Psychologist Anđela Novaković stated that Aco Martinović, who killed 12 people in Cetinje, including two children, was not a medical phenomenon as claimed by Prime Minister Milojko Spajić.
“We learned from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) that the perpetrator of this crime was not, for them, of security interest, and from the Prime Minister of the country that he was a ‘medical phenomenon’. It is important to explain that a person with a personality disorder is not a medical phenomenon, nor that I personality disorder, or any other mental disorder in itself means that such events must happen. as well as a criminal record of illegal possession of weapons (the court verdict was not final for two years), and a tendency to abuse alcohol, the risk for such an event is much greater,” she told the Beta agency.
At the press conference, Spajić said on several occasions that Matinović, who took his own life after a bloody feast, was a medical phenomenon.
Stating that we learned from the authorities that the perpetrator was previously punished for committing domestic violence, as well as that he was convicted for illegal possession of weapons, he said that this could imply several assumptions about the person who was punished for the same.
“At the level of assumption, this person can often have a pronounced sense of self-importance, grandiosity and desire for control. It also often happens that he has a lack of ability to appreciate feelings that are different from his own, and that he is prone to quick and poorly controlled emotional reactions, generally has weaker impulse control and low frustration tolerance,” she said.
She added that having a psychiatric diagnosis in itself is not the only risk factor.
“Research shows that about 20 percent of people who committed mass murders had a diagnosed mental disorder. On the other hand, according to the analysis of several studies, up to 80 percent of the perpetrators of mass murders had previous experience of violent crimes, with the emphasis that about 70 percent of mass murderers before that crime was punishable by domestic violence,” she said.
When asked what it means in a psychological sense that he killed relatives, friends and godfathers and especially minor children, she said that it can be understood in the context of the appearance of thought disorders, changes in affect and behavior, which completely changed his reality.
“The assumption is that at no moment did he have the subjective experience that anything he was doing was wrong, but rather, in his altered reality, he considered his actions correct and deserved,” she said.
As she added, it is important to note that such conditions require an urgent medical response, which was not provided in this case.
“It is also important to point out that these conditions can occur suddenly, as a result of internal or external trauma, and can additionally be caused by alcohol abuse,” she said.
Officials said that during the search of Martinović in November 2022, UP officers recognized antisocial behavior and handed over the man from Cetinje to the Ministry of Health, but that he was not hospitalized, but only prescribed therapy.
When asked how this is possible, Novaković says that during the first examination by a specialist psychiatrist, anamnestic data is taken from the patient, which includes personal data, medical history, previous history of psychiatric treatment of the patient and the patient’s family, current problems that caused the patient to call, and the like.
“During the first interview, the psychiatrist makes an assessment of the patient’s mental state, makes a diagnosis, and draws up a therapy plan. In this particular case, we have information that the perpetrator of the tragedy in Cetinje only contacted a psychiatrist once, accompanied by the police. We also have information that he then received therapy and that he was not referred for hospital treatment,” she said.
He explains that in the Law on the Protection and Exercise of the Rights of Mentally Ill Persons, Article 34 states, among other things, that the psychiatrist is obliged to immediately examine and start diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, in order to determine whether there are reasons for the forced detention and placement of that person in a psychiatric institution. institution. The law stipulates that a psychiatrist cannot detain a person in a psychiatric institution when he determines that there are no reasons for detaining him (he suspects that he may endanger his own life or health, or the life or health of others).
“Considering all of the above, the assumption is that the perpetrator of the tragedy, at the time of the psychiatric evaluation, did not show signs of psychosis, nor did the psychiatrist assess that he was dangerous for himself or the community at that moment. On the other hand, the psychiatrist gave the necessary therapy, and had to have a further treatment plan for this patient (possible referral to a psychological assessment, as well as a scheduled control), and could not take into account whether the patient would take the prescribed therapy regularly and correctly, nor whether in the final follow the treatment plan,” she said.
When asked if after the tragedy there was enough psychological help within the Health Center, she said that the Clinical Center of Montenegro, together with the Clinic for Psychiatry, provided support to the Cetinje Health Center with its team of experts, so that everyone who needs help and support got the same. They also provided examinations in their clinics, without an appointment.
“Experts dealing with mental health have recognized the urgency and seriousness of the situation in which our society finds itself, and will use all available resources to intervene primarily in the crisis, and then in the remediation of the consequences,” she said.
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Source: www.vijesti.me
