Violent crimes capture attention. They make the news, make for intriguing story lines on television, and draw crowds to the movies.

Unfortunately, many of these headlines and Hollywood scripts have attached mental illness to the violence. This is building an unrealistic perception in society that people with mental illness are prone to such acts.

Violence is not an offshoot of mental illness. It is a behavioral problem that develops in a person over time. The fact is that those with mental disabilities are far more likely to become victims of violence than to enact violent crimes.

A violent mind comes from a person whose feeling of inadequacy grows so deep that they eventually disconnect from admitting it exists.

While it’s perfectly human to feel insecure at times, there are some people who feel so totally inferior to others that, when provoked, they use power and control over a perceived weaker person in order to feel superior.

When this sense of supremacy is threatened, the violent mind will reassert its sense of self-worth at all costs. It will manipulate, coerce, intimidate, bully, blame, neglect, or find whatever means possible to recapture control.

Because people prone to violence do not have a true sense of telling right from wrong, they assert dominance through the use of whatever tool is available, such as threats, abuse, money, sex, fists, guns, material items, drugs, jobs, and any other way they deem necessary to exert power.

While these behaviors suggest psychological problems, they are not mental illness in and of itself; the person(s) exhibiting these behaviors are still responsible for their acts.

The most important aspect to remember about a violent mind is that it lacks a sense of dignity and suffers from very low self-esteem. So when faced with such a person, there are ways to try and diffuse their building rage or desire for control.

You can try to redirect their focus by allowing them to feel heard and understood; refrain from projecting anger, threats or insults into the situation; speak calmly and keep your body relaxed; provide some regard for their self-worth; and do not condemn or argue with them in any way. Protecting your safety is far more important than proving yourself right.

Be aware and be prepared in case you ever find yourself confronted with the aggression of a violent mind. Should you already be experiencing repeated acts of violence in places such as home, school or work, seek protective help immediately. Your health, emotional stability and even life could depend upon it.