full
Dr Gwen Adshead is a forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist. In 30 years of experience seeing troubled people she has dealt with a wide variety of issues. Some of her time has been spent with patients at Broadmoor. In a series of 11 stories about cases she illustrates many key issues that affect the people she sees. Each case also allows her to expand on issues relating to the topic more generally. The cases are taken from both prisons and secure hospital setting as well as those who are in the community. They are challenging both in the sense of trying to help people deal with their issues but also because of the way the discussion can affect the therapist too. The introduction to this book is very good. It defines the general area of the book and sets the scene very well indeed.

The 11 stories are wide ranging. They have in common very troubled people who have been violent, dangerous or with the potential to be. I won't give an insight into each of the cases - frankly they are all interesting. However by way of example I'll mention a couple. The story of Gabriel is about someone who attacked a stranger without any apparent provocation. He is an immigrant from Eritrea. The understanding that Dr Adshead eventually gets of his case is both powerful and interesting. Lydia's story was another fascinating one. She is leaving prison after serving a sentence for stalking. This allows the general topic of stalking as a offence - both the history and the overall subject - to be considered as part of the chapter. The actual case reads almost like a fiction story - remarkable.

Every one of the chapters made for a good read for me. The broadening out of chapters to cover more general information worked well for me. As an example Kezia's case - she killed her support worker - allows the author to look at the topic of female violence generally. She also brings in the prevailing views on the subject among psychiatrists who are largely male. Other topics covered include PTSD and sexual abuse. It is probably fair to say that some of the stories make for quite challenging reads. Across the book there are topics of race and the rationale behind the request for a therapy sessions.

The thoughtful and balanced approach that Dr Adshead takes with her patients was impressive. Her "asides" of how patients make her feel are very thoughtful and interesting. I think I probably highlighted more sections in this than in most of the books I've read because they seemed so interesting and worth attention. It is definitely one of the best medical non-fiction books I have read. I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in the subject - from a professional slant or simply interested.

Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review

[Paul Ataua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adshead is a psychiatrist and psychotherapist who works with violent offenders who have been more often than not diagnosed with some form of psychosis. This a collection of eleven of her cases, each one told in such a down to earth and sympathetic way, that just captivated me. It was great, in this age where psychoses are often treated as hopeless cases that can only be ‘controlled’ by psychotropic drugs, to know that people are using psychodynamic psychotherapeutic approaches to help them understand their world better.

[Patricija || book.duo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

Įdomi, o svarbiausia, kriminologine prasme teisinga, švietėjiškai labai reikalinga knyga. Gražiai, subtiliai ir mandagiai skaitosi (kartais net per mandagiai ir atsargiai) – labiausiai dėl to, jog akivaizdu, kad autorės dėjo visas pastangas į pagarbų tikrų žmonių pateikimą. Be smerkimo, su paaiškinimais ir užbėgimais už akių tada, kai smerkti – pirmasis instinktas. Reikalingiausi ir įdomiausi atrodė tie skyriai, kuriuose autorė aiškina statistikos nevienareikšmiškumą, moterų atliekamų nusikaltimų vertinimą, seksizmą, rasizmą. Naudingiausios rodėsi istorijos, susijusios su nusikaltimais, kuriuos didžioji visuomenės dalis pažįsta nebent iš kriminalų skilties (gal ši knyga paskatins bent kažką jos visiškai nebeskaityti ir nebeteikti jai dėmesio) – persekiojimą, seksualinę prievartą, padegimus. Su visa pagarba tikroms istorijoms, kai kurie skyriai nebuvo baisiai įdomūs, o pasakojimo stilius rodėsi per daug repetatyvus, nutolęs dėl to, kad bandyta būti ypač atsargioms.

Įdomu tai, kad net istorijų pasirinkimas buvo sąmoningas, norint atskleisti temas, kurios kalbant apie nusikaltimus yra aktualiausios, rečiausios, kurios atspindi tikrąją situaciją – pagal tai buvo sprendžiamas ir moterų bei vyrų istorijų procentas – norint atspindėti statistiką kalėjimuose, psichiatrinėse. Labiausiai tikiuosi, kad knyga, galinti sudominti daugelį, pasieks auditoriją savo svarbia žinute – vertinti nusikaltusius ne tik jų nusikaltimo, bet ir visuomenės, socialinės padėties, išsilavinimo, gyvenimo istorijos kontekste. Ne tik smerkti, bet ir pabandyti suprasti, ne tik įkalinti, bet ir pabandyti reabilituoti. Tik pasirodė keistai stereotipiškas, prie knygos jautrumo nederantis viršelis. Suprantu marketinginę jo reikšmę, o ir tikrai jis stilistiškai gražus ir traukiantis akį, bet originalas ir jo variacijos atrodo pagarbesni ir prie šio konkretaus kūrinio tinkamesni. Atrodo, smulkmena, tačiau velnias slypi detalėse. Ir stereotipuose.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always had an interest in mental health, and I suppose a curiousity with psychiatric facilities and the professionals that work with these patients. I've delved into a lot of information about Broadmoor, and as this was mentioned a lot in this book, I found it helpful to have known a little about it's background.

Adshead presents us with eleven cases consisting of interviews with eleven violent, and physiologically disturbed criminals. These particular people are deemed mentally ill, so they are housed in psychiatric hospital prisons such as Broadmoor, and here, is where I find it difficult to understand.

In these hospitals the inmates/patients have wide access to services and therapy from the point of admission, where the public and possibly the victims of these offenders (If survived) don't have access to. This is something I can't agree with, and I think it should change to the victims receiving immediate therapy if requested, too.

The patients Adshead are some unbelievably evil people, and some of what I learned of these people was hard to read. It's difficult to take into account that if a person is concluded to be mentally ill at the time of a horrific murder, somehow there is more sympathy for that person in a way. It shouldn't actually matter, the person killed another human being, and their families have to live with that forever.

