How do i deal with a sociopath

Definition, vs. Psychopath, Test, Traits, and Symptoms

The term sociopath is used to describe what a mental health professional would diagnose as antisocial personality disorder. Symptoms may include disregard for others, a lack of empathy, and dishonest behavior.

The term sociopath refers to someone living with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) — as does the term psychopath.

The most recent edition of the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (DSM-5), which mental health professionals use to diagnose mental health conditions, defines ASPD as a consistent disregard for rules and social norms and repeated violation of other people’s rights.

People with the condition might seem charming and charismatic at first, at least on the surface, but they generally find it difficult to understand other people’s feelings. They often:

break rules or laws
behave aggressively or impulsively
feel little guilt for harm they cause others
use manipulation, deceit, and controlling behavior

Language matters
Both sociopathy and psychopathy have become well-recognized terms among mental health professionals, but neither represent an official diagnosis. They also carry a lot of stigma, particularly for people living with personality disorders, so it’s best to avoid describing anyone displaying violent or manipulative behavior as “sociopaths” or “psychopaths.”
Instead, focus on specific behaviors and actions. Rather than labelling a controlling ex as a sociopath, for example, you could say, “He would regularly remind me he was monitoring my social media activity.”

Experts first began using the term sociopathy during the 1930s. Unlike “psychopathy,” it wasn’t easily confused with “psychosis.” The prefix also reflected a widely-held belief that the traits and behaviors associated with sociopathy related to socio-environmental factors.

Many researchers used sociopathy and psychopathy interchangeably until ASPD was added to the third edition of the DSM in 1980.

In a clinical setting, there’s no actual difference between sociopathy and psychopathy. A mental health professional won’t diagnose either of the two.

Some psychologists and researchers do make key distinctions between sociopathy and psychopathy. But these terms simply offer two slightly different ways of understanding the diagnosis of ASPD.

In these interpretations, psychopathy is sometimes seen as involving more planned behavior. The behavior might not necessarily be violent, but it’s typically premeditated.

Research supports a few of these distinctions — to an extent.

Robert Hare, the psychologist who created the Psychopathy Checklist (PCL-R), defined sociopathy as involving a conscience and sense of right and wrong, or morality. But that sense of morality doesn’t line up with cultural and social norms. Instead, people with sociopathy often justify actions they recognize as “wrong.”

In a nutshell, people with sociopathy may have little empathy and a habit of rationalizing their actions. But they do know the difference between right and wrong.

Psychopathy, according to Hare, involves no sense of morality or empathy.

Research from 2013 suggests the difference between psychopathy and sociopathy may relate to differences in the brain, including gray matter volume and amygdala development. For people with sociopathy, increased neuron function in certain parts of the brain may factor into the development of some sense of morality.

There’s no standard list of sociopath signs, but the signs and symptoms of ASPD include a persistent pattern of disregard for others. For example:

ignoring social norms and laws, or breaking rules at school or work, overstepping social boundaries, stealing, stalking and harassing others, and destroying property
dishonesty and deceit, including using false identities and manipulating others for personal gain
difficulty controlling impulses and planning for the future, or acting without considering the consequences
aggressive or aggravated behavior, including frequent fights or physical conflict with others
disregard for personal safety, or the safety of others
difficulty managing responsibilities, including showing up at work, handling tasks, or paying rent and bills
little to no guilt or remorse, or a tendency to justify actions that negatively affect others

People with ASPD generally show little emotion or interest in the lives of others. They might:

come across as arrogant or superior, with firmly fixed opinions
use humor, intelligence, and charisma to manipulate
seem charming at first, until their self-interest becomes clear

People with ASPD generally find it challenging to maintain friendships, relationships, and other mutually fulfilling connections. This difficulty may stem from traits, like:

low empathy and emotional intelligence
difficulty learning from mistakes
lack of concern for the safety of others
a tendency to intimidate and threaten in order to maintain control

Many experts consider sociopathy more of an environmental construct than a genetic one.

Yes, brain chemistry and inherited genes play a part, but parenting styles and upbringing, along with other environmental factors, carry the most weight. (Psychopathy, on the other hand, appears linked to more innate biological factors.)

