Chronic Aggressive Syndrome

**Chronic Aggressive Syndrome (CAS)**, also known as **Chronic Aggression, Persistent Aggressive Syndrome** and **Chronic Aggression Disorder (CAD)**, is a collection of symptoms related to persistent and on-going aggressive tendencies of an abnormally great intensity or frequency.

Chronic Aggressive Syndrome is the name most commonly used in Ficko for the condition, where the condition is most common according to numerous umbrella analyses. According to psychologists and geneticists, CAS is more common among Homo Hommem, the sub-species/species of homonid that inhabits most of Anglon. Psychologists also posit that numerous psycho-social factors could be responsible for the prevalence of the condition in Ficko, including a culture where death is not considered as tragic or impactful as other cultures might consider it.

## Symptoms

The following are examples of some of the most commonly acknowledged symptoms of CAS. Numerous symptoms are not including in the following list as there is significant co-morbidity with Depressive Disorder, Anxiety Disorders and Bi-Polar Disorder.

* Persistent feelings of outward anger
* Feelings of powerlessness
* The desire for violence
* The desire to self-harm/tendencies to self-harm
* Periods of intense concentration, activity or fixation
* The desire to harm others
* Murderous tendencies

;These symptoms are those outlined by the Fickolean Psychological Disorder Index as well as the Universal Encylopedia. Those not included in both of these are not included in the above list.

## Causes

Causes for CAS have not been outright proven, although numerous have been posited. These include biological, genetic, speciel, neurological, psychological, social and cultural explanations. The especially high prevalence of the condition in certain planets and countries suggests a 'nurture' aspect of the condition.

### Biological

The Apporrossian Geneticist and scientist Reygrib Janstone was among the first to suggest a purely genetic and species-related causation of chronic aggressive syndrome. In 1815 (Mt), she wrote:

> It is clear that the aggressive tendencies of Fickolean and Demarki people as compared to numerous others across the KC can be attributed firstly to the Homo Hommem species, which according to studies (Jackel et al, 1812, Mt), (Rerdard, 1811, Mt), can be more easily convinced to commit acts of violence, and secondly to the violence evolved in these people through the natural environment they grew up in, in Demark and Ficko, necessitating ruthless violence.
>
>

These ideas were developed by numerous psychologists across the KC thereafter.

#### Species-Basis

The geneticist and student of Janstone, Helen Glob, expanded upon the species-based approach to explaining Chronic Aggressive Disorder by positing a comprehensive 'Speciel Theory' (1834, Mt) which also attributed numerous other disorders prevalent in other species to biological differences in the species themselves. She compiled numerous studies with a total of over 800,000 participants from different species, and expanded upon the 'Violent Persuasion of Hominin Groups' experiment of Richard Rerdard in 1811 (Mt), by attempting to convince different species to commit acts of varying degrees of violence, sometimes virtual, sometimes physical. She also studied functional neurological data and found more activity in the amygdala and fear centres of the brain, as well as the mid-brain.

Glob went on to form her theory based on the idea that certain areas of the brain where more sensitive in Homo Hommem. However, the results were inconsistent throughout different planetary nationalities. Glob found that Apporrossians and Gonians were significantly less likely to commit acts of virtual violence given the option to do anything, as well as physical violence, as compared to Demarkians and Fickoleans. There were also some anomalous results in other species, for instance, Biackaarians and Warhammi people were more likely to undertake acts of needless virtual violence given the opportunity than other Homo Diveredess.

#### Evolutionary

Another student of Reygrib Janstone, Jebla Martha Mongoose, went on to strongly advocate Evolutionary Theory for CAS, which expanded upon previous statements and research by Traeda et al (1809, Mt), a Demarkian researcher. There has been some criticism of Martha Mongoose for allegedly 'taking credit for' the theories and findings of Traeda.

Nonetheless, the Evolutionary Argument of CAS became much more popular, as well evolutionary psychology in general, in the 1830s-1850s (Mt), at which time psychologists expanded upon the assumptions of Traeda, Janstone and Mongoose by suggesting that violence was more evolutionarily advantageous to Fickoleans and Demarki due to the increased number of dangerous animals living in close proximity to humans. Numerous other ideas about the reasons for the evolution of these traits were also formulated, including Jones Cronkdad's 'Cultural-Evolutionary Theory' (1943, Mt).

#### Problems with racism

Biological, and especially species-related explanations of CAS have been criticised for their 'inherently racist' nature, and for resulting in prejudices and discrimination of certain races and nationalities as more violent or having violent dispositions.

