Ad hom arguments aren't mental illnesses. They're logically fallacious, which matters a great deal in ritualized forensic arguments but not so much in informal or general argumentation, where the attributes (particularly: credibility and authority) of particular stakeholders can often be very relevant.

My advice is a friendly one. If Zed has issues that drive him to behaviour that's considered problematic, that costs him jobs and good will, I say he should try to look into himself with some professional help. Zed is a very talented programmer and I hate to see him in situations like the "Rails is a Ghetto" thing.

And, Thomas, "ritualizing" may be the only way to keep forensics sound. When you prove something, you want it to remain proved.

And, BTW, I wouldn't recommend that if I hadn't done it myself. Therapy is a very enlightening tool.