Children who don’t receive nurturing attention from caregivers tend to grow up learning they have to take care of themselves, because no one else will. Some children who experience abuse, violence, and manipulation from an early age may come to model this behavior as they navigate their own conflicts.

Research also suggests it’s possible to “acquire” sociopathy. Trauma or damage to the frontal lobes of the brain, which can happen as a result of a head injury or progressive conditions, like dementia, can lead to some antisocial behaviors.

Again, keep in mind that the DSM-5 makes no distinction between sociopathy and psychopathy, or any separate subtypes of ASPD.

Mental health professionals use DSM-established criteria to diagnose ASPD. This diagnosis can apply to someone whose behavior aligns with the accepted definition of either sociopathy or psychopathy.

A diagnosis of ASPD requires at least three of the seven signs listed above, plus a few additional criteria:

These behaviors appear across multiple areas of life.
The person is at least 18 years old.
They had some symptoms of conduct disorder before the age of 15. This helps distinguish ASPD from lawbreaking behavior that begins in adulthood.
Antisocial traits and behaviors don’t relate to schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

To make a diagnosis, a therapist or psychologist might:

ask questions about a person’s feelings, thoughts, behavior, and personal relationships
ask (with permission) family members and romantic partners about their behaviors
evaluate their medical history for signs of other conditions

Keep in mind that personality disorders, including APSD, involve traits that are beyond the person’s control. These characteristics go beyond a desire for personal gain and tend to remain fixed over time, causing distress.

Could it be a different condition?

Other mental health conditions can involve symptoms similar to ASPD:

Intermittent explosive disorder (IED) involves extreme and repeated verbal or physical outbursts. These outbursts, driven by impulse or anger, can be directed toward people, property, or animals. IED commonly begins in adolescence and usually before the age of 40. On its own, it doesn’t involve low empathy or lack of remorse.
Conduct disorder involves antisocial behavior that typically begins by the age of 16. Experts consider this condition a major risk factor for ASPD. Adults must show signs of conduct disorder in childhood to be diagnosed with ASPD. Someone who doesn’t meet full ASPD criteria might be diagnosed with conduct disorder.
Schizophrenia often involves trouble recognizing facial emotions, a trait also associated with ASPD. The condition may involve aggressive or antisocial behavior — but not always. It also involves psychosis, while ASPD does not. Experts won’t diagnose ASPD before treating schizophrenia.
Bipolar I disorder. Episodes of mania can involve impulsivity, aggression and irritability, and increased thoughts of suicide — symptoms also linked to ASPD. Experts won’t diagnose ASPD during an episode of mania.

People living with personality disorders don’t always recognize any issues with their behavior, so they often don’t consider getting professional support.

They might choose to work with a therapist if prompted by a court order or someone in their personal or professional life.

Work supervisors, family members, and romantic partners might notice traits, like impulsivity and a tendency toward aggressive outbursts, for example, and they may recommend professional support.

Some people also try therapy to address other challenges or mental health concerns, including:

depression
difficulty coping with boredom or stress
substance use disorders

But since many people living with ASPD never choose to go to therapy, little research on helpful treatment approaches exists. That doesn’t mean treatment can’t help. But therapy and other approaches generally only work when someone willingly puts in the effort.

Possible treatments for ASPD include the following.

Psychotherapy

Therapy involves talking to a therapist about thoughts and feelings that can prompt harmful or aggressive behavior. It might also include anger management tactics or treatment for substance use.

Potentially beneficial approaches include:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT can help people learn to consider their responses to people and situations, which may lead to more productive behaviors. Therapy can, for example, help someone recognize the benefits of using negotiation rather than violence to solve conflict or disagreements. CBT also involves psychoeducation, which can teach people more about ASPD.
Mentalization-based therapy (MBT). This approach aims to help people learn to better identify and understand mental and emotional mindsets — both their own and those of others. A small 2016 study suggests MBT helped reduce hostility and anger, paranoia, self-harm and interpersonal difficulties in people living with both ASPD and borderline personality disorder, along with leading to an improved mood overall.
Democratic therapeutic communities. This approach, often used in prisons, involves therapy groups of various sizes that help participants make collaborative decisions as part of a group and work together on problems affecting the community. It can help boost community-minded and prosocial thinking in people living with ASPD.

Contingency management. This approach offers rewards to encourage treatment progress. Older research suggests it can help people living with ASPD limit intake of alcohol and other substances.

