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My brother has a tendency to go off his meds on a regular basis, like all schizophrenics. However, the only crimes he's ever committed are vagrancy a couple of times, and hitch hiking on an on-ramp of a freeway in Florida.

Yes, Andrea Yates' symptoms, as described, DO sound like one or more of the 53 known types of schizophrenia. Unlike the 'victim', Rusty, I LEARNED all I could in order to help my brother.

I've never heard anyone argue that Htler was sane, either. We don't hear arguments thay UBL is sane. What we DO believe is that they knew the difference between right and wrong. And that they're both cold blooded killers.

REAL cold blooded killers ar sociopaths. Which means that real cold blooded killers are also crazy. They know the difference between right and wrong. They just don't give a rat's tail end.

I'm not assuming or implying that Andrea Yates is a sociopath as well as a possible schizophrenic. I'm pointing out a flaw in your reference to real, cold bloodd killers.

Another possibility for Andrea's psychosis: the same symptoms also occur in speed freaks. She IS very thin. Not to say she's a speed freak. Just pointing out another possibility for her symptoms and actions, as outlined in court and in public statements to the press.

You're right, I just didn't take it there re: murderers (although I don't think Susan Smith is a sociopath, just a selfish human being). I do believe all people who murder have at least one screw loose, and many are sociopaths which is the case where they have no conscience whatsoever, although for some it is simply a crime of passion (in which case they also definitely have a screw loose, even if only for a moment).

My point is HER distorted reasoning at the time during her period of mental illness, which of course most can't seem to comprehend as we are sane (I hope - LOL) and simply don't think that way.

Good point, but I highly doubt she was on speed. I have had problems w/depression, and when depressed I tend to have an almost non-existent appetite, and/or even a lack of motivation to prepare a simple meal. That woman was not taking care of herself at all - she wasn't capable.

For one example, my friend's brother locked himself inside a bedroom with an M-16 and other rifles/guns once, thinking he was in a war and going to be attacked. The SWAT team was called in, and they would have killed him I'm sure if it wasn't for his other brother who came and demanded (big, huge guy) they let him go in and talk to him (with a bullet proof vest on, mind you). Very delusional - as I believe Andrea was delusional in her fears of the kids going to hell unless she took their lives. Each case is so different - we can never generalize, especially when it comes to mental illness.