Gemütlose

psychopathy Psychopathy, sometimes considered synonymous with sociopathy, is characterized by persistent Anti-social behaviour, antisocial behavior, impaired empathy and remorse, and Boldness, bold, Disinhibition, disinhibited, and Egotism, egotistical B ...

was one of the initial seven forms of psychopathy identified by

Emil Kraepelin Emil Wilhelm Georg Magnus Kraepelin (; ; 15 February 1856 – 7 October 1926) was a German psychiatrist. H. J. Eysenck's ''Encyclopedia of Psychology'' identifies him as the founder of modern scientific psychiatry, psychopharmacology and psychi ...

and later

psychiatrists A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry, the branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, study, and treatment of mental disorders. Psychiatrists are physicians and evaluate patients to determine whether their sy ...

. It was of particular interest to

forensic psychiatrist Forensic psychiatry is a subspeciality of psychiatry and is related to criminology. It encompasses the interface between law and psychiatry. According to the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, it is defined as "a subspecialty of psychiatr ...

s and

criminologist Criminology (from Latin , "accusation", and Ancient Greek , ''-logia'', from λόγος ''logos'' meaning: "word, reason") is the study of crime and deviant behaviour. Criminology is an interdisciplinary field in both the behavioural and so ...

s as it and

Haltlose personality disorder Haltlose personality disorder was a type of personality disorder diagnosis largely used in German-, Russian- and French-speaking countries. The German word ''haltlose'' refers to being "unstable" (literally: "without footing"), and in English- ...

were considered the only two psychopathies that "had high levels of criminal behavior" without external influence, and thus made up the minority of psychopaths who are "virtually doomed to commit crimes" by virtue only of their own constitution. Wetzell, Richard F. "Inventing the Criminal: A History of German Criminology", page 151-152, 276 They were described by

Kurt Schneider Kurt Schneider (7 January 1887 – 27 October 1967) was a German psychiatrist known largely for his writing on the diagnosis and understanding of schizophrenia, as well as personality disorders then known as psychopathic personalities. Bi ...

as essentially lacking honor, pity, shame, remorse or conscience.Schneider, Kurt. "klinischen Psychopathologie", 1967 It is not a term in regular use today, but was used to describe what is today known as

Anti-Social Personality Disorder Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD or infrequently APD) is a personality disorder characterized by a long-term pattern of disregard of, or violation of, the rights of others as well as a difficulty sustaining long-term relationships. Lack ...

.Pruter, Christian, "Dissoziale Persönlichkeitsstörung – mad or bad?", "''So beschreibt Weitbrecht in seinem Lehrbuch der Psychiatrie im Jahre 1973 die damals dominierende Haltung unter den deutschen Psychiatern im Hinblick auf die Fragestellung, ob es sich bei der – damals noch gemütlose Psychopathie genannten – dissozialen Persönlichkeitsstörung um eine psychiatrische Erkrankung oder um eine abnorme Variation der gesunden Spielbreite der Persönlichkeiten handelt.''"

Characteristics

Homburger opined that there was no means of rehabilitating youth, as they were disrespectful and devoid of any moral sense - taking pleasure in images of vengeance and screaming madly.Homburger, August. "Vorlesungen über Psychopathologie des Kindesalters". Berlin 1926. Pgs 324-332 Dr. E.H. Hughes noted that two thirds of

Huntington's disease Huntington's disease (HD), also known as Huntington's chorea, is a neurodegenerative disease that is mostly inherited. The earliest symptoms are often subtle problems with mood or mental abilities. A general lack of coordination and an unst ...

patients had previously been diagnosed as Haltlose or Gemutlose psychopaths.Luxenburger, Dr. Hans. "Die Schizophrenie und ihr Erbkreis", pp 791, 1051, 1092, 1113, 1121, 1143, 1257 of the "Handbuch der Erbbiologie des Menschen", 1939

Masturbation Masturbation is the sexual stimulation of one's own genitals for sexual arousal or other sexual pleasure, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation may involve hands, fingers, everyday objects, sex toys such as vibrators, or combinatio ...

is more prevalent in Haltlose and Gemutlose psychopaths than in other disorders.Paul Schröder and Hans Heinze: "Kindliche Charaktere und ihre Abartigkeiten", (1931) Pp 39+79+196 In adolescence they struggle with an overactive

sex drive Libido (; colloquial: sex drive) is a person's overall sexual drive or desire for sexual activity. Libido is influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors. Biologically, the sex hormones and associated neurotransmitters that act upo ...

Notable cases

Wolfgang Scheler, the son of philosopher

Max Scheler Max Ferdinand Scheler (; 22 August 1874 – 19 May 1928) was a German philosopher known for his work in phenomenology, ethics, and philosophical anthropology. Considered in his lifetime one of the most prominent German philosophers,Davis, Zachar ...

, was sent to Schneider at his father's request in 1923 and diagnosed as both a Haltlose and Gemutlose psychopath.Krahl, A. Schifferdecker, M. "Max Scheler und Kurt Schneider", pg 5Cutting, John.

History of Psychiatry History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

, "Max Scheler's influence on Kurt Schneider", 2016. Pg 5 After two decades of an unstable life that involved

pimping Procuring or pandering is the facilitation or provision of a prostitute or other sex worker in the arrangement of a sex act with a customer. A procurer, colloquially called a pimp (if male) or a madam (if female, though the term pimp has still ...

among other crimes, he was sent to

Sachsenhausen concentration camp Sachsenhausen () or Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg was a German Nazi concentration camp in Oranienburg, Germany, used from 1936 until April 1945, shortly before the defeat of Nazi Germany in May later that year. It mainly held political prisoners ...

in 1939; there are no further records of him. In 1969, it was suggested that

maternal deprivation Maternal deprivation is a scientific term summarising the early work of psychiatrist and psychoanalyst John Bowlby on the effects of separating infants and young children from their mother (or primary caregiver). Although the effect of loss of the ...

experiments on monkeys could induce a primate form of Gemütlose psychopathy.Kallwass, Wolfgang. "Der Psychopath, Kriminologische und strafrechtliche Probleme (mit einer vergleichenden Untersuchung des Entwurfs 1962 und des Alternativ-Entwurfs)", 1969. p. 9

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gemutlose psychopathy Anti-social behaviour Forensic psychiatry Mental health in Germany Criminology