Citation

Židanik M. Kairos 2018; 12(1-2): 151-167.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

This paper presents the results of a study from a sample of people receiving psychiatric treatment that centres on the impact of witnessing the slaughter of domestic animals on future personality development and mental disorders. 258 patients in a psychiatric out-patient clinic filled out a self-evaluating semi-structured questionnaire in January 2018. I divided the patients into three groups - group 1 (the people in the group did not witness the slaughter of domestic animals in their childhood), group 2a (they witnessed the slaughter and had the impression that that had an impact on their future personality development and mental disorders) and group 2b (they witnessed the slaughter and had the subjective feeling that that had no impact on their future lives). I then compared the groups regarding psychiatric diagnostic criteria. 77,7% of all psychiatric patients witnessed the slaughter of domestic animals, although the psychiatric outpatient clinic is situated in the centre of the second largest city in Slovenia. In group 2 (2a+2b) there were more people with personality disorders (PD) and people with mixed PD than in group 1. In group 2a there were more people with dependent PD than in group 2b and more paranoid, borderline, anxious and narcissistic PD than in group 1. All dissocial PD persons (n= 4) were in group 2b. In group 2a there was more anxiety and alcohol dependency than in either group 1 or group 2b and more benzodiazepine dependency in group 2 than in group 1. In the non-structured part of the questionnaire people reported about the feelings they remembered when they witnessed the slaughter of domestic animals: fear, sadness, anger, hate, running away, crying, yelling, anxiety, confusion, nausea and diarrhoea. They reported about what consequences they felt it had for them today in the form of mental health disorders - aggression, depression, anxiety, alcoholism, feelings of guilt and fear because of their identification with the animals, nightmares and thoughts of suicide -and other influences on their lives: distrust of people, superficial interpersonal relationships, problems in handling knifes, estrangement from relatives, fear of authoritarian figures, hate towards the people that slaughtered the animals, veganism, feelings of being used and shame, that the world is not a just and fair place, the lack of love. There were some descriptions of cruelty towards animals that was performed by their close relatives - from kicking and beating dogs, drowning puppies, yelling at animals, cutting living fish and rabbits, shooting at "living targets", electroshock torture and visiting a slaughterhouse as part of getting a formal education. The slaughter of domestic animals is an act of destructive aggression. It is destructive in terms of personality development at a time when it is crucial for children to experience interpersonal relationships as safe, loving, empathetic and respectful. Small domestic animals that the child saw as companions and friends - rabbits, chickens, pets - being killed by the same people that should be providing a safe environment for the personal growth of their children blatantly disregards their children's psychological well-being. The consequences are devastating in the form of personality and mental health disorders. It is important that we target this issue and allow patients to mourn both the loss of their animals in the past and present and the loss of the illusion that they had caring parents in their childhood. When they are able to delimit their illusions, they are taking an important step forward in changing their rigid behaviour and emotional patterns that are a source of their psychological suffering. © 2018 Slovenian Umbrella Association for Psychotherapy. All Rights Reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Anxiety; Aggression; Mental disorders; Personality disorders; Social representations