Fearful decisions are rarely good decisions. When you’re in a state of panic, your brain’s “fight or flight” mode kicks in, and that higher-level thinking you normally rely on? Yeah, it’s on a coffee break.

Let’s talk about Dr. Death—Christopher Duntsch, a guy who basically turned a neurosurgery practice into a horror show. Instead of healing people, he left a trail of injured patients and grieving families. But here’s the twist: Duntsch might have been trying to “sublimate” some pretty dark impulses...