I understand that there are plenty of mental illnesses that can cause a person to lose their minds so to speak, but what comfort does that give to the victims family?

The writing itself was average. It was readable, but sometimes Adshead threw in random statistics, which didn't really have any prevalence to the current person being discussed.

Overall, this was worth a read, if not for the interesting information on various secure hospitals, but I think I've read better books on the subject.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Devil You Know is a moving, thought-provoking and compassionate exploration of the psyche of convicted criminals and in eleven vivid narratives based on decades of providing therapy to people in prisons and secure hospitals, an internationally renowned forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist demonstrates the remarkable human capacity for radical empathy, change, and redemption. What drives someone to commit an act of terrible violence? Drawing from her thirty years’ experience in working with people who have committed serious offenses, Dr. Gwen Adshead provides fresh and surprising insights into violence and the mind. Through a collaboration with coauthor Eileen Horne, Dr. Adshead brings her extraordinary career to life in a series of unflinching portraits.

Alongside doctor and patient, we discover what human cruelty, ranging from serial homicide to stalking, arson or sexual offending, means to perpetrators, experiencing first-hand how minds can change when the people some might label as “evil” are able to take responsibility for their life stories and get to know their own minds. With outcomes ranging from hope to despair, from denial to recovery, these men and women are revealed in all their complexity and shared humanity. In this era of mass incarceration, deep cuts in mental health care and extreme social schisms, this book offers a persuasive argument for compassion over condemnation. Moving, thought-provoking, and brilliantly told, The Devil You Know is a rare and timely book with the power to transform our ideas about cruelty and violence, and to radically expand the limits of empathy. I found it riveting and fascinating with great insight and objective information examining the minds of the sickest individuals in society.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely a book that I'll need to reread. Not that I want to learn about the psychology of serial killers and other violent offenders, but because I don't know that I could have the capacity for compassion that Dr Adshead demonstrates so professionally and because I feel that compassion is the most important armor we have in this world. Also, because social justice is so important to me, I think this book is highly informative, and if compassion is the most important tool in my arsenal, then knowledge is the second most important.

A couple of things really stuck out to me. 70% of all serial killers are in the US. SEVENTY percent!!!! The country with the second most serial killers is the UK, and it only has 3.5%. That's unbelievable. The US has 2 million people in vastly overcrowded prisons. That's the highest rate in the world. Given there's a known correlation between the number of incarcerated people and the rates of mental illness...

Dr. Adshead also says that shame is a powerful motivator for violence. It's this kind of statement that makes me realize that I am not as good at being open to people as I want to think I am. With each patient profile, I was blown away by how she was able to maintain her composure and lead them to personal responsibility and improved mental health. I found myself longing to have her as my own therapist - not because I have suicidal ideation or delusional fantasies or voices in my head. I know her clients are in greater distress than I am. But I felt like she's so good at what she does, I'd love to have her work with me for just a couple of sessions. I also felt like any more than two sessions, and I'd be too scared to spend time with her, because I have to ask myself honestly if I really want to know myself THAT well. (I also feel this way about Dr. Brene Brown!)

I love this Richard Rohr quote the author references. I've come across it better in other books, and every time I do, it hits me in the gut: "If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it.” This is the reason Dr. Adshead does what she does - to help people transform their pain. It's rare for people to be born as serial killers. She works with them to understand how they got to where they did and how they can cope with those triggers in the future.

The other thing that struck me was how her work was government sanctioned via the National Health Service and court ordered. I can't think of anywhere in the US where she could practice like that in the US as part of the justice system. Where we try, we are horribly understaffed and unequipped. I think we integrated mental healthcare as part of our law enforcement systems like it's described in the UK, we could/would have fewer incidents of police violence against civilians.

Strongly recommend reading! Shows a fascinating and accessible peek into the mind of the violently mentally ill from a safe distance. I especially would like those wanting to or already working as police, prosecutors, judges, defense lawyers, and any medical professional role to read this book. I would really like to see the percentage of serial killers worldwide, but particularly in the US, decrease over time.

[Ian Payton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful book and a difficult one to read. I can’t do better than the blurb for summarising it:

Dr Gwen Adshead is one of Britain's leading forensic psychologists. She has spent over thirty years providing therapy inside secure hospitals and prisons for violent offenders. Whatever her patient's crime - serial homicide, stalking, arson - she helps them to better know their minds. Case by case, she takes the reader into the treatment room and reveals the complex and vulnerable humans behind these acts of terrible violence. These are stories of cruelty and despair, but also change and hope. The Devil You Know speaks to our shared humanity and makes the case for compassion over condemnation, empathy over fear.

And it does exactly that. There is no attempt to lessen the awfulness of the things that these people have done, nor provide excuses or justifications, or attempt to explain away or diminish any of the crimes. It is easy to cast people as monsters who are guilty of these things, but there is a rich vein of humanity running through these stories that provide an additional perspective.

There is also a lot of background about the criminal justice system, and the role that mental health issues, and mental health support and treatment play in it - including the irony that it is often only in prison that many of these people have access to the mental health support that would have benefited them prior to committing their crime.

The author’s accounts of the interviews and discussions with each offender provide a fascinating insight into the depth of training that a forensic psychologist brings to this work. Each story has glimpses of the author’s adept skills at navigating a narrow pathway that will encourage the offender to talk openly about often troubling and emotional times in their lives, from their childhood to the time of the offence itself. The stories are also personal and candid, as the author recounts times when she has misstepped or made decisions or drawn conclusions that in retrospect could have been better.

