By Tim Keck
The experts at SafeHaven Security Group, a national threat management firm, are on a mission to keep people safe by sharing the warning signs of violence with all who will listen. It is a crucial skill to help you recognize behaviors that might indicate someone is on a path to violence. If you notice someone who exhibits several of these correlates, please get help. You can reach us directly at 844-SAFE GROUP or safehavensecuritygroup.com.
Remember, the initial assessment is always free.
Stressors
He could no longer control the thoughts in his head. Consciousness was a swirling mass of confusion. His anger swelled as unfathomable stress came from every direction.
He’d lost his house, his spouse, and custody of his kids. He didn’t know how he was going to make his next car payment. On top of all that, his boss said HR needs to see him. He might be getting fired.
How much pressure can one person take?
Psychologists tell us that there are two basic types of stress: eustress and distress. Eustress is a short-term stress that motivates, feels exciting, and fits within our coping abilities. Distress, on the other hand, distracts, feels unpleasant, and may be outside our ability to cope.
When people are distressed, they do things they wouldn’t normally do. The more stress, the more likely unhealthy behavior will occur. That’s why monitoring how much distress your coworkers or others around you are experiencing can help you identify someone who is on a path of destruction.
I started teaching workplace violence prevention seminars in the 90s. I’d ask participants if they were stressed today than five years ago. Can you guess the answer? More. Always more. The amount of stress people feel has been steadily increasing for at least two decades.
Why does that matter? Because increases in stress, for some people, will always lead to increases in violent behavior.
What about life stressors?
Most healthy adults can handle one major life stressor at a time. Sure, they may experience intrusive thoughts, be distracted, make mistakes, and be irritable. But they’ll be okay. As the days pass, they will recover.
However, when someone experiences multiple major life stressors simultaneously, they may accelerate toward an unhealthy end. Because when it comes to major life stressors, one plus one isn’t two. It’s five.
When you become aware of someone having such an experience, you should monitor them closely. Support them if you can. Make a referral. Offer a listening ear. But at the very least, pay attention to their behavior.
When combined with other warning signs, this can be a yellow flag of someone heading down a path that may have a violent end.
Irrational Beliefs and Ideas
You may not be aware of this, but sometimes people believe crazy crap.
You scoff, but it’s true. In his book “How Do You Kill 11 million People?” author Andy Andrews makes a convincing case that the answer to the title question is simple: You lie to them.
Some people are easily led astray by alluring ideologies or charismatic leaders. For the rest of us, these beliefs are totally foreign. From now on, when you hear one of these strange beliefs or ideas, especially one that espouses violence, pay a little more attention.
Although we only have room for two here, watch for more articles that tell you what to watch for.
SafeHaven Security Group helps organizations learn warning signs daily and interpret them correctly to avoid violence. Let us help you. The initial assessment is always free.