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Mon 25 Oct, 2004 01:53 pm
EDIT (Moderator): Moved to Medical News and Health from Science & Mathematics
I have noticed that people with mental disorders or poor mental health are almost always fascianted by fire. This can also be observed in literature and film, and just seems a common place association. I was wondering if anyone knew of any research that looks into this, or has read anything about it.
Well, it's not actually a commonplace association. What you refer to is a rather specific mental ailment called 'pyromania', which is simply defined as an irresistable urge to start fires. The actual illness can have many catalysts, but it's certainly not common among the mentally ill in general. This reminds me of all the Law and Order episodes I have seen that involve homicidal schizophrenics. The truth about schizophrenics is that only a very small percentage of them have murderous delusions. However, if you believe what you see on television, you would think that most of them are potential murderers. This just isn't the case.
Along with cruelty to animals and bed wetting, fascination with fire and setting fires are signs of mental distress in children.
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