The mind and examination of Andrei Chikatilo
In order to begin to understand Andrei Chikatilo one must first understand his reasoning and his
history. In looking through the childhood years of Chikatilo we can find that he did not have an easy life. Chikatilo was continually traumatized but his mother and the aftermath of World War II, which negatively affected him in later years.
When we look back at his early years we look for any specific events that include actions that might have influenced or promoted the later actions. For example, when Chikatilo was five and his mother told him that his older brother was eaten by the neighbors, this can be linked to his tendencies of cutting off pieces and biting or chewing on his victims. We could say that that the story of cannibalism that Chikatilo’s mother told to him as a boy instilled curiosity and conjecture in him that eventually was shown in his murders.
One of the other major associations that Chikatilo might have made as a boy is his connection between sexual pleasure/arousal and physical violence or overpowering someone. This association would have most likely been made during his first sexual experience. When Chikatilo was just a teen he wrestled and overpowered a younger girl and through her struggling he was aroused and caused to ejaculate. Forever after this experience he will associate violence or the overpowering of a person with the feeling of sexual pleasure. This association can explain a majority of his motive behind his murders. The explanation being that, the feeling of the victims struggling and suffering caused Chikatilo to ejaculate and sometimes achieve an orgasm, making him feel pleasure and causing him the lust for more victims and more pleasurable experiences.
In Chikatilo’s trial he claims many reasons as to why he did such a thing, some being a result of his disheveled relationships and deprived childhood. Other acclaimed reasons are related to his physical issue of erectile dysfunction and the sexual achievements that the violent murder and torture bring him. While these explanations can all be explained, to an extent, the question of his sanity will forever remain a mystery. During his trail there where time where it seemed as though he could qualify as mentally insane. When he took off his pants or started yelling randomly. This was enough for some to believe that he was not sound in the mind along with other behaviors of his.
Some of his studied behavior has some psychologist believing that Chikatilo was Borderline. The most prominent signs that Chikatilo might have been border line are all explained in his actions throughout his life. Unstable relationships in one of the indicators of some that is Borderline, and starting with Chikatilo’s relationship with his mom there is apparent tension resulting from a brutal childhood of beatings. Although Chikatilo was married his relationship with his wife was not ideal, because Chikatilo could not achieve an erection the sex life between the two was virtually nonexistent. Although this did not cause them to breakup, it did put
a strain on the intimacy of their relationship and make it unstable.
The next sign that suggest that Chikatilo may be Borderline were his erratic emotions. His unpredictable emotions are thought to have originated from his unstable home environment as a child. Specifically, because of the absence of his father and the traumatic beatings from his mother which from and unstable emotional state resulting in erratic emotions and behaviors.
The final indication that Chikatilo could be suffering from Borderline is that he exhibits unpredictable aggressive and sexual behavior. Of the explanations of the sings this one is easily seen in his action of his choice of victims. The pattern in the choice of
his victims is that there is no pattern. His victims range in age from 7 to early 40s, and his victim gender include both male and female. This makes his methods impulsive and unpredictable and a likely candidate for Borderline mental illness.
history. In looking through the childhood years of Chikatilo we can find that he did not have an easy life. Chikatilo was continually traumatized but his mother and the aftermath of World War II, which negatively affected him in later years.
When we look back at his early years we look for any specific events that include actions that might have influenced or promoted the later actions. For example, when Chikatilo was five and his mother told him that his older brother was eaten by the neighbors, this can be linked to his tendencies of cutting off pieces and biting or chewing on his victims. We could say that that the story of cannibalism that Chikatilo’s mother told to him as a boy instilled curiosity and conjecture in him that eventually was shown in his murders.
One of the other major associations that Chikatilo might have made as a boy is his connection between sexual pleasure/arousal and physical violence or overpowering someone. This association would have most likely been made during his first sexual experience. When Chikatilo was just a teen he wrestled and overpowered a younger girl and through her struggling he was aroused and caused to ejaculate. Forever after this experience he will associate violence or the overpowering of a person with the feeling of sexual pleasure. This association can explain a majority of his motive behind his murders. The explanation being that, the feeling of the victims struggling and suffering caused Chikatilo to ejaculate and sometimes achieve an orgasm, making him feel pleasure and causing him the lust for more victims and more pleasurable experiences.
In Chikatilo’s trial he claims many reasons as to why he did such a thing, some being a result of his disheveled relationships and deprived childhood. Other acclaimed reasons are related to his physical issue of erectile dysfunction and the sexual achievements that the violent murder and torture bring him. While these explanations can all be explained, to an extent, the question of his sanity will forever remain a mystery. During his trail there where time where it seemed as though he could qualify as mentally insane. When he took off his pants or started yelling randomly. This was enough for some to believe that he was not sound in the mind along with other behaviors of his.
Some of his studied behavior has some psychologist believing that Chikatilo was Borderline. The most prominent signs that Chikatilo might have been border line are all explained in his actions throughout his life. Unstable relationships in one of the indicators of some that is Borderline, and starting with Chikatilo’s relationship with his mom there is apparent tension resulting from a brutal childhood of beatings. Although Chikatilo was married his relationship with his wife was not ideal, because Chikatilo could not achieve an erection the sex life between the two was virtually nonexistent. Although this did not cause them to breakup, it did put
a strain on the intimacy of their relationship and make it unstable.
The next sign that suggest that Chikatilo may be Borderline were his erratic emotions. His unpredictable emotions are thought to have originated from his unstable home environment as a child. Specifically, because of the absence of his father and the traumatic beatings from his mother which from and unstable emotional state resulting in erratic emotions and behaviors.
The final indication that Chikatilo could be suffering from Borderline is that he exhibits unpredictable aggressive and sexual behavior. Of the explanations of the sings this one is easily seen in his action of his choice of victims. The pattern in the choice of
his victims is that there is no pattern. His victims range in age from 7 to early 40s, and his victim gender include both male and female. This makes his methods impulsive and unpredictable and a likely candidate for Borderline mental illness.
