Psychological Phenomena (Halloween Edition)
Cue Bernard Herrmann’s “Psycho” theme…
Halloween often brings our collective curiosity about the mind to the surface — fear, fascination, and mystery all woven together. It is a time when popular culture brushes up against clinical reality: what we call “madness” on screen often mirrors real psychological experiences in more subtle, human ways. From psychopathy to psychosis, and from emotional lability to the history of lobotomy, our evolving understanding of the mind reveals how thin the line can be between terror, transformation, and healing.
Psychopathy and Psychosis
Psychopathy is best understood as a constellation of personality traits, often characterized by a lack of empathy, shallow affect, and, in some cases, criminal behavior. Malignant narcissism overlaps with these traits, amplifying destructive interpersonal patterns.
Psychosis, by contrast, involves a break from reality, often marked by delusions or hallucinations. While psychopathy is a matter of personality structure, psychosis is a matter of perceptual and cognitive disruption.
For example:
In psychosis, the line between inner experience and outer reality can blur. A person might lose touch with reality or feel that outside forces control their thoughts and emotions... This reflects a kind of fragmentation in how the self and others are experienced.
In psychopathy, relationships can become detached or transactional. Others may be viewed more as objects than as people with their own feelings and needs. This reflects an emotional disconnection that often stems from unmet needs for safety, empathy, or consistent care.
Both psychosis and psychopathy show, in different ways, how early relational wounds can echo through the architecture of the mind. Healing often begins with restoring connection — helping a person rebuild trust, coherence, and the ability to see both self and others as whole, honest, and worthy of care.’
The term "schizophrenia" is derived from the Greek roots "schizo," which means "split," and "phren," which means "mind." Despite common misconceptions, schizophrenia does not refer to "split personality." Schizophrenia describes a disconnection or fragmentation in a person's thoughts, feelings, and experiences of reality.
This fragmentation can make it challenging for individuals to manage their tasks effectively, distinguish what is real, regulate their emotions, and maintain consistent relationships or a stable sense of self.
In early development, the brain is often described as being more flexible — this is known as the Kennard Principle, which suggests it is easier to learn new things or recover from challenges when we are young. However, this principle does not hold across all areas of development. While children can learn language or skills quickly, emotional and relational experiences during early life can leave deep, lasting imprints. When those early relationships are inconsistent, neglectful, or traumatic, they can shape how a person later relates to themselves and to others — sometimes in profoundly painful ways.
Object relations theory helps explain this. It is the idea that our earliest relationships — with parents, caregivers, or other important figures — become internal “templates” for how we understand and interact with the world. These early emotional experiences form the building blocks of identity, empathy, and trust. When those templates are disrupted, different outcomes can emerge.
Lability
Emotional lability refers to sudden and rapid fluctuations in mood and affect. This condition can include involuntary episodes of laughing or crying, often associated with neurological disruptions. One example of this is pseudobulbar affect, which results from a disconnection between the frontal cortex and the cerebellum. Trauma can contribute to these disruptions, leaving individuals with emotional expressions that feel disconnected from their actual internal state (think Joaquin Phoenix's Joker)
In psychodynamic theory, isolation of affect is a defense mechanism — a way the mind protects itself from emotional pain by separating feelings from thoughts, memories, or experiences that would typically be emotionally charged.
In other words, a person may recall or describe a distressing event in great detail, but without showing or feeling the emotion that would typically accompany it. The thought is remembered, but the feeling is “walled off.”
For example, someone might talk about a traumatic loss or a frightening experience in a calm, detached way — not because they do not care, but because their psyche has learned to disconnect the emotion as a way to cope. This separation allows them to function and avoid being overwhelmed by painful affect.
From a psychodynamic perspective, isolation of affect frequently emerges as a protective mechanism in environments where the expression of emotions is perceived as unsafe, ineffective, or overwhelming. Although this defense can serve an adaptive role in the short term, it may ultimately hinder one’s ability to process emotions and establish meaningful connections with others. The person may feel “flat,” distant from their own feelings, or struggle to connect emotionally with others, even when intellectually aware of what they “should” feel.
In therapy, recognizing isolation of affect is an important step toward integrating emotion and cognition — helping the individual safely reconnect with the feelings that have been defended against. As emotional awareness increases, the person can experience a more profound sense of authenticity, vitality, and connection in relationships.
Unique Neurological and Developmental Presentations
Dark Triad is a well-known concept in personality psychology that refers to a cluster of three distinct but overlapping personality traits associated with manipulation, callousness, and self-interest.
Narcissism (Characterized by grandiosity, entitlement, and a need for admiration)
Narcissistic individuals often have an inflated sense of self-importance and seek validation from others.
Beneath the surface, some may experience deep insecurity and fragile self-esteem.
They might react defensively or even aggressively when their self-image is challenged.
