Mental Disorder Leading to Violent Behavior with Spouse

How to deal with domestic violence? This may be a problem that many newly married
women (sometimes even men) may have to address. It may be a shocking experience
for many which they may choose to hide. May be they are in a state of denial, and
therefore dismiss it as an isolated event. Their love for the new partner and their
obsessive optimism may prevent them from taking any serious action to stop this
dangerous behavior.
Which mental health conditions lead to violent behavior in your partner?
Sometimes, mental health symptoms in and of themselves can spur a person to
aggression or violence. These include when the person suffers from:
Persecutory delusions and “command hallucinations.” For people with psychotic

disorders such as schizophrenia, studies show that some of the conditions’ positive
symptoms can provoke violence. These include persecutory delusions, such as when a
patient thinks people are putting implants in their head or are targeting them with
harmful laser beams, particularly when they are also feeling angry or irritable. Another
such symptom is “command hallucinations”—when a patient reports hearing voices that
order them to hurt someone. In some cases, severe paranoid symptoms appear only
when the person is under the influence of alcohol.
Grandiosity, grandiose delusions, and mania. Grandiosity, a hallmark of the manic
and hypomanic phases of bipolar disorder, can likewise play a role in violence and
aggression. People can be overtaken by an exaggerated sense of their own power,
which can stunt their ability to empathize with others and foster a sense of entitlement,
including the right to take advantage of or exploit others, Brown explains.
Similarly, the high energy that often accompanies mania can lead to violence or
aggression on its own terms. A study by Jillian K. Peterson, PhD found that of 429
crimes committed by 143 offenders with mental illness, 3% related directly to
depression, 4% to psychosis, and 10% to bipolar disorder, including impulsivity ( Law
and Human Behavior , Vol. 38, No. 5, 2014).
Antisocial personality traits. Violence among people with serious mental illness often
goes hand in hand with a youthful history of conduct disorder and a present diagnosis of
antisocial personality disorder, characterized by disregard for others, deceitfulness, and
manipulation of others for personal gain, research also shows. While these disorders
are considered in the realm of personality disorders, it is likely that many more people
would be placed in a category of people with mental illness and at high risk for violence
if these disorders were included, Brown says.

There are many other mental health conditions that may lead to violent behavior. Only a
trained professional psychologist / psychiatrist can reach an accurate diagnosis of the
problem and suggest treatment options. We cannot solve a problem without
understanding it properly. Therefore do not rely on temporary solutions or
compromises. These measures are not going to result in a lasting solution.
Structured professional judgment allows professionals to use clinical judgment to decide
how serious a person’s risk is. It also provides room to consider dynamic factors that
may lead to violence, such as being laid off from work or experiencing provocation from
one’s partner.
There are many environmental, situational, and contextual roots of violent or aggressive
behavior in people with mental illness. These too have to be taken into account in
treating such conditions. Community service agencies need to organize awareness
camps with mental health counselors designed to help people with better awareness
about mental health and violent behavior, so that preventive and remedial steps can be
taken by the victims before it is too late.
Further reading
Special issue: Violence and mental illness
Swanson, J. W. (ed.), Harvard Review of Psychiatry , 2021

(This article is based on research article by Tori DeAngelis (American Psychological
Association, Monitor on Psychology, April - May 2021)
www.psychologist.ae  
Dr George Kaliaden July 23, 2025