The awakening of insight and self-knowledge in people who have committed the most heinous of crimes is movingly told. And this has had an emotional impact on me as I examine my own reactions to these stories. By far the most difficult to read was of a man who had sexually abused his two sons - and the fact that the broad mix of emotions of horror and disgust that I had when reading that story also included some compassion for the perpetrator is difficult for me to process. This will stay with me for a long time.

[Jen Surname · Rating 4 out of 5]

-There’s no such thing as a bad seed, just bad soil. -

This is a concept that will stick with me after reading this book.

It’s an interesting and insightful read, and certainly helps to give a different perspective on the “monsters” who commit violent crime. Looking behind the newspaper headlines and into the psyche of those imprisoned in secure hospitals, to see the person rather than the perpetrator.

I found the narration of the Audiobook far too slow, so played it at 1.3x otherwise I think I’d have given up before the end of the first chapter, but I did enjoy that it was narrated by Dr Adshead herself, as the inflections and intonations were genuine and natural.

I work in mental health, so maybe I had a ‘special interest’ here. I don’t think that needs to be a prerequisite to enjoy the book though; anyone with an interest in others, in human behaviour, will find enjoyment in this book and hopefully will take a moment to pause the next time the tabloids blaze another family’s misfortune in sensationalised block print on their front page.

There is more than one victim in most crimes, and I think this book helps to demonstrate that the victims are not always just who you think.

And the perpetrators are people too.

[Repix Pix · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lo abandoné a la mitad.
Decepcionante.

Pasa muy por encima de los casos, sin profundizar, con mucho relleno y autobombo, sin utilidad ninguna y pasándose por el forro muchas cosas que no debería. Quizás porque aquí tenemos de nuevo una psiquiatra y no una psicóloga.
En fin, lo de siempre.

[Bruce Beckham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard forensic psychiatrist Dr Gwen Adshead speak at the Edinburgh Book Festival in August and was prompted to buy this, her latest release, co-written by American author Eileen Horne.

Together they have produced a compelling work. It features 12 anonymised accounts of violent offenders diagnosed with mental illnesses, and the challenges of assessment and treatment in a secure environment.

The ‘patients’ were often uncooperative, and their crimes unspeakable, and the sheer difficulty of engaging with them made unrelentingly uncomfortable reading.

Moreover, there is – frankly – a hopelessness which pervades the narratives, and raises the awkward question – the elephant in the room – the burden upon society of attempted rehabilitation versus the cost of throwing away the key.

The book provides an insight into a macabre world of doctor and patient, a battle of wits where the human mind is both subject and object. It is disturbing on a number of levels … unless perhaps you write crime mysteries or psychological thrillers.

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book on a whim, needing one more book for free shipping and thought “this could be interesting.”

I’m so glad I did. It’s truly an amazing book. If you’re a fan of true crime and mental health (or even if you’re just mildly curious), then I highly recommend this. Dr Adshead is a forensic psychiatrist and has treated many different criminals throughout her career. She introduces the idea of compassion and humanity, delving into the psychology and humanizing some of these patients that we often label as unredeemable.

I’m use to books that study the crime itself or the offender but only in the narrow scope of the crime. Dr. Adshead takes the chance that the reader will be open enough to learn about the perpetrator’s life and mind as a whole and therefore creates humanity in someone we often see none. She also sheds light on how a doctor in her field is able to listen to these stories and deal with these patients in-line with her professional expectations.

This is a difficult read at times. I can’t say I felt empathy or even sympathy for all of them; however, I definitely learned a lot and gained a better understanding of those who commit crimes.

[Nicola Mackenzie-Smaller · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating and deeply compassionate study of the people Gwen Adshead has worked with throughout many years as a forensic pyschiatrist. Dr Adshead has worked with writer Eileen Horne to explore composite characters who make up the “monsters” who commit violent crimes, of murder, stalking and abuse. She clearly shows the bravery and commitment she has brought to her work but also examines the humanity of those who are dismissed by society due to their crimes but deserve some compassion and understanding.
From my perspective it was interesting to reflect on how we fail people early on in their becoming unwell, from not stepping in early enough to help children who have experienced loss or abuse, to mothers whose children enter the care system, and people who have PTSD and need intervention.
It would be lovely if the current health secretary could make this part of his holiday reading this year, along with NHS top managers and anyone who has power and influence. Otherwise, I hope that a lot of people read this and use it as a basis for spreading the word about what we could all do better.

[simona.citeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

O perspectivă foarte interesantă și o abordare dintr-un unghi diferit al celor pe care îi încadrăm simplu într-un cuvânt: criminali.

Dacă citești această carte nu vei mai putea vedea lucrurile în alb și negru pentru că vei descoperi o nouă față a acelor oameni care omoară pe cineva, care sunt pironami, stalkeri, pedofili sau consumă pornografie infantilă.

I-am cunoscut pe toți aceștia în rol de pacient și lucrurile s-au simțit foarte diferit de percepția generală cum că sunt doar oameni răi și atât.

Mi-au plăcut accentul pus pe importanța sănătății mentale și micile sugestii pe care autoarea le oferă pentru o mai bună abordare a subiectului.

