Skip to content

Radical thinking: can violent extremism be prevented by addressing mental health?

Against a backdrop of increasingly frequent violent extremism, we must explore the possibility of avoiding future atrocities by addressing the mental health needs of would-be terrorists.

Published:
The perpetrator of the Nice attack had a history of mental health problems. Credit: Claude Paris; AP/PA. All rights reserved.
The perpetrator of the Nice attack had a history of mental health problems. Credit: Claude Paris; AP/PA. All rights reserved.

The perpetrator of the Nice attack had a history of mental health problems. Credit: Claude Paris; AP/PA. All rights reserved.

Anecdotally, the friends and family of boys and young men who commit acts of extremist violence often report a rapid period of behaviour change.

They may start to associate with a different previously unknown group of friends, or spend an increasing amount of time alone or on the internet.