Is Our Fascination with Serial Killers Really Healthy?

Welcome back, my dearest friends who may (or may not) be struggling with mental imbalance.

Last week was a happy and positive post. This week – um – not so much.

Ted Bundy.

John Wayne Gacy.

Dennis Rader aka The BTK Strangler.

Jeffrey Dahmer.

First of all, I hope my opening montage of some of the world’s most famous and heinous serial killers wasn’t too triggering. And yes, this is what this post is about, our collective fascination with such monsters.

I decided to write this post following the popularity of the Netflix docudrama, entitled Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, with Evan Peters brilliantly cast in the title role. So, it goes without saying that lots of people, and I do mean LOTS, have been watching this Netflix documentary of sorts depicting the life of Jeffrey Dahmer, the convicted serial killer who murdered and dismembered 17 young men, and yes, even cannibalized some of them. His reign of terror lasted from 1978 to 1991, with an approximate 10-year break between 1978 and 1987.

Down the Rabbit Hole of the Macabre

But my fascination started before all the Dahmer stuff. It started with the typical Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, Halloween, and of course Friday the 13th both the movie AND the series all as a teen and young adult.

Years later, it was all about American Horror Story on FX. Then watching a LOT of horror movies on Netflix and Hulu. Halloween comes and I will go down that scary movie rabbit hole once again.

Then that transferred over to true horror stories on YouTube, which led me to Mr. Nightmare and then Mr. Ballen and other true scary/haunted podcast stories on YouTube. I even set my TV timer and fall asleep to them. Yes. I know. I’m weird.

And now it’s the true crime stories on YouTube. I am absolutely hooked! And I don’t really know why. But now I’m stuck.

And now all of this has landed me in the land of the serial killers. WTF??? And I have now landed in Dahmer’s backyard, so to speak. (And no pun intended).

That Damn Dahmer

I ended up binging it in three days I was that hooked on the Netflix docudrama. I even skipped over Strangers Things season 4 (I am soooo behind) and Cobra Kai season 5 and Handmaid’s Tale season 5 to jump on the Dahmer bandwagon, so to speak.

And yes, I do remember the case back in the day. I was a young gay then, and the crimes Dahmer committed were beyond heinous, horrific and disgusting. Cannibalism??? You only hear about that kind of stuff in books and or movies. NEVER in real life, but here we are.

Now, my focus isn’t on Dahmer, per se. And I am not going to rehash what he did, the victims, etc. You can do your own research on that if you don’t already know the story. BUT I want to discuss our fascination with serial killers and even true crime stories.

But is all of this really good for me? For us? And most importantly why are we attracted to such horrid people and events?

Why on Earth do we Watch this Madness?

Curiosity. I think at the root of all of this is curiosity. And what I call the “train-wreck syndrome.” We can’t help but watch. We know it’s horrible. We know it’s bad. And we may even see something we don’t wish to see, but we do it anyway. Just like when passing an automobile accident on the highway, and we rubber neck to see what happened and who got it as we pass by, while at the same time thanking our lucky stars it isn’t us.

We want to know what makes these sick individuals tick, at least I do. I absolutely abhor what they do, but I am interested from a mental health standpoint what made them do the things they did.

How are they going to kill? What is their method? Will it be gruesome? And will I be able to stomach it? And so on and so forth.

I like what criminologist Dr. Scott Bonn says: “The appeal of consuming true crime media is simple: Serial killers excite and enthrall people, much like traffic accidents, train wrecks, or natural disasters. People don’t want to look, but they can’t look away.”

Dr. Bonn and I are in agreement, like I said above, it’s like a train wreck. We can’t help but look, though we probably shouldn’t. I guess in a lot of ways it is when we see a naked body. As Blanche from Golden Girls said once “Dare I peek?”

Can we learn anything from watching??

We get to experience serial killers in a safe environment, i.e. the comfort of our own homes, watching documentaries or movies or interviews about them without actually experiencing them up close and personal, if you catch my drift.