[Kelly Van Damme · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Devil You Know discusses a number of Dr Adshead's cases throughout her impressive career. It was certainly eye-opening in a number of ways, and sometimes heart-breaking, but unfortunately as a whole it didn't work all that well for me. Note that this is clearly an unpopular opinion, as my fellow readers all loved it. Some cases I found fascinating, others much less so. I disliked the sometimes flowery language, and things like the literary quotes the doctor would think of when she stepped into a room for a consultation that just bugged me and took me out of the experience. Again, this is clearly me being overly sensitive. I also felt that it was somewhat one-sided, monotonous, lots of X or Y grew up in bad circumstances and was exposed to this and that horror and here we are today, with X or Y having committed this or that crime.
Thanks to the Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before coming to this book, I had read good things about it. I have also previously read similar books/memoirs. What I had taken from the reviews, and how this book was being publicised, was that it offered a different way of looking at those individuals who commit violence during their life. To use Adshead's own words, from her introduction:
"Each chapter covers different ground, but an important theme here and in all forensic work is the common risk factors for violence. A colleague of mine helpfully describes the enacting of violence as a bicycle lock. A combination of stressors aligns . . . The final 'number', the one that causes the lock to spring open and release an act of harmful cruelty, is the most intriguing. It tends to be idiosyncratic, something in the action of the victim which has meaning only to the perpetrator" (p.10-11).
For me, this was what pulled me into this book. Yes, there may be common themes which may suggest someone's risk of violence, but there is also an individuality, to each perpetrator, and Dr Adshead will be offering insight into this particular individuality for some of the cases that she has worked on.

Another intriguing perspective that Adshead puts forward is that, "Every violent crime is a tragedy, for the victims and their families as well as for the perpetrators" (P.5). This is an interesting statement when you focus on the last part of the sentence. Obviously, people who hear about violent crimes will no doubt be able to see the tragedy involved for the victim, and their loved ones. But, for the perpetrator? Whilst Adshead is not stating that she wants to excuse acts of violence, within these pages, she is offering 11 case studies which will potentially cause us to look at the offenders of these crimes in a different way. It is easy to look at the perpetrators of violence as being some kind of monster, and separate from the rest of us, but as Adshead argues (with the help of quoting W. H. Auden), "Evil is unspectacular and always human, / and shares our bed and eats at our own table" (p. 335).

Some of the crimes covered within the case studies include stalking, arson, murder, CSA as well as viewing/downloading indecent images of children. For me, some of the studies were more interesting than others. And some, such as when discussing paedophilia, challenged me (this is because I have worked with survivors of CSA, so to consider the perpetrators of such crimes with compassion is a difficult thing for me to do).

For those with an interest in forensic psychiatry or crime, this should be an interesting read.

[Sarah Faichney · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thing that struck me most about Dr Adshead's account is how incredibly difficult her job must be, on so many levels. A psychiatrist and psychotherapist with some 30 years experience, her role is very much a balancing act and an exercise in finding humanity. Through case studies, research and anecdotes we are afforded a greater understanding of human cruelty. Dr Adshead also raises issues with the current system and the ways in which mental health services are often not fit for purpose. "The Devil You Know" boasts an extensive further reading list, featuring both fiction and non-fiction titles. I also appreciated the inclusion of reference sources relevant to each case study. An intriguing, thought-provoking read.

[Giedrė Ir Viskas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pirmąkart pamačiau ją per Vilniaus dienas, pernai rugsėjį, prie Katedros buvo suręstas Knygų paviljonas. Buvo kilęs impulsas nusipirkti, su kuriuo sėkmingai susitvarkiau atmesdama.
Keistai pasirodė knaisiojimasis po sąmonę žmogaus, įvykdžiusio žmogžudystę, ir nuteisto kalėti iki gyvos galvos. Jis TURĖJO būti analizuotas anksčiau, kokia prasmė dabar, kai laukia kalėjimas iki gyvos galvos? Kad nenusižudytų- juokinga, kaip prioritezuojama gyvybės vertybė,- kažkam ji amžinai prarasta žmogžudžio dėka. Teismo psichiatro toks sunkus darbas, bet kokie dividendai? Nusikaltimų skaičiaus nesumažinsi.
Tiesa, buvo kelios istorijos, kur padėjo jaunai mamai, greit neteksiančiai trečio vaiko globos teisių ir moters, linkusios padeginėti.
Vyrų istorijos toli gražu ne optimistiškos...

[Knygu_burtai · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐ Labai įdomi ir vietomis sukrėtusi knyga. Manau, ją būtina perskaityti kiekvienam, kad bent šiek tiek geriau suprastume apie tuos, kurie vykdo nusikaltimus.

[Nadja Nastez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Една од најболните, најубавите, најреалните книги кои сум ги читала. Нешто во мене се кршеше секоја наредна страница додека ја читав.

Ја одбрав оваа книга не бидејќи сум опседната со убијци и криминалци, туку сакав навистина да сфатам подобро што е она што ги крши луѓето, иaко длабоко во себе знаев.

Ја препорачувам на сите оние кои ги интересира нешто подлабоко, побрутално од обична, секојдневна психологија и на луѓе кои се неуморни во осознавањето за човечката психа одново и одново секој ден. 🖤

[Aylin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tanıdık Şeytan,belli bir suçtan hüküm giymiş ya da suç işlemeye eğilimi olan şiddet failleri ile çalışan adli psikoterapist Dr. Gwen Adshead'in yıllar içinde gördüğü vaka çalışmalarından alarak birleştirdiği 11 klinik portreyi işliyor. Giriş kısmında; ötekileştirildiği kadar büyüleyici olan Kötülük kavramına değinen yazar, çalıştığı kişilerin de kurban olduğu, normal olarak tanımlanan insanlardan farklı olmadığı, çeşitli mekanizmaların bir araya gelerek şiddeti mümkün kıldığının altını çiziyor. Ülkelerin askeri işgal gibi geçmiş deneyimlerinin de şiddete yönelmiş insanlara yaklaşımında ve kullandıkları tedavi yöntemlerinde belirleyici olduğu vurgulanan konular arasında. Görüşme sırasında psikiyatristin terapide yaptığı hatalar , çıkardığı sonuçlar, hastalığın tarihçesi ve bu konuda yapılan araştırma sonuçları, korkunç sapkınlık olarak görünen bir olgunun arkasında yatan mantık gibi unsurlar ayrıntıları ile ele alınıyor. İngiltere cezaevlerinde her türlü dini inanç ve inançsızlığa hizmet eden dini merkezlerin bulunması, erkek şiddetinin kadın şiddetinden farklı görünmesine sebep olan toplumsal öğrenme, çocukluk dönemi güvenli bağlanmanın yetişkinliğe etkisi, ruhsal tedavi konusunda devlet politikaları, hasta gizliliği gibi temaların ön planda işlendiği bu kitabı kurgusallıktan uzak temel gerçekleri ifade eden yapısı ile çok beğenerek okudum.