Medication

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t approved any medications to treat symptoms of ASPD.

A doctor or psychiatrist may recommend medication for symptoms associated with the condition, such as:

antipsychotics, like risperidone (Risperdal), as a first-line treatment for aggression
SSRI antidepressants, like fluoxetine (Prozac), or mood stabilizers, like lithium, to help treat aggression
anticonvulsants, like carbamazepine (Tegretol), to help reduce impulsivity

According to a small 2014 study, the antipsychotic medication clozapine (Clozaril) shows some promise as a treatment for men with ASPD. After taking the medication for several weeks, all seven participants experienced improvement in ASPD symptoms, including anger, impulsivity, and violence or aggression.

If you’d like to work on maintaining your relationship with someone who has ASPD, it may help to:

recognize they may never fully understand your emotions
explain specific ways their behavior affects others
establish clear boundaries to protect your emotional and physical space
encourage them to get professional support

Marriage or family counseling can also help you develop a more positive relationship with a loved one living with ASPD.

Ultimately, they may choose not to respect your boundaries and continue to cause emotional distress or physical harm. In that case, ending the relationship, or at least creating space from it, may be your safest option.

Working with a therapist yourself can also help you:

explore productive communication
build coping skills
identify signs of abuse
work on a plan to safely leave a relationship if needed

A therapist can also offer more specific guidance on handling problematic behaviors, including manipulation and control tactics or outbursts of anger.

Personality researchers and experts continue to explore the nuances of sociopathy and psychopathy. Still, they have yet to establish unique criteria to diagnose either, and ASPD remains the closest diagnosis to what people typically think of as psychopathy.

There’s no cure for ASPD. Some research suggests, though, that antisocial behavior often decreases over time. By middle age, people are less likely to behave in violent or aggressive ways.

Therapy approaches that help people learn to replace problematic behaviors with more constructive ones can also make a difference for ASPD symptoms.

In short, it’s absolutely possible for people with ASPD to build stable and fulfilling relationships with others, though it does take work.

Contrary to media portrayals, people who show signs of sociopathy don’t choose to be “evil.”

In many cases, they’re likely living with ASPD, a condition that develops from a combination of genetic and environmental factors, including childhood abuse and neglect.

Coping with Sociopaths (Antisocial Personality Disorder)

I am sure that if the devil existed, he would want us to feel very sorry for him. ?Martha Stout, “The Sociopath Next Door”

Sociopaths are people with antisocial personality disorder.The essential features of a personality disorder are impairments in interpersonal and self functioning along with the presence of pathological personality traits. In particular, to be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder, the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5) states that the following criteria must be present:

Impairments in self functioning:

Ego centered identity
Goal setting based on personal gratification

Impairments in interpersonal functioning:

Lack of concern for feelings, needs, or suffering of others.
Incapacity for mutually intimate relationships, as exploitation is a primary means of relating to others.

Pathological personality traits:

Manipulative
Deceitful
Callous
Hostile
Irresponsible
Impulsive
Risk Taking

If you do not have a close friendship with your children, I will. ”–Type 1 Sociopath, on the child molester

Sociopaths have separate and very distinct personas or “sub-selves.” They are commonly known as “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” When a sociopath switches from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde, his victim does not see it coming.

Oftentimes the victims wonder what triggered the other person to “flip” or switch from good to bad. The truth is the triggers could be 100% internal and may have had nothing to do with outside circumstances. Of course, the sociopath will blame the other person, because that’s what they do, but the triggers are internal and have nothing to do with anyone else.

On the surface, when you meet a sociopath you will think that he is very charming, warm, engaging, and interested. You will not realize that he is only expressing a very shallow level of emotions, and his primary reasons for being this way are for underlying ulterior motives.

Genetic Link:

Studies have been conducted on the monoamine oxidase (MAOA) gene; a gene which encodes an enzyme responsible for catabolising the “feel good” neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline (Sohrabi, 2015).

It was found that male individuals possessing an MAOA-L version of the gene have an increased propensity to be violent because they tend to be hyper-sensitive and prone to “over-react.” Paired with childhood abuse, those with the MAOA-L gene were found to commit more crimes than those without this gene (Sohrabi, 2015).