And it also teaches us how to avoid situations like this, to look for any warning signs of these horrible creatures, heaven forbid we come across one.

Perhaps we learn to be super vigilant and aware of what goes on around us. We learn to look for patterns of strange behaviour in someone. After all if someone is acting rather odd, that could be a potential red flag.

And again, what makes serial killers tick? And maybe in studying and learning about them, prevent this sort of thing from happening to others.

In watching the Netflix Dahmer, there were so many clues that everyone missed, especially police. If we are going with the story presented to us on Netflix, the father especially had an opportunity to find out what was going on with his son. But when Jeffrey seemed ready to admit something was wrong with him, Lionel (the father) abruptly changes the subject when it gets a bit too uncomfortable for him. His suggestion in one scene? Go to college! Jeez!

But do these kinds of documentaries, movies can they/do they affect us mentally? Let’s see.

The Possible Effects of Watching Such Creatures of Crime

Some psychologists point out that perhaps staying focused on this type of media or genre, though they can keep us vigilant and watchful of what goes on around us, they can make us too aware and even instill fear within us. It could make us afraid to be social or afraid to even leave our house. Or even paranoid. I don’t know if I agree with that or not. I mean, I am certainly hooked on them, and I don’t feel that it has increased my fear or distrust of the world. And I don’t even have nightmares about the stuff I watch, but then again everyone is different.

There is even the suggestion that watching shows such as the ever-popular crime procedural drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Organized Crime (with stud daddy Christopher Meloni!!! WOOF!!!) could have a negative effect on you. Now, SVU is my absolute favorite show, and I have been watching now since nearly the beginning when it started wayyy back in 1999. And I have NEVER been triggered or had a problem watching.

Some doctors and psychologists go on to say that watching this type of genre constantly can make you become very suspicious and afraid to even be at home. You become extra wary of people around you, thinking maybe THEY are a serial killer or rapist or murderer. All of this, of course, points to paranoia. But what is our other favorite mental disorder? Anxiety!

I do agree that if you are one of these people who are feeling anxious all the time, having feelings of a rapid heartbeat or having difficulty breathing because your mind is hyperfocused on these types of things, then perhaps it is time to seek help. Nothing and I do mean, NOTHING is worth your mental health. If you can handle it, then you can handle it, and I wouldn’t say you have anything to worry about. But if you feel that behind every corner is a serial murderer or something bad is going to happen or normal everyday people you encounter are the boogeyman, then help is what you may need.

You can always speak with a professional, and online therapy may be the way to go. You can do this in the comfort of your own home without having to get in traffic to drive to an office. Check it out by clicking on the link below:

Though it doesn’t affect me in such a way that I feel like I am paranoid, I even take breaks. I watch something else. A comedy or my soap operas or an old movie. Our minds are a very strange thing. Things can just get stuck there, and we can imagine all kinds of terrible scenarios. But it is manageable, believe me.

That is it for today. Again, I hope this didn’t trigger any of you. I know the above images can be disturbing to some. It even shocks the hell out of me to see them.

But do please come back next week as we delve into family secrets and how they can keep us mentally unwell. Until the next time, please be safe and, as always, mentally well.

P.S. Let’s end on a happy note. Here is a group picture of cute dogs. 😀❤️❤️❤️

DEREK’S DISCLAIMER:  I am not a medical professional, neither am I giving any medical or legal advice. If you are seeking help from a doctor or an attorney, please consult said professionals.  These are my personal thoughts and feelings on the subjects discussed, and my blog is my own personal experiences and journey with mental imbalance.  Thanking you in advance!

I do not own the copyright to any songs or videos listed here. 

AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER:  There are products on this page.  By clicking on the links, you will be redirected to that page at no cost to you.  However, I will receive compensation if you purchase something (which I hope you do 😊).

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