Tony vakası, seri katillerin psikopat olduğu inancını, psikopati üzerine yapılan araştırmalar ve psikopatik eğilimler gösteren kişilerin karakteristik özellikleri üzerinden irdeliyor. Çocukluk döneminde ihmal ve suistimalin, sosyal beyin oluşturmada nasıl bir etkisi olduğu 3 cinayet işlemiş bir kişinin öyküsü ile birlikte yansıtılıyor.

Gabriel; travma sonrası stres bozukluğu yaşayan bir göçmenin dil sorununa rağmen duygularını ifade etmeyi öğrenme ve insanlara yönelen öfkesini dönüştürme sürecini işliyor.
Kezia, cinayet faili bir kadında, terk edilmişlik ve reddedilmişlik hisleri ile paranoid sanrıların birleşerek şiddete dönüşmesini ve altında yatan dinamikleri aktarıyor.

Marcus vakası, narsisistik kişilik bozukluğunu irdeleyerek, beğenilme ve kabul görme ihtiyacının karşılanmasının yetişkinlikte yaşanan ilişkilere etkisi üzerine odaklanıyor.

Charlotte; çocukluk döneminde yaşanan travmaların ve karşılanmayan aidiyet ihtiyacının, bir grup iradesine boyun eğmede ve şiddete yönelmede etkisini inceliyor.

Zahra kundakçılık suçu ile yargılanan bir kadının mahkumun aile öyküsünde reddedilmişlik, değersizlik, yoksayılma gibi inançlar ile öfkenin dışsallaştırılmasını konu alıyor.

İan vakası, çocuklarına cinsel istismar suçu ile yargılanan bir adamın utanç duygusu ile çevrilmiş yaşantısını gözler önüne seriyor.

Lydia ; çocukluk döneminde bakım veren kişi ile kurulan bağlanma yapısının, yetişkinlikteki etkileşimlere etkilerini, ısrarlı takip suçu çerçevesinde işliyor.

Sharon vakası; tıbbi ilgi almak maksadı ile fiziksel semptomlara sebep olma, belirtileri abartma ile kendini gösteren tıbbi istismar suçunu, ailesini kaybetmiş ve travmatik yaşantıları olan bir kadının bakışaçısı ile sunuyor.

Sam vakası; babasını öldürme suçu ile yargılanan, işitsel halüsinasyonlara sahip bir kişinin grup terapisi çerçevesinde davranışları ile yüzleşmesini konu alıyor.

David bir aile hekiminin, çocukluk döneminde yaşadığı yalnızlık ve ihmal edilmişlik duyguları ile yetişkinlik dönemi sosyal izolasyon ile baş etme mekanizması olarak yöneldiği karanlık suçu işliyor.

Psikiyatrik araştırmalar, bahsi geçen ruhsal hastalıkların tarihçesi ve ülkelerin izlediği politikalara değinmesi ile hem öğretici hem de kötülük kavramına geniş bir perspektiften bakması ile ilgi çekici olan bu kitabı adli psikolojiye ilgi duyanlara öneririm.

[Ghazalehsadr · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The subjects of crime, psychology and forensic science have always fascinated me, and this book was a combination of all these areas.

The author who is a forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist discusses the case histories of 11 of her patients, from serial killers to stalkers and pedophiles, giving us insight into the workings of prisons and psychiatric hospitals, how mentally ill inmates receive treatment, and what goes on in the minds of people who treat them. What she aims to do is to give us a picture of the second victim in these crimes: the perpetrators who are sometimes the secondary victims of their own crimes rooted in mental illness. She digs into their past and finds the sources of their illness, the moments that they could have been helped, the moments that the cause of the crime could have been stopped, the traumas that led to the illness and criminal behaviour.

The author basically illustrates how nobody is born evil, but turns evil due to mental illness or traumas that they experience themselves. Of course, she is not trying to take away the blame from these criminals, she is rather focused on showing us how easily everyone can turn into one, and how our life experiences can and do shape up who we are and what we do in life. Her goal is to give us a glimpse into the lives of people who were once normal like us, but turned evil later.

I liked the book and think the prose and narration were engaging and smooth. The only thing I disliked were the literary references to Shakespeare and other author quotations which felt very forced, unrelated and unnecessary. They appeared once every chapter and it felt like the author was really trying to sound sophisticated and elevate her book.

[Neringa Moz · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️3,5

[Andrius Baležentis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knygoje psichiatrė pasakoja apie vienuolikos nusikaltėlių gyvenimo istorijas ir jų psichologinius portretus iš savo darbo praktikos. Visa tai sukelia labai dviprasmiškus jausmus, nes nusikaltėlių istorijose atrandi išgyventas dideles traumas, krizes, aplinkinių aplaidumą, patirtą fizinę, emocinę ir seksualinę prievartą, įvairias ligas, kurios ir atveda į lemtingą tašką. Ir tada pasidaro nebeaišku koks turi būti tas teisingumas, kai aukų artimiesiems nuoširdžiai skauda dėl negrįžtamų netekčių, o tuo pačiu imi empatiškai suprasti ir kitą pusę, kuri lyg vienkrypčio eismo gatvėje aplinkybių buvo atvesta į tą kraštutinumą.

