Random Warning Signs That Someone You Know Might Be A Serial Killer (12 items)

(#3) They Struggle With Substance Abuse

Criminologist Craig Traube revealed in a study that serial killers share several overlapping behaviors with substance abusers. Serial killers often have a need to kill that they can't control. They often experiment with different methods or victims until they find a pattern they like and then stick with it.

With serial killers being so similar to addicts, it's not surprising to discover that a lot of major serial killers were substance abusers as well. Jeffrey Dahmer was an alcoholic by the time he was in high school, and Ted Bundy quickly shifted to alcohol, drugs, and porn when he was arrested and could no longer kill. So, next time you're at a party, keep an eye out for the person who sips just a little too much from the tequila bottle.
(#6) They Compulsively Masturbate

If you know someone who is constantly excusing themselves to go to the bathroom with a laptop and a pair of headphones, you might be dealing with a person who has an extremely active libido - or who might be a serial killer. Either way, it might get awkward being around that person.
Serial killers often have strange and bizarre fantasies when they're younger, usually with a sexual component. They need to relieve themselves as best they can, which often leads to compulsive masturbation.
(#11) They Have An Unusual IQ

If you ever get your hands on an IQ test, try to get the important people in your life to take it and see if they match up with any famous serial killers. It's said that a lot of serial killers have IQs in what is called the bright normal range, while others have unusually low scores. Organized serial killers like John Wayne Gacy and Ted Bundy have an IQ around 113, while disorganized serial killers only have an average of 93.

Ed Kemper had a very high level of intelligence, and he was able to use that to convince psychiatrists to release him five years after he killed his grandparents. They all thought he was reformed, but of course, as soon as he was out, he killed eight more women.
(#12) They Like To Manipulate People

Do you know someone who could talk you into anything even though you don't want to do it? It's been discovered that serial killers are very manipulative people with the power to sway people to a certain way of thinking without the other person knowing it. They act vulnerable, they act like they want to please people, but all of that might just be a twisted game the serial killer is playing.

An example of this is Dr. Harold Shipman, who was a medical expert that manipulated his patients into treatments that ended up killing them.
(#10) They Exhibit Extreme Antisocial Behavior

This warning sign is particularly difficult to diagnose. It's said that serial killers often exhibit extreme antisocial behavior as children, but it's hard to pinpoint what exactly antisocial behavior is. The easiest way to tell if your child is displaying antisocial behavior that will make them grow up to kill a bunch of people is to notice if the child goes from being extremely social to extremely antisocial over a short period of time.

Ed Gein, who was the inspiration for Norman Bates, had no social connections whatsoever besides his "loving" mother, who would punish Gein whenever he tried to make friends, and this led to Gein living an antisocial lifestyle that didn't end well for anyone.
(#9) They Have A Horrible Family Life

Many serial killers come from less-than-stellar homes. A lot of them are abused in all sorts of traumatic, horrific ways that break their psyche down and help develop their serial killer tendencies. This abuse causes the child to feel humiliated and helpless, which in turn, is a feeling they will later seek to instill in their own victims.

It's safe to say that since serial killers have poor relationships with their families, it's not shocking to find out the families are among the first victims. At 15, Ed Kemper killed his grandparents, followed by six female college students, and then his violent, abusive mother. Kemper decapitated his mom's corpse, used her head as a dart board, and then tossed her vocal cords down the garbage disposal.