Could Serial Killing Actually Be Addictive? A Close Examination of Compulsion and Escalation in the Jeffrey Dahmer Case

Abstract Could serial killing be addictive? Although scholars have discussed this possibility before, it has not been rigorously tested. The present study closely examines Jeffrey Dahmer’s statements and behavior to assess whether they fit the American Psychiatric Association’s criteria for addiction and the International Classification of Diseases’s criteria for compulsive sexual behavior disorder or a paraphilic disorder. Findings suggest that Dahmer’s actions were consistent with a strong behavioral addiction, and that their escalation in frequency and severity over time—despite growing risks to the “user”—constitute a textbook example of an addict’s efforts to increase doses or dosage to maintain a neurochemical “high.” If serial killing and the experiences associated with it (e.g., fulfillment of sexual paraphilias, desires for control, etc.) can be addictive, that could have important implications for how we understand other potentially addictive crimes—like those committed by kleptomaniacs, pyromaniacs, and serial sexual offenders. It could also inform clinicians’ understandings of how they can help individuals with dangerous and compulsive urges avoid escalating to extreme violence.