[Nora|KnyguDama · Rating 3 out of 5]

Labai daug tikėjaus iš šios knygos, bet kiek nuvylė. Nors mėgstu true crimes reikalus, bet autorės pasakojimas buvo labiau noras pateisinti visus nusikaltėlius, skaitytojui įrodant, kad viskas ką jie padarė buvo daugmaž aplinkybių kaltė. Autorė - teismo psichiatrė, dirbanti su itin žiauriais nusikaltėliais, o ši jos knyga - keletos iš jų istorijos.

Buvo įdomu skaityti apie darbo užkulisius ir Gwen nenusaldintos emocijos: pasidalinimai, kad dažnai kabinete su žudikais užsidaryti bijodavo, kad buvo ir užpulta, ir nesuprasta, ir pati nesuprato. Visai įdomūs ir pokalbių atpasakojimai. Būdai, kuriais ji paskatindavo savo pacientus išsikalbėti, atsiverti ir pasipasakoti. Tikrai detaliai aprašytas ir visas jos darbo procesas, teisingai kritikuojama teisinė sistema, jos spragos ir dažnai daromos klaidos, dėl kurių kenčia ir tikrai nekalti žmonės. Tačiau visa kita kiek erzino. Ypač tas nuolatinis bandymas pataisint žmones, kurių (kai kurių) aš niekaip nesupratau kaip pateisint. Pvz tėvo, kuris lytiškai priekabiavo prie savo paties mažamečių sūnų.

Be jokių abejonių į knygą daug darbo sudėta, Gwen labai tiksliai viską stengės atpasakoti, besiremdama šaltiniais ir krūva citatų iš įvairių filosofų, psichologų, nors jų man ir per daug pasirodė. Iš esmės, kam įdomu tikros istorijos, psichologija ir darbas su nuteistaisiais - gal ir smalsu paskaityt. Bet man buvo nuobodoka, vien dėl to amžino bandymo išvartyt žmonės iš jų akivaizdžių nuodėmių kaltinant aplinką, vaikystę ir traumas. Suprantu, kad dažniausiai būna dvi pusės, dvi tiesos ir reikia į jas abi žvelgt, kad nuspręst kaltas ar ne, bet bent keli šios knygos atvejai man jokio pasiteisinimo turėt negalėjo. Yra kita knyga - "Gailestingumo jėga", kuri kalba apie praktiškai tą patį, tik pateikia dar daugiau argumentų ir tikrai geriau savo "teisintojos" vaidmenį sužaidžia.

[Marika_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr Gwen Adshead to terapeutka i psychiatrka sądowa pracująca z najbrutalniejszymi przestępcami i przestępczyniami. W książe prezentuje jedenaście historii kryminalistów, którzy byli jej pacjentami. Pedofil, stalkerka, morderczyni, seryjny morderca, podpalaczka, osoby o psychopatycznych osobowościach. Ale co istotne, nie przedstawia ich wyłącznie ze złej diabelskiej strony, a koncentruje się mocno na pokazaniu ich ludzkiej twarzy.
Nie było mi łatwo czytać rozdziału o meżczyźnie, który wykorzystywał seksualnie swoich synów - jeśli jesteście mocno wrażliwe/wrażliwi to polecam go pominąć. Ale ta trudność w czytaniu o jego historii i tym co robił własnym dzieciom to jedno, drugą ciężką dla mnie do zniesienia perspektywą było to, że autorka patrzy na niego i opisuje go od bardzo człowieczej strony. Nie, że go tłumaczy, ale szuka przyczyny i podkreśla, że takich osób nie można od razu spisać na straty i wyrzucać poza nawias, ale należy skupić się na próbie ich leczenia. I szczerze mówiąc w niektórych przypadkach nie było to dla mnie łatwe do przełknięcia, niemniej autorka zdecydowanie poszerzyła moje horyzonty zrozumienia i empatii. I to ogromny plus tej książki. Kolejny to podjęcie problematyki przemocy z rąk kobiet i dlaczego reagujemy na nią zupełnie inaczej niż na męskie okrucieństwo.
Nie mogę jednak nie wspomnieć o minusie, który mi przeszkadzał podczas lektury i wywoływał przewracanie oczami - autorka co chwile (dosłownie) rzuca cytatami z literatury czy filozofii wplątując je bezsensownie w tekst. Parafrazując, pisze np. że jak patrzy na tego mordercę to przypomina jej się cytat z Szekspira albo wtrąca jak mawiał XYZ (tutaj wstaw znaną pisarkę, filozofa czy Walta Disneya). Ugh. I może się wam to wydawać błahym negatywem, ale uwierzcie, ze irytuje to niezmiernie! Ale oczywiście to nie skreśla książki i plusów jest w niej znacznie więcej więc czytajcie.

[Edita Kazakevičienė · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Žmonės, su kuriais dirbu, yra išgyvenę katastrofą, kurioje jie patys ir yra ta katastrofa, – panašiai kaip kiti išgyvenusieji katastrofą, jie sunkiai randa žodžių neišsakomiems prisiminimams apibūdinti."

Ilgėjant vakarams ir artėjant tamsiausiam metų laikui, mane patraukia niūresnės knygos. O „Pažįstamą blogį" buvau nusižiūrėjusi nuo pat išleidimo pradžios, tad, kai radau bibliotekoje, iš karto ir pasiėmiau. Taip, šioje knygoje blogio daug, tiksliau, gal daugiau psichikos sutrikimų ir traumų. Tačiau kartu ji be galo kupina žmogiškumo, empatijos ir atjautos.

Aš tikiu, kad niekas nevyksta be priežasties ir, kad kiekvienas, net ir siaubingiausias poelgis turi paaiškinimą. Kiekviename iš mūsų slypi tam tikros blogio apraiškos. Tačiau, kas tas paskutinis lašas, kuomet protas atsijungia ir įvyksta tai, ko negalima ištaisyti? Šioje knygoje aprašyti atvejai ne kartą patvirtino, jog ankstyvosios vaikystės patirtys turi labai didelę reikšmę suaugusiojo gyvenimui.