Machiavellianism, named after Niccolò Machiavelli, refers to a personality trait characterized by strategic manipulation, deceit, and exploitation to achieve one’s goals.
Individuals who score high on the Machiavellianism scale are often calculating, pragmatic, and emotionally detached. They tend to view relationships primarily in terms of personal gain and are skilled at managing impressions and engaging in subtle manipulation.
Psychology and philosophy often overlap. Nietzsche’s use of aphorisms—powerful ideas condensed into single, impactful sentences—reflects the type of insight that therapy can sometimes offer. One important question to consider is whether our responses align with the significance of a given situation: Are our emotional or behavioral reactions proportional to the circumstances we face? Can we empathize with this way of thinking?
Psychopathy (Defined by impulsivity, callousness, and a lack of remorse or empathy)
Psychopathy is associated with shallow emotions, thrill-seeking behavior, and disregard for social norms.
While clinical psychopathy (as seen in forensic or antisocial personality disorder contexts) is severe, everyday or “subclinical” psychopathy can appear as cold-heartedness or moral disengagement in interpersonal settings. Savant syndrome is a rare condition that occurs in about 1 in 1,000 people. It can lead to exceptional abilities in areas such as art, music, or mathematics, even when individuals face broader cognitive challenges. Autism spectrum disorder highlights the variety of neurodevelopmental experiences—ranging from mild difficulties with flexibility and self-soothing to significant needs for routine and environmental stability.
Borderline Personality Organization
Borderline presentations exist at the intersection of neurotic and psychotic symptoms. On one hand, individuals may struggle with overwhelming anxiety, which reflects a neurotic aspect. On the other hand, they may occasionally experience disturbances in their perception of reality, indicating a psychotic dimension.
Hallucinations and Altered States
Sleep-related phenomena, such as hypnagogic hallucinations before falling asleep and hypnopompic hallucinations upon waking, remind us of the brain's shifting thresholds between consciousness and dreaming.
Other sensory anomalies, such as formication—the sensation of insects crawling on the skin, sometimes linked to stimulant use—further demonstrate how perception can become distorted. Sensory deprivation studies reinforce the profound dependence of the mind on environmental input for stability.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25811027/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9460009/
Sundowning
Phenomena such as sundowning—confusion or agitation that worsens in the late afternoon or evening, often observed in dementia—underscore how biological rhythms, cognition, and behavior are deeply intertwined.
The term "lunatic" derives from the Latin "lunaticus," meaning "moonstruck" or "of the moon." It first appeared in Middle English around the 13th century, having been derived from Old French ("lunatique") and Latin ("lunaticus"). In ancient and medieval times, it was commonly believed that the phases of the moon influenced human behavior, particularly affecting mental and emotional stability.
In ancient medicine — particularly under Hippocratic and Galenic traditions — mental disturbances were sometimes attributed to the moon’s gravitational and luminous effects on the brain, body fluids, or “humors.”
Because the moon controls the tides, people assumed it could also “pull” on the human mind, causing periodic madness, seizures, or hysteria.
Today, “lunatic” is considered archaic and stigmatizing, used only historically or metaphorically. The shift away from it reflects the broader evolution from supernatural or moral interpretations of mental illness toward scientific, biopsychosocial, and compassionate understandings.
The Mirror of Madness: How Our Understanding of the Mind Has Evolved
Throughout history, humans have sought to understand and alleviate mental and emotional suffering. Long before the fields of psychology and neuroscience emerged, early cultures explained distress through spiritual and physical means. For example, practices such as trepanation—drilling holes in the skull to "release evil spirits"—and the 20th-century lobotomy were once viewed as breakthroughs; however, they eventually became recognized as tragic misunderstandings of the brain’s complexity. These early interventions, although misguided, reflected a persistent desire to heal and a growing recognition of the deep connection between the mind and brain.
In medicine, a pathognomonic sign is a clear marker that definitively indicates a disease, such as a brain lesion confirming a tumor. Physical illnesses can often be measured and diagnosed through objective evidence. However, psychology presents a far more complex picture. Human emotions, behaviors, and personalities are shaped not only by biological factors but also by relationships, environment, and personal meaning. Unlike a tumor that can be easily identified on a scan, psychological suffering often lacks a single, clear cause.
For instance, sadness can stem from various sources, such as depression, grief, or stress, while feelings of detachment may arise from trauma, avoidance, or individual temperament. Understanding the mind, therefore, necessitates both scientific rigor and empathetic interpretation—a willingness to explore the interplay between biology, emotion, and experience.
Our evolving journey highlights a timeless truth: healing the mind requires both science and soul.
In the flicker between fear and fascination, we are reminded that what we call ‘madness’ has always been a mirror — reflecting not only the mind’s fragility, but but the unsettling allure of power, manipulation, and moral detachment that may* lurk within us all
Happy Halloween x
