Private Investigation and mental illness in (potential) clients

Mental illness comes in a variety of forms and in the world of Private Investigation, it is something we (perhaps arguably) encounter more than most in regard to our clients.

By the very nature of the business of Private Investigation and the type of work that we do, invites contact from those that may be suffering from mental illness in the form of delusions or paranoia for example (as well as others) and it is necessary to be aware of that and to handle these cases compassionately and appropriately.

Although the area of mental illness in regard to our clients is a broader subject than this blog will cover (more on the topic can be found at our related blog ) https://www.privateinvestigationprague.cz/post/private-investigation-and-mental-health

Here, I will touch on a few key areas.

delusion /dɪˈluːʒ(ə)n/ noun: delusion; plural noun: delusions

An idiosyncratic belief or impression maintained despite being contradicted by reality or rational argument, typically as a symptom of mental disorder. "the delusion of being watched"

paranoia /ˌparəˈnɔɪə/ noun: paranoia

a mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance, typically worked into an organized system. It may be an aspect of chronic personality disorder, of drug abuse, or of a serious condition such as schizophrenia in which the person loses touch with reality.

The above are definitions from Oxford Languages. It is immediately apparent from the above definitions, to understand why the Private Investigation Industry may attract those suffering from such disorders.

At first, it can be difficult to spot if someone may be suffering from one of these conditions simply because many general day to day inquiries are centered around something "out of the ordinary" that may (or may not) be happening and the background surrounding each case varies so very widely, it can be almost impossible to spot if someone is suffering from a mental disorder in the first instances.

Sometimes alarm bells ring immediately as something just doesn't sit right or is very unlikely to actually be happening and regardless, we take each case seriously, listen, and then establish the best way forward, giving everyone the same time and level of respect.

In other cases where the background to the case sounds reasonable and there is a chance it could be taking place, it may take a little longer to establish that a disorder may be present in the person we are communicating with. Although we may even be in the postion where we have already taken the case only for our suspicions to be aroused further down the line, it is important to know when to say no and/or stop work on the case and how to communicate that to the client kindly and firmly.

One of the traits of these types of mental illness is that no matter how much evidence there is to support the facts and contrarily, the distinct absence of evidence supporting the belief, an individual can simply refuse to believe anything other than the narrative that they have created. It is in a situation like this that a Private Investigator needs to be able to turn a case down or stop an ongoing investigation.

It is essential for the Private Investigator not to end up in an argument or full-blown discussion in the situation that they have decided either to not take the case or stand down from one they are already involved in. Instead, it is better to be firm yet kind especially as in some cases, no amount of evidence demonstrating that the given narrative is false will convince the individual that it is so and therefore it is right and proper, to step away.

So how does a Private Investigator spot mental illness of this kind?

In the first instance, we will look for inconsistencies in the narrative, we will go back and revise, ask questions and look for changes in the story as well as "facts" that have appeared from nowhere. Often we will be given "supporting" information based on no factual evidence as the individual can feel the need to "sell" the case to us.

By opening a dialogue, (it is helpful to do this by email so that there is a written record) we can ask for certain parts of the narrative to be repeated to us a little later in time with a view to spotting inconsistency and inaccuracy as this requires the individual to recall exactly what they told us last time, without error, which would not present any issue if the narrative was based in fact.

Additionally, the very act of asking questions can instigate the "sale" of the case to us as the individual feels that there may be some doubt in our mind and so rather than simply tell us the information, they instead expand upon what they have already said and it is in this expansion that we can often start to spot potential mental health problems.

In conclusion, it is highly unlikely that individuals with mental illness will not be encountered whilst working in the Private Investigation Industry and so it is important to remain mindful of this and to always act professionally and compassionately if and when this occurs.