Donald Gaskins Personality Disorder

An example of a child who was abused then later in life transformed into a serial killer would be Donald Gaskins. Gaskins was abused by his step-father. This abuse was primarily physical abuse. This abuse followed him to school each day where he was bullied by his class mates. They primarily physically and emotionally abused him. This went on for years. The Federal Bureau of Investigation stated “neglect and abuse in childhood have been shown to contribute to an increased risk of future violence” (Morton). Just as the Federal Bureau of Investigation predicted Gaskins had enough. Gaskins and his friends went out and gang raped his friend’s sister. From there Gaskins became a rapist and began raping young girls and boys to find a way to cope

from all the pain he had experienced as a child. After that point Gaskins found killing as an excellent way to cope. Gaskins killed several times. When he was finally caught, he was convicted of fifteen counts of murder. Gaskins was sentenced to the death penalty. To Gaskins all the awful crimes he had committed was worth it. Instead of seeing a therapist for the mental scars, Gaskins decided to handle them himself which is when he killed at least fifteen people.
After experiencing a dramatic death or abuse, a chemical imbalance in the brain occurs which leads personality disorders to form.

A well-known personality disorder is psychopathy. Psychopathy’s shortened term “psycho” is often used as a slang term to mean crazy. Psychopathy is a real issue caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. Psychopathic people have traits “common to some serial murderers, including sensation seeking, a lack of remorse or guilt, impulsivity, the need for control, and predatory behavior. These traits and behaviors are consistent with the psychopathic personality disorder” (Morton). Psychopathic tendencies are most common among killers. Although, “serial killers suffer from a variety of personality disorders, including psychopathy, anti-social personality, and others” (Morton). With psychopathy in a serial killer they feel they have a valid and justifiable reason for killing three or more people. With psychopathic killers feel their motives make their killing okay. Serial killers have “many other motivations for serial murders including anger, thrill, financial gain, and attention seeking” (Morton). A common motive for serial killers is revenge. They feel that someone did them wrong, much like a person who was abused as a child. They feel they have a valid excuse for murdering the person that abused them or substitutes if they find that object of their rage unreachable. Another common motive is simply anger. With anger it is more often than not that they do not have a target. They are just angry and are willing to kill anybody to cope with it. Antisocial personality disorder is often in people who show “a lack of remorse and/or guilt, shallow affect, a lack of empathy, and failure to accept responsibility” (Morton). Antisocial personality disorder is similar to psychopathic personality disorder yet, it remains different. The Behavior Analysis Unit at the Federal Bureau of Investigation stated, “Psychopathy is a personality disorder

manifested in people who use a mixture of charm, manipulation, intimidation, and occasionally violence to control others, in order to satisfy their own selfish needs.” (Morton). The Behavioral Analysis Unit then stated, “anti-social behaviors include poor behavioral controls, early childhood behavior problems, juvenile delinquency, revocation of conditional release, and criminal versatility” (Morton). The Federal Bureau of Investigation have used the difference between the two personality disorders to categorize and catch some of the most famous killers that there are.
Serial killers often have personality disorders because they are incapable of coping from their harsh past. Killers find murder is the best way to cope, as well as release the hatred they feel inside. What majority of the population does not realize is, “psychopathy is 60 percent heritable” (“Serial Killers”). Much like psychopathy, there is another disease called antisocial disorder. Both disorders allow for that person to fit in. Most times they are often sociable. People with antisocial disorder lack the feeling of remorse or guilt. To them nothing is wrong and they are incapable of feeling sorry for any action they have done.
People with antisocial disorder are often breaking the law. They may start with traffic violations. Things such as constant speeding or running red lights would be committed by people who have antisocial personality disorder. Then they shift to petty crimes. Examples of this may include theft or assault. Then they may switch to substance abuse. Drugs like cocaine and meth are the biggest. Substance abuse can lead to a chemical change in the brain, thus harming that person more and worsening their disorder. It has been found that “Substance abuse can and does lead to increased aggression and violence.” (Morton). Then they hit the mother of all crimes, murder. Similar to a powerfully addictive drug, murder becomes an addiction for serial killers. Aileen Wuoros fell victim to this addiction similar to so many other serial killers. Just like her father she was a sociopath. Her father “was a sociopathic child murderer who was murdered himself” ("Serial Killers"). Although she “worked as a prostitute” (“Serial Killers”), Wuoros claimed “the murder of all the men had been in self-defense” (“Serial Killers”). Wuoros met criteria for antisocial personality disorder and borderline personality disorder. It was said she loved to kill because to her each kill was sexually gratifying. Wuoros like many others cannot control this addiction.
Killers everywhere have a rhyme and reason as to why they kill. According to agents at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, common “motivations for serial murders including anger, thrill, financial gain, and attention seeking” (Morton). Therefore, there are multiple motives and each one is willing to tell investigators a little more about the killer at large. The anger suggests a traumatic event occurred leaving them scarred and wanting payback for all the pain that event caused them. Thrill suggests that the killer has a personality disorder that allows them to enjoy such horrific acts. Financial gain suggests that the killer cannot maintain a job because of a personality disorder. Finally attention seeking suggest that the unknown subject was abused as a child and has been ignored their whole life; causing them to seek fame and are thus willing to do anything to achieve it. Behavioral Analysis Units in the Federal Bureau of Investigation have found that serial killers are formed through the “product of their heredity, their upbringing, and the choices they make throughout development” (Morton). The behavioral analysis unit found that serial killers are often created from people who are a “failure to develop adequate coping mechanisms results in violent behavior” (Morton). This failure to develop a coping mechanism is primarily seen in Donald Gaskins. He was abused not only by his father, but also by his fellow peers and classmates.
After it is all said and done, people everywhere have the potential of becoming a serial killer. After a traumatic experience, a chemical imbalance in the brain occurs; when left untreated, this can lead to the creation of a serial killer. A traumatic experience may include a sudden death. Sudden deaths may include murder, an accident, or a natural disaster. Another traumatic experience is abuse at a young age. All abuse is painful and leaves physical and emotional scars all the same. After traumatic experiences a person may have trouble coping. Those that have trouble coping, often times suffer from a personality disorder. Personality disorders include antisocial personality disorder and psychopathic tendencies. Overall those people that have trouble coping look for a way unique to deal with their emotions. Some find a sport, art, or even television as a way to cope. Although it is rare, serial killing is still a way of coping from a traumatic event. To serial killers the heinous acts they commit are like a drug. The majority of the time nothing can stop them from that craving. Serial killers also may be formed from the three common ways of creating a serial killer. The three ways are witnessing a murder, being abused, and having a personality disorder. All three are not needed, yet together they will make a force to be reckoned with. A very wise person once said, “We all cling to the past, and because we cling to the past, we become unavailable to the present.” ("Wisdom Quotes about Difficulties, Problems & Obstacles")