MAOA-L individuals displayed significantly higher levels of aggression in a high provocation situation. A further gene-by-environment interaction was found in a long-term study performed on large number of children. Those with the MAOA-L genotype paired with maltreatment in childhood were correctly predicted to commit crime.

Evidence suggests that anti-social personality disorder is caused by biological, environmental, and social factors.

How to Protect Yourself from a Sociopath:

According to Konrad (1999,) to protect yourself from a psychopath, you need to “realize your own potential and maximize your strengths. ” Make sure you know your vulnerabilities and insecurities because a sociopath will become, “an image of what you haven’t done for yourself.” At some point the sociopath’s mask will begin to slip, but the damage will have already been done and victims will have already been damaged, most likely both emotionally and financially (Konrad, 1999).

“There comes a time when you just need to realize that there’s no point in searching for answers and the best thing you can do is move on” (Konrad, 1999).

Do’s and Don’ts:

Do not try to reform a sociopath.
Avoid them.
Do not express your weaknesses.
Do not believe a sociopath. They will lie and will do so convincingly.
Document any negative encounters/conflicts and notify others.
Protect yourself. Put a strong invisible barrier around yourself. Don’t let them inside.
Do not show your true emotions to a sociopath; keep a “poker face. ” Any and all emotions will be used against you.
If you must engage, turn the conversation back on them. Ask, “Are you feeling well?” Try to get away as soon as possible.
Do not share any personal information.
Don’t share your plans with a sociopath.
Do not put yourself in a “one down” position; do not put yourself in a place of indebtedness to a sociopath.

How to get out of a relationship with a sociopath:

#1 Dating Tip: Make Sure Your Date has a Conscience! ?P. A. Speers

Do not delude yourself into believing that the sociopath can or will change. Give up that notion completely. The best thing you can do is take the focus for solving the problem off of the other person, placing it squarely on yourself. It is your job to change and rescue yourself. Period. The other person is not the key to your happiness.

I have many people calling me asking me to change their partners. They want to bring their pathological loved one to therapy to be fixed. The harsh reality is that no therapist can fix a sociopath. But the person wanting help can be “fixed.” He/she has all the power needed to break free and live well.

It reminds me of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz as she realizes that she had the power within herself the entire time she was in Oz to get home. You, too, have the power within yourself to be free and live a good life. The other person is not the source for your contentment or security. You may believe he/she is, but this is a false belief.

Sociopaths have no conscience. Many appear to be “normal” members of society and may never physically harm anyone. This does not mean the person is safe to be around. If you suspect that you are having problems in your relationship because your partner is a sociopath do whatever you can to escape.

This will require great strength as I’m sure you have been brain-washed by this person. You will probably be in a trauma bond and are experiencing a form of Stockholm syndrome. Because of the manipulative nature of the sociopath, your relationship will be harder to break free from than other, more “normal” relationships.

The best way to accomplish this is to go “no contact.” Completely cut this person out of your life. Remove him/her from all social media and outlets of communication. File a restraining order if possible.

At first, going no contact will be difficult; but, this will save your life. Going no contact is a “game changer” when it comes to relationships with sociopaths. The manipulative input can no longer come your way when you stop having any contact with the person.

Be kind to yourself. Don’t blame yourself. Sociopaths can manipulate anyone. It’s not your fault. You were operating out of the range of “normal” relating. Sociopaths don’t do that, but most people are unaware that the other person does not have normal relating skills, but rather uses the techniques of seduction and exploitation. The sociopath uses people’s weaknesses to gain control. Remind yourself that it is okay to be weak and that the emotional abuse you’ve experienced is not your fault.

Build your reservoir of self-compassion and self-love. These are essential ingredients for recovery.

Build your personal power. Tell yourself you can be strong and you will be strong. Personal empowerment is the key to recovery. Do whatever you can to empower yourself. This removes your sense of security from an outside source. (The only “outside source” a person needs to be okay is spiritual and should never be placed on another person.)

Move on and build your life. If you find your mind drifting off to thoughts of responsibility for the relationship or feelings of guilt regarding the relationship, practice thought stopping. Don’t allow yourself to feel sorry for the sociopath. Remind yourself that sociopaths are masters at hurting others while at the same time manipulating their victims into feeling sorry for them.

