.or only symptomatic of other mental/emotional illnesses?
"No, trolling is not a mental illness in itself, but it is considered a harmful form of behavior that can be associated with certain "dark" personality traits like psychopathy and sadism, which involve a tendency to cause cruelty or harm to others. However, not everyone who trolls has these traits, as people may troll for other reasons, such as amusement, a bad mood, or a sense of anonymity online."
Re: the above statement, it's probably only that it is a relatively new phenomenon and hasn't bee studied long enough. One day it will no doubt have it's own classification. Until then it is it certain that these poor souls have suffered some traumatic event(s) which paralyzed them emotionally and intellectually - for example, getting stuffed in a high school locker by mean gurls and then adopting that very persona on the internets in an effort to get even with the world for that injustice (just a random example there).
One thing for certain - these are very disturbed people.
Here is some reading:
May 16, 2025 — Trolling, in this sense, is an extension of deeper personality issues that show up across different areas of life. While some behaviors stay ...
Jul 28, 2021 — Being the target of trolls has been associated with increases in depression, low self-esteem, trouble sleeping, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts ...
by SA Volkmer · 2023 · Cited by 27 — Research has shown a relationship between trolling others online and dark personality traits such as sadism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism.
"No, trolling is not a mental illness in itself, but it is considered a harmful form of behavior that can be associated with certain "dark" personality traits like psychopathy and sadism, which involve a tendency to cause cruelty or harm to others. However, not everyone who trolls has these traits, as people may troll for other reasons, such as amusement, a bad mood, or a sense of anonymity online."
Re: the above statement, it's probably only that it is a relatively new phenomenon and hasn't bee studied long enough. One day it will no doubt have it's own classification. Until then it is it certain that these poor souls have suffered some traumatic event(s) which paralyzed them emotionally and intellectually - for example, getting stuffed in a high school locker by mean gurls and then adopting that very persona on the internets in an effort to get even with the world for that injustice (just a random example there).
One thing for certain - these are very disturbed people.
Here is some reading:
May 16, 2025 — Trolling, in this sense, is an extension of deeper personality issues that show up across different areas of life. While some behaviors stay ...
Jul 28, 2021 — Being the target of trolls has been associated with increases in depression, low self-esteem, trouble sleeping, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts ...
by SA Volkmer · 2023 · Cited by 27 — Research has shown a relationship between trolling others online and dark personality traits such as sadism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism.
