forum Mentally Unstable Character
Started by @ItsaMeUrMom
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@ItsaMeUrMom

So i want to write a story about a kidnapping/murder but i don't know how to write a psychotic character. I have written a story before about a murder, but it was really bad. Any advice helps!

@mckapo

Read thrillers and mysteries and crime novels.
There was one book I read, I Hunt Killers, is about the son of a serial killer and he had to help his dad do a lot of messed up shit, and he is also kind of mentally unstable. Good book.

@ItsaMeUrMom

Read thrillers and mysteries and crime novels.
There was one book I read, I Hunt Killers, is about the son of a serial killer and he had to help his dad do a lot of messed up shit, and he is also kind of mentally unstable. Good book.

Thank you! That sounds like a good book

@Clinquant

Do you know pinterest? There are some good advice sheets about creating different characters, it helped me a lot. Just search for some writing boards

@ItsaMeUrMom

Do you know pinterest? There are some good advice sheets about creating different characters, it helped me a lot. Just search for some writing boards

Yes! it didn't even cross my mind becomes most of my pinterest feed is just bad memes XD

Liv WIlosn

I believe that doing your own research is the best thing to do. Psychotic characters in my opinion are very difficult to write. You might also be confused with what a psychopath actually is. It's very common for people to mix up psychopaths, and sociopaths, so do lots and lots of research on the matter. But ye, writing characters with mental illness is difficult.

@CrystalDior

I personally like reading/watching stuff about criminals so I would recommend that. If you have a certain mental illness you want to portray research criminals who had it and see how they behaved. I you just want them to fall under the broad term of psychopathy it would be better to research that condition specifically because so few people are psychopaths.

Blue Duck

Most of the time, If you want to write a mentally unstable person, it's important that you make sure you aren't drawing from fiction, so try to go for scientific research about what mental illnesses they have. Also, make sure that when you are writing the character, that you absolutely don't romanticize the illness

@ItsaMeUrMom

Most of the time, If you want to write a mentally unstable person, it's important that you make sure you aren't drawing from fiction, so try to go for scientific research about what mental illnesses they have. Also, make sure that when you are writing the character, that you absolutely don't romanticize the illness

That makes sense. I think some research on specific mental illnesses will help. Thank you!

@ItsaMeUrMom

I personally like reading/watching stuff about criminals so I would recommend that. If you have a certain mental illness you want to portray research criminals who had it and see how they behaved. I you just want them to fall under the broad term of psychopathy it would be better to research that condition specifically because so few people are psychopaths.

Yea. Figuring out what specific condition will probably help a lot. Thanks for the advice!

@ItsaMeUrMom

I believe that doing your own research is the best thing to do. Psychotic characters in my opinion are very difficult to write. You might also be confused with what a psychopath actually is. It's very common for people to mix up psychopaths, and sociopaths, so do lots and lots of research on the matter. But ye, writing characters with mental illness is difficult.

I think it will be a challenge but it will be fun. And I do see/hear lots of people confuse different typed of insane characters so research will definitely help me. Thank you!

@Desvelarse pets

Something I recommend to do is watch different NCIS shows or documentaries on killers. Or, there are plenty of psychology things that get into the mindset of a killer (criminal profiling and FBI profiling information helps out). You could also throw in a few mental illnesses to make them more unstable, and a plus would be if they have the mental illnesses because of an event in a younger year of their life (that’s something I did to create a well rounded, serial killer character).

@ItsaMeUrMom

Something I recommend to do is watch different NCIS shows or documentaries on killers. Or, there are plenty of psychology things that get into the mindset of a killer (criminal profiling and FBI profiling information helps out). You could also throw in a few mental illnesses to make them more unstable, and a plus would be if they have the mental illnesses because of an event in a younger year of their life (that’s something I did to create a well rounded, serial killer character).

These all sound like great pieces of advice I will definitely utilize!! Thank you!

@Mercury Beta Tester

I wouldn't rely on crime shows like NCIS. They're very inaccurate with regards to crime, not just portrayal of killers. A lot of forensic crimes are often unsolved for weeks-months or even never (not a few days…), involve lots of boring paperwork, and forensics is nowhere near as reliable as it's portrayed anyway (E.g. It takes days to get DNA results rather than a few hours as dramatised).

Mental disorders can and are often co morbid (Happening at the same time) and happen due to childhood trauma, but that doesn't necessarily mean someone's going to have ASPD, NPD, OCD, Depression, and Schizoid personality disorder all at once (I have seen people do this, so be careful).
And having these disorders does not automatically mean that someone will become a criminal or serial killer. Beware of the kinds of media you choose to use as your sources for mental disorders, as it's often fictional and/or sensationalised. I would advise against making your murderer mentally ill purely for the sake of it/to drum up the whole 'killer' image.

@ItsaMeUrMom

I wouldn't rely on crime shows like NCIS. They're very inaccurate with regards to crime, not just portrayal of killers. A lot of forensic crimes are often unsolved for weeks-months or even never (not a few days…), involve lots of boring paperwork, and forensics is nowhere near as reliable as it's portrayed anyway (E.g. It takes days to get DNA results rather than a few hours as dramatised).

Mental disorders can and are often co morbid (Happening at the same time) and happen due to childhood trauma, but that doesn't necessarily mean someone's going to have ASPD, NPD, OCD, Depression, and Schizoid personality disorder all at once (I have seen people do this, so be careful).
And having these disorders does not automatically mean that someone will become a criminal or serial killer. Beware of the kinds of media you choose to use as your sources for mental disorders, as it's often fictional and/or sensationalised. I would advise against making your murderer mentally ill purely for the sake of it/to drum up the whole 'killer' image.

That makes sense. I am thinking about almost having the character driven to insanity instead of just being insane… I'm just not entirely sure yet. Thank you for the advice!!!