Taip pat mane sužavėjo knygos autorė, jos atsidavimas labai sunkiam, sekinančiam darbui su visuomenės nurašytais žmonėmis, kitoks požiūris į nusikaltėlius ir jų gydymą. Taip, psichoterapija ilgas ir brangus gydymas, tačiau tam tikrais atvejais jis gali būti veiksmingesnis už įkalinimą iki gyvos galvos.

Stebėjausi autore ir kitais žmonėmis, dirbančiais su sunkiais nusikaltėliais, stebėjausi pati savimi. Ar įmanoma pajusti gailestį tėvui, seksualiai išnaudojusiam savo vaikus? Sūnui, nužudžiusiam savo tėvą? Serijiniui žudikui? Ar nusikaltėliai turi teisę į liūdesį, švelnumą ir atjautą?

Prisipažinsiu, jog buvo nejauku, nemalonu, nepatogu pasinerti į tamsesnes psichikos gelmes. Bet tai paskatino susimąstyti apie keršto prasmę ir prigimtį. Gėris ir blogis, gailestis ir neapykanta, auka ir nusikaltėlis nėra nekintančios sąvokos ir dažnai jas atspindi mūsų pačių požiūris. Tai tik parodo, kiek mes dar mažai žinome apie psichikos galimybes. Nors knyga apie smurtą, tačiau ir pačios tamsiausios istorijos gali apšviesti.

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[cuong tran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Con người là một trong những giống loài có cấu tạo vật lý yếu ớt nhất trên hành tinh này. Chúng ta không có móng vuốt, răng nanh hay nọc độc. Thậm chí, trong khoảng những tháng đầu đời, ta hoàn toàn không có khả năng bảo vệ hay chăm sóc bản thân. Chính bởi lý do đó, con người bắt buộc phải tìm cách để cảm thấy an toàn: đó chính là ở cạnh những con người khác. Hệ thống kết nối cá thể người này với cá thể người kia, cộng đồng người này với cộng đồng người nọ được thiết lập thông qua một thứ “vật ngang giá” nguyên thủy gọi là cảm xúc.

Yêu thương, hạnh phúc, đau khổ, sợ hãi, hổ thẹn hay kinh tởm, theo thời gian, tất cả những cảm xúc này dần trở thành một cách để con người giao tiếp với nhau, thậm chí là qua cả những phương thức phi ngôn ngữ. Chúng hỗ trợ mỗi cá thể người trong một cộng đồng người nhận thức được bao giờ thì nên tiếp tục, hay tạm thời cắt đứt kết nối với đồng loại xung quanh.

Dẫu vậy, khi mọi nỗ lực để kết nối cảm xúc bị chối từ, khi mọi khao khát được công nhận, gắn bó và yêu thương đều không thể được đáp ứng, khi một cá thể người bị cô lập tuyệt đối khỏi chính cộng đồng mình - điều gì sẽ xảy ra?

Trong Trò chuyện với trẻ sát nhân: Trước khi trở thành ác quỷ (tựa gốc: The Devil You Know), chuyên gia pháp y, nhà trị liệu tâm lý có hơi ba mươi năm tuổi nghề Gwen Adshead đã cùng đồng sự của mình là nhà văn, nhà soạn kịch Eileen Horne khái quát hóa một cơ số trường hợp cụ thể, mang tới cho độc giả bức chân dung cận cảnh của mười-một tên tội phạm bị dán nhãn là “ác quỷ”. Đây đều là những phạm nhân bị kết án thực hiện những hành vi tội ác nghiêm trọng: giết người hàng loạt, sát hại thành viên trong gia đình, tội phạm tình dục, cố ý phóng hỏa hay rình rập (stalking)...

Thông qua việc khám phá ký ức cá nhân, lịch sử gia đình cùng những chấn thương tâm lý từ quá khứ, Gwen Adshead cung cấp những góc nhìn mới mẻ nhưng không kém phần chi tiết về cách mà những rối loạn tâm thần khác nhau có khả năng gây ra những ảnh hưởng nghiêm trọng như thế nào đối với trạng thái tâm lý khỏe mạnh của con người. Từ đây, bà cố gắng giải bỏ những quan niệm thường thấy của công chúng về những “tên tội phạm nguy hiểm”.

Thay vì vật hóa, yếu tính hóa nhóm người này, Gwen Adshead nhìn nhận họ bằng cái nhìn thấu cảm, đặt họ trong những hoàn cảnh cụ thể, đồng thời cố gắng lý giải nguyên nhân cho những chấn động tâm lý, đồng thời cũng là nguồn cơn cho hành vi tội ác của họ. Chính bởi lý do đó, xuất hiện trong Trò chuyện với trẻ sát nhân: Trước khi trở thành ác quỷ không đơn thuần chỉ là những tên tội phạm “ác quỷ” máu lạnh, họ còn là nạn nhân của những sang chấn tâm lý từ quá khứ, của những môi trường gia đình bị khuyết thiếu chức năng, của một hệ thống quyền lực, tư pháp, chính trị xã hội hoàn toàn không đứng về phía họ.

Khi phác họa cận cảnh bức chân dung, khi đào sâu vào những vỉa tầng tâm lý phức tạp của nhóm người này, Gwen Adshead không cố gắng giảm nhẹ hay xóa bỏ tội ác mà họ đã gây ra. Mục tiêu lớn nhất bà hướng tới là cung cấp thông tin, cũng như đưa ra những kiến giải cần thiết về mối tương quan giữa những sự kiện đã hoặc đang xảy ra đối với các chấn động tâm lý, về cách thực tại bị bóp méo trong tâm trí của những tội nhân mắc các chứng bệnh rối loạn tâm thần, hay về sự thật đáng buồn rằng có nhiều người không đơn thuần chỉ là phạm nhân trong một cơ sở giam giữ vật lý, họ thậm chí còn bị cầm tù trong chính nhà tù tâm lý của mình.

