Maybe I picked the wrong degree course?

I don't think I did, at least I hope I didn't, but I can't help being fascinated by people's mindsets when they do something tragic.

Maybe that is why I got into journalism, as well as the different thing everyday and learning a little about a lot.

There have been a few things on the news recently leading me to asking questions key to journalism - the why, where, when, what, who and how etc questions.

First is the French mother, Dominique Cottrez, who admitted killing 10 of her babies but has two surviving children at 22 and 21 years old.

What causes people to turn/lose "it"? Whatever "it" is. To hide the pregnancies and bury the children in black bin liners in the garden after strangling them sounds like a horror movie.

The husband says he didn't know behind the bulk of the large woman, makes an added twist.

But for large periods of time this woman was as average of any of us, but at some point the boundaries became blurred - possibly after having a difficult delivery with one of her surviving kids.

Another case is that of Andrew Case who killed his wife, two daughters and then hung himself.

It seems to be mainly due to financial problems but for someone to kill his wife and two kids, something isn't quite right.

My main point is that there are stories like this almost everyday. They are people you walk past doing your shopping, when out at night etc.

People who for decades have conformed to society and progressed with life as the template tells us to but for some reason they became prone to a moment of madness and that's all it takes for everything previous to be wiped out.

Most don't look any different, act any different, they have social contact, jobs, families and live every day, apart from that tragic day, as normally as the rest of us.

Little worrying is it not? What tips said person over the edge and causes them to act in the way they do?

Never know, it might be one of us "standard" people in years to come....crazy.