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The Astronaut Love Triangle
No one is immune from experiencing some type of mental disorder or distortion of reality, and the recent news about astronaut Lisa Marie Nowak is proof once again of that well-known fact in psychiatry/psychology. The mother of three and Navy captain flew on a space shuttle mission just this past July and today she wears another symbol of high tech -- a GPS ankle bracelet. How did it happen, everyone must be asking. How could this woman now face kidnapping and attempted murder charges?
How could a highly successful, bright, career-track woman end up in a Florida parking lot with tools to kidnap and perhaps kill her "love rival" for the affection of another astronaut, a shuttle captain, U.S. Air Force Captain Colleen Shipman? The photos seem to tell the story of a woman who has undergone a dramatic change in appearance, and I'm left wondering what contributed to that change in body and mind.
It wouldn't be ethical for me to try to diagnose anyone from afar, but I can look at some of the details now coming out and offer some thoughts on what might have happened.
When the police searched Captain Nowak's car, they found a steel mallet, a folding knife, rubber tubing, rubber gloves, money, and love letters. This would seem to indicate that some thought went into her actions. The popular notion has always been that someone suffering from any type of mental incapacity is incapable of planning a detailed crime. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Individuals who have distorted reality testing can very well plan and carry out an action. This does nothing to speak to their mental state. They may not have the ability to think clearly regarding situations in their lives, but they do retain the ability to carry out a plan. The main problem here remains that they appear to be lucid rather than in a state of diminished capacity.
If I were to speculate on the lives of astronauts in general, I'd think that they must be under tremendous pressure and are highly motivated individuals as well. However, that need to achieve and succeed can also play a role in any area of their lives and this may be what happens when perception becomes distortion.
We know of cases of individuals who believe that a person in a position of authority loves them and is sending signals of some sort to them. These persons can do rather bizarre and dangerous things such as climbing fences at official residences, straying onto guarded areas, and entering homes via windows to see the beloved. I'm not saying that's the case here, but it points to one possibility.
The details will come out in time and our thoughts must be not only with this highly accomplished woman, but the three children who are victims, too.
Technorati Tags: Lisa Ann Nowak, NASA, astronaut, kidnapping
How could a highly successful, bright, career-track woman end up in a Florida parking lot with tools to kidnap and perhaps kill her "love rival" for the affection of another astronaut, a shuttle captain, U.S. Air Force Captain Colleen Shipman? The photos seem to tell the story of a woman who has undergone a dramatic change in appearance, and I'm left wondering what contributed to that change in body and mind.
It wouldn't be ethical for me to try to diagnose anyone from afar, but I can look at some of the details now coming out and offer some thoughts on what might have happened.
When the police searched Captain Nowak's car, they found a steel mallet, a folding knife, rubber tubing, rubber gloves, money, and love letters. This would seem to indicate that some thought went into her actions. The popular notion has always been that someone suffering from any type of mental incapacity is incapable of planning a detailed crime. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Individuals who have distorted reality testing can very well plan and carry out an action. This does nothing to speak to their mental state. They may not have the ability to think clearly regarding situations in their lives, but they do retain the ability to carry out a plan. The main problem here remains that they appear to be lucid rather than in a state of diminished capacity.
If I were to speculate on the lives of astronauts in general, I'd think that they must be under tremendous pressure and are highly motivated individuals as well. However, that need to achieve and succeed can also play a role in any area of their lives and this may be what happens when perception becomes distortion.
We know of cases of individuals who believe that a person in a position of authority loves them and is sending signals of some sort to them. These persons can do rather bizarre and dangerous things such as climbing fences at official residences, straying onto guarded areas, and entering homes via windows to see the beloved. I'm not saying that's the case here, but it points to one possibility.
The details will come out in time and our thoughts must be not only with this highly accomplished woman, but the three children who are victims, too.
Technorati Tags: Lisa Ann Nowak, NASA, astronaut, kidnapping