Gwen Adshead có khả năng phi thường trong việc đặt vấn đề, cũng như tiến hành các buổi trị liệu một cách kiên nhẫn và đầy tôn trọng. Bà luôn đặt thấu cảm lên đầu, cố gắng chuyển hóa nỗi đau – một trong những thành tố tối quan trọng được bà cho rằng là nguồn cơn của các hành vi bạo lực, từ đó góp phần ngăn chặn tầm ảnh hưởng của chúng trước khi chúng tiếp tục trở thành một kiểu mẫu nhất định trong tương lai.

Không dừng lại ở đó, Gwen Adshead cũng có những cách diễn giải rất hay về tâm lý người. Chẳng hạn, bà ví von tâm lý người như một rạn san hô: “lâu đời, tầng tầng lớp lớp và đầy bí ẩn”. Muốn nghiên cứu tường tận tâm thần học, ta buộc phải “lặn sâu” bên dưới bề mặt tới chỗ tối tăm, nơi mà cả những hiểm nguy lẫn những thứ đẹp đẽ có thể cùng xuất hiện. Hoặc, bà cũng sử dụng lối so sánh William James, cha đẻ của tâm lý học Hoa Kỳ, khi do rằng ý thức con người như một dòng nước chảy. Ở đó, những nỗi ám ảnh tâm lý lại hệt như những hòn đá tảng chắn ngang con nước, có khả năng thay đổi dòng chảy, kéo theo những suy nghĩ và cảm xúc khác vào vòng xoáy tâm trí, đồng thời nảy sinh ra các biến số không mong muốn - chính là những cơn ảo tưởng gây hại.

Đặc biệt nhất, mười-một câu chuyện được Gwen Adshead lựa chọn kể lại hoàn toàn không phải là ngẫu nhiên. Đây là mười-một trường hợp cụ thể cho những hành vi phạm tội cụ thể, cho những bất ổn tâm lý cụ thể, cho những sang chấn tâm lý cụ thể. Đó là câu chuyện của một người đồng tính nam buộc phải sinh trưởng trong một gia đình tôn thờ tính nam độc hại, là tiểu tự sự của một người phụ nữ nhập cư luôn phải đối diện với nỗi đau bị tước đi lịch sử và ký ức, hay câu chuyện của một cô gái trẻ tìm tới hành vi tự hoại như một chiến lược sinh tồn để đối diện với thực tại bị chính mẹ đẻ của mình chối bỏ.

Thông qua những câu chuyện này, Gwen Adshead không ngần ngại chỉ ra những bất cập trong hành lang tư pháp nước Anh nói chung và thế giới nói riêng, những lỗ hổng và nghịch lý nực cười của các hệ thống, cơ sở an sinh xã hội, những thiếu hụt trầm trọng của đội ngũ y tế và cơ sở hạ tầng, cơ sở vật chất phục vụ cho quá trình điều trị, từ đó gây khó khăn cho những tội nhân thụ án tiến tới tái hòa nhập cộng đồng.

Adshead cho rằng, xã hội đang quá coi trọng việc điều trị cho các vấn đề sức khỏe thể chất, mà vô tình xem nhẹ đi những tồn tại của đời sống sức khỏe tinh thần. Nguồn lực chưa được phân bổ một cách cân xứng: thay vì điều trị cho những cá nhân có nguy cơ tiến hành tội ác, đã được ghi nhận một vài biểu hiện đáng báo động, chỉ khi tội ác xảy ra, để lại những hậu quả nghiêm trọng, việc trị liệu mới bắt đầu được tiến hành trong các nhà tù, trong các bệnh viện an ninh. Nghịch lý đáng buồn này đã khiến cho không ít vụ án thương tâm xảy ra, để lại những hậu quả nghiêm trọng cho cộng đồng.

Thật khó để đồng cảm với những ai khác mình, đặc biệt là với những người bị tuyệt đại đa số gắn mác là “ác quỷ”. Dẫu vậy, thực hành lòng thấu cảm và học cách nhìn nhận thực tại ở nhiều chiều cạnh, nhiều góc độ đã, đang và sẽ luôn một nền tảng quan trọng để kiến tạo một xã hội công bình, bác ái và đáng sống.

Con người là một loài sinh vật bầy đàn. Ta buộc phải dựa vào nhau để tồn tại - không đơn thuần chỉ là về mặt thể chất, mà quan trọng hơn là về mặt cảm xúc. Để có thể đạt được trạng thái an toàn về mặt cảm xúc, bước đầu tiên là cần nhận ra rằng chúng ta không thể tồn tại đơn độc. Con người, dù là ở bất kỳ nền văn hóa, chính trị, trong bất kỳ bối cảnh xã hội nào, cũng luôn cần được chấp thuận, ủng hộ, quan tâm và sẻ chia. Cảm xúc, suy nghĩ của bất kỳ ai cũng đều quan trọng như nhau. Và chúng cũng đều xứng đáng được cất tiếng.

Trò chuyện với trẻ sát nhân: Trước khi trở thành ác quỷ là cuốn sách phi hư cấu hay nhất mình đọc được trong năm nay.

[Morta Č. · Rating 5 out of 5]

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Knygoje į nusikaltėlius žvelgiama iš gydytojos psichiatrės G. Adshead perspektyvos. Jos draugė dramaturgė E. Horne į istorijas įterpė kultūrinių sąsajų, palyginimų su meno kūriniais – tai leido tekstui skambėti nepernelyg moksliškai.

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