INSANITY refers to psychotic disorders only, personality disorders only, or both?

Question

I believe it's both but need confirmation. PLEASE add source. . .

insanity is not always *hereditary. . .

Answer 1

"Insanity" is a legal concept, not a medical or psychological one. It certainly helps to have a mental disorder to be judged insane by a court, but it isn't necessary. In determining whether a defendant was insane at the time of the alleged crime, the defense will have an expert witness examine the defendant and testify to the defendant's state of mind at the time of the act. The prosecution will have its own expert witness (a psychologist or psychiatrist) examine the defendant and report to the court.

Answer 2

OK--first you gotta remember that "insanity" or being "insane" is not an official psychiatric diagnosis. That is, you won't find that mental illness listed in the DSM-IV (Diagnostic & Statistics Manual) which is basically the psychitrists' and psychologists' bible. Mostly, you will hear that term batted about in a criminal trial, usually when the denfense is claiming it as a defense tactic. So, with that in mind, the answer to your question would be BOTH. You were right! The legal definition of insanity is: inability to tell right from wrong. But someone like Ted Bundy, for example, is just a pure sociopath. Same with Scott Peterson. Or OJ Simpson. They KNOW the difference between right and wrong: they just don't care. Sociopaths think rules apply only to others, and they are above them.
Those three guys were suffering from personality disorders. On the other hand, you have your David Berkowitz (Son of Sam), your Jeff Dahmers, and Richard Ramirez's (Night Stalker) who are clearly psychotic; Ramirez and Berkowitz thought they were receiving orders from the Devil and God, respectively.

Answer 3

Insanity does not mean a disorder. it means a loss of your mind's use. or loss of mental capicity.

Many people have mental disorders, and personality disorders but with medication and care/treatment lead normal lives. in other words they are not insane. or sick, They have treatable disorders.
Insanity refers to lost of mentaly ability to cope with everyday life and it's problems to the extent that you have to be confined.
Disorders are phisical, emotional, mental , personality, disabilities which are usually treatable.