If you would like a free copy of my monthly newsletter on the psychology of abuse, please send your email address to: [email protected].

References:

American Psychiatric Association (2012). DSM-IV and DSM-5 Criteria for the Personality Disorders. Retrieved from: https://www.psi.uba.ar/academica/carrerasdegrado/psicologia/sitios_ catedras/practicas_profesionales/820_clinica_tr_personalidad_psicosis/material/dsm.pdf

Konrad, C. (1999). The Malignant Personality. Retrieved from: http://lifewochaos.blogspot.com/p/sociopath-profile.html

Putman, C., 20 January, 2008. The Unburdened Mind. Retrieved from: https://www.damninteresting.com/the-unburdened-mind/

Sohrabi, S. (2015 Jan 14). The criminal gene: the link between MAOA and aggression (REVIEW). BMC Proceedings. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4306065/

How to communicate with a sociopath - Lifehacker

March 21, 2020 Relationship

Living and working with a person who does not consider the feelings of others is difficult, but possible.

Who is a sociopath

A sociopath is a person suffering from antisocial personality disorder. Such people lack empathy, the ability to understand the experiences of others and emotionally respond to events. Therefore, a sociopath does not perceive social norms and rules, constantly violates them and does not consider other people's feelings. nine0003

Because of their high intelligence and disregard for rules, sociopaths make the best criminals. And although most do not do anything illegal, sociopaths are potential manipulators, ready to use people for their own purposes.

Lifehacker has already told in detail how to crack a sociopath. You need to be on your guard if a person:

at the beginning of communication was charming, but gradually begins to dictate his will to you;
lies a lot and often, writing stories on the go without any problems; nine0016
lives without friends, family, does not talk about the past, but is surrounded by admirers;
prone to sudden outbursts of anger and aggression;
tries to isolate you from society;
narcissistic to the point of megalomania;
likes to manipulate other people to achieve his goals;
knows how to keep an icy calm in stressful situations.

How to properly communicate with him

It is better, of course, not to communicate at all. If you understand that you have a sociopath in front of you who is going to achieve what you want with your help, then it is better to refuse communication in time than to suffer later. nine0003

Easy to say but hard to do, especially at work, with friends or family.

Assess the risk

If you are a suggestible person, easily influenced by others or lack confidence, try to keep communication to a minimum. The more vulnerabilities you have, the easier it is to manage you. It is these people who are the victims of manipulation.

This does not mean that the sociopath should be demonstratively avoided. Just try to do less common things.

Think of yourself

Sociopaths choose victims who are dependent on people who tend to obey instructions. The best way to protect yourself from a sociopath is confidence and independence, your own position and ability to think. The more independent a person is, the more difficult it is to control him, which is why sociopaths do not like them.

It can take years to understand who you are and what you are striving for. Learn new things, communicate with different people and listen to someone else's point of view, but do not accept it immediately. This will help develop independent thinking. nine0003

Learn self-confidence. It's difficult, but necessary.

Do not fall for provocations

That is, do not feed the troll. If you are not being manipulated, then it is not interesting to manage you - a sociopath will quickly get bored. Keep calm in communication, do not go into conflict.

Don't tell a person that he is a sociopath

This will either make him angry or irritate him. And it may well be that the sociopath is not aware of his behavior. In general, do not show that you have figured it out. Maintain polite communication. nine0003

Don't be charmed by him

A sociopath can charm and present himself favorably. But this is not a reason to forget about who is in front of you. Remember that behind the stream of compliments lies some kind of catch.

Seriously, don't give in. A sociopath knows how to poison stories in order to arouse sympathy and sympathy, knows how to prove his importance. This is normal for him, but if you believe and follow, you risk becoming a victim of manipulation in the future. Yes, this is not very good, after all, a person is not to blame for sociopathy and mental disorder. But that doesn't make it any easier for you, does it? nine0003

End a difficult relationship

If you recognize a manipulator in your partner and his behavior poisons your life, try to end the relationship as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the harder it is to break free from a sociopath. While feelings can be strong, relationships with a sociopath are often life-threatening. Take a closer look: maybe this is just your case.

Don't confuse sociopathy with indifference.

Want to put a label on someone who hurt you or acted selfishly? Perhaps there are reasons for such behavior, the person made a mistake