The Toxicity Of Romance: Demystifying A ‘Psychopath’

Aftab–Shraddha case has been largely constructed and viewed as yet another crime of passion. Aftab is being diagnosed as a psychopath, an individual who displays an abnormal degree of impulsive behaviour, has aggressive tendencies and shows little consideration for societal norms. One can delve into his childhood, relationship with parents, family history and memories of trauma to understand the pathology.  

But should the episode be located within a single individual or be used as a case study to illustrate the obvious and subtle ways in which our discourse on love is becoming increasingly consumption focussed and self-centred? A discourse that does not try to examine the psychological aspects of violent love and ignores the thin line between obsessive and committed love.