What psychiatric illness was Ralph suffering from?
Ralph was suffering from a psychiatric illness known as cognitive insanity. The condition was also known as a schizophrenic disorder. Schizophrenia is a condition where the victim through his thoughts of experiences them seeing things which are out of reality and touch. They also experience disorganized behaviors as well as speech (Friedman, & Sorrentino, 2012) . Ralph was hearing voices, which he decides to follow as his condition could not allow him to choose between right and wrong. Schizophrenic also is characterized by the inability to the concentration of memory at the same time. According to Ralph's actions, he had not thought critically before carrying them out.
What was the reason Ralph held the class hostage?
Ralph held the class hostage because that is what his mind told him to do. The condition Ralph was suffering from could not allow him to think correctly. He was wanted, and he felt that by holding the class hostage, he would be safe from the authorities.
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Do you believe Ralph was responsible for his actions?
No. Ralph was not responsible for his actions because of several factors. First, he had an irresistible impulse. His brother stated at the age of 15; he started acting different and seeing and hearing things no one else could see. Without proper treatment, things worsen, and he lost the ability to determine right from wrong. Therefore, if he was legally determined, Ralph's symptoms fit the definition. He had a mental disorder. I have not once seen that he was competent in the video since before the age of 15. Ralph was doing it because the voices told him the microchip that was tracking him would disappear if he took the gun (Block, 2014) . He did not think about the consequences of his actions.
References
Friedman, S. H., & Sorrentino, R. (2012). Commentary: postpartum psychosis, infanticide, and insanity—implications for forensic psychiatry. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online , 40 (3), 326-332.
Block, R. A. (2014). Cognitive models of psychological time . Psychology Press.
