Phenomenological, Diagnostic, and Forensic Aspects of Gangstalking and Targeted Individuals

Gangstalking is a persecutory belief system espoused by targeted individuals who report being followed, monitored, harassed, or otherwise persecuted by groups of people in their community, often through the coordinated efforts of the government, law enforcement agencies, and strangers. Although the alleged harassment can take the form of conventional stalking, stereotypical gangstalking claims often include added victimization by street theater and directed energy weapons, along with psychotronic warfare, mind control, and voice-to-skull technologies that strain credibility. Although such claims suggest the presence of psychosis, the considerable volume of informational sources that support, validate, and reinforce gangstalking claims expands the differential diagnosis to include persecutory concerns fueled by shared conspiracy theory beliefs as well as mass sociogenic illness. A subset of targeted individuals find themselves in the forensic arena after resorting to violence in the name of perceived self-defense when attempts to seek help have been thwarted or exhausted. With claims of gangstalking on the rise, it is increasingly likely that forensic psychiatrists will be called upon for consultation in such cases. This article provides a concise primer on gangstalking to guide forensic evaluation.