Real life mafia godfathers seeking help on the psychiatrist's couch

Ananova ^ | February 18, 2003 | Ananova

[MadIvan]

More and more real life mafia godfathers are seeking help on the psychiatrist's couch, according to new research.

Medical experts at the University of Palermo in Sicily say they are following the lead of James Gandolfini in the Sopranos and Robert de Niro in Analyse This.

Psychiatrist Girolamo Lo Verso says the mafioso are grappling with mental problems caused by the stress of organised crime.

''They come to discuss food disorders, anxiety, depression and sexual problems they are having," he said.

"We know of one case where a Godfather from Trapani in Sicily visited a psychiatrist because he could not cope with his son's homosexuality.

''The father had hopes of passing the family business to him but he rebelled and came out of the closet. It made his father go and talk about his own personal pain and the uproar from others in the clan.

''One interesting aspect we found from our research is that these men of honour as they like to call themselves have no feelings of guilt no matter how many people they may have killed.

''To them it is all part of a game and they are simply following the rules of that game to justify their actions and convince themselves.''

[MadIvan]

It becomes a little dicey when real life starts resembling television and the movies.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[Desdemona]

You know, they could just go to Confession. It's free and absolutely confidential.

[MadIvan]

Except the priests would tell them that they were wrong and they shouldn't kill people, unlike psychiatrists.

Also, priests can't prescribe Prozac.

Regards, Ivan

[Tulsa Brian]

Wasn't that a movie with Robert DeNiro and Billy Crystal?

[monocle]

''One interesting aspect we found from our research is that these men of honour as they like to call themselves have no feelings of guilt no matter how many people they may have killed. ''To them it is all part of a game and they are simply following the rules of that game to justify their actions and convince themselves.''

No different that most socialists.

[monocle]

Close the italics</i>

[Desdemona]

Ivan, this is the Mafia. Since when do they need a perscription for drugs?

[MadIvan]

The Mafia tends to deal in things a bit stronger than Prozac. Difficult to hold up the gun to whack some fellow who cheated you out of a business deal when you're on that stuff.

Regards, Ivan

[Desdemona]

Yeah, but why would they need a perscription? If they can get the rough stuff, they can get their hands on Prozac.

[ricpic]

Just when I was out, they pulled me back in.

[BRUCE_GERSTEN]

[justshutupandtakeit]

Yep and now a new one is out "Analyze That."

[dighton]

Right, Italian men seeing shrinks about "food disorders." Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhhhh!

[discostu]

Half the priests in Sicily work for the mob. Not safe. And remember they aren't having a problem with the blood on their hands, their problem is fagala sons and more mundane stuff, nothing to confess.

[general_re]

After observing the men in my wife's family, my worthless snap judgement is that the major issue with Italian men is how to escape Mama's apron strings...

[aculeus]

It becomes a little dicey when real life starts resembling television and the movies.

Read this, courtesy of The Smoking Gun, "From Sing Sing to Bada Bing":

There's a good reason Tony Sirico is so convincing as the menacing Paulie Walnuts on "The Sopranos." Because before becoming an actor, Sirico was a mob-connected thug who dealt speed, packed a loaded Beretta, and was once actually declared a "danger to society" by a New York judge.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/sirico/sirico.shtml