Studies by certain psychologists following the 'Speciel Theory' have compared ethnic populations of non-native nationalities living in other planets and oftentimes concluded that Fickolean, Demarkians and Warhammi people carry certain genes with violent potential that lead to over-stimulation of fear receptors in the brain. These studies have been strongly criticised as socially sensitive and creating animosity between ethnic groups. They have also been used to justify policies of stringent immigration control, mass-excommunication, and even genocide.

According to the Fardin sociologist Morgan Jibbleboy, the assumption that Homo Hommem and especially Fickoleans and Demarkians have a genetic disposition towards has served to further an agenda of superiority among other races, species and nationalities, and has been used to prejudice Fickolean conflicts as always the result of sheer violent-desire.

### Neurological

Fickolean scientists at the University of Bons conducted a number of thorough studies in the 1880s (Mt), isolating the parts of the brain seemingly most responsible for Chronic Aggressive Condition. They found that aggression is often triggered at the same time as the amygdala and other areas of the brain usually associated with fear. Homo Hommem, and especially Fickoleans, were found to have other fear receptors in the brain, known as the 'Inconsistent Bilateral Jundy-spheres'. These areas have been consistently found in Homo Hommem, with some exceptions, and found either to be significantly smaller or non-existent in other species. They also found that these areas of the brain are activated much more easily in certain areas of the brain in those diagnosed with 'Persistent Aggression', as well as manic depression. They did not find strongly consistent results throughout planetary nationalities in terms of levels of stimulation.

The results of these studies were two-fold. Firstly, they furthered scientific understanding of both the brain and aggression, and would go on to help in the treatments of Chronic Aggressive Disorder. Secondly, it led to an incredible noted increase in the number of lobotomies, specifically of certain races, species, and foreign ethnic groups living in other planets. These lobotomies aimed to remove the amygdala, or the Inconsistent Bilateral Jundy-spheres, or alternatively affect the frontal lobe, which was believed to be also associated with sensitivity and activation of these areas. Almost all of these lobotomies were either fatal or negatively and drastically life-altering. The practice was banned in most planets by 1894 (Mt). Over 8,000 arrests were made of doctors performing illegal lobotomies believed to be sold as cures for aggressive tendencies in Ficko between 1885 and 1895 (Mt).

### Cultural-Evolutionary Theory

In 1942 (Mt), during the spirit movement, Fickolean psychologist and sociologist Jones Cronkdad, with the help of biopsychologist William Shaggling-Weasel developed Cultural-Evolutionary Theory, which aimed to explain Chronic Aggressive Disorder as the result of evolutionary behaviour brought about through both cultural and survival practices.

They posited that, in Demark, the 'murderous' individuals that populate early Demarki literature and scripture on early history, were motivated by a culture of mistrust and deceit brought about by a scarcity of resources and harsh conditions. Survival through violence and murder was necessary to keep oneself alive due to both resource scarcity and the number of deadly creatures and animals that populated the planet. This led to the development of a culture of fighting and training in Demark in the civilisations which survived.

In Ficko, it is explained that, due to the vast size of the planet, tribes and groups rarely encountered one another, and when they did, it was not as evolutionarily advantageous as in other planets, as the distance between two tribes or groups made this impractical. As such, groups would often take others into their fold, take them as slaves, or kill them and steal their equipment, livestock, supplies, etc. It was only later that unity among tribes became advantageous, by which time hundreds (perhaps thousands) of years of evolution had made most Fickoleans easily capable of combat with other humanoids.

Cronkdad later expanded upon this theory by suggesting that, in modern society, violent desires are extremely suppressed by laws, however a culture of self-preservation still exists. There is a dichotomy between rural and urban life in which violent outbursts and combat is other allowed to run wild, or strictly controlled. This dichotomy leads to both of these natures bleeding into the others' environment.

## Treatments

There are numerous treatments for CAS, and historically there have been hundreds of different s ways of 'dealing with' or rooting out the condition. For many years, the condition was not seen as harmful, until the 1870s (Mt), at which point, across the KC, many were forced to take measures to get rid of 'CAS', especially in prisons, where populations were used as participants for drug trials meant to curb aggressive tendencies.

### Pharmacological

The most common pharmacological treatment for CAS, prior to the 1980s (Mt), was serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and serotonin stimulants. For years, meadowchubb and pillowchubb were used, and later depressants which depressed the nervous system and stimulating the limbic system to produce serotonin and repress the activity of the amygdala, the area most responsible for aggression.

In the very early days of 'CAS' being outlined as a condition, in the 1780s (Mt), Apporrossian doctors and pharmacists believed the cure lay in oestrogen injections, decreasing the effect of testosterone on stimulating aggression. This was largely unsuccessful in trials, and over 2,000 people involving in large-scale studies suffered side effects such as decreased/ no sexual drive, an absence of decrease of sexual behaviour, changes in sexual identity, and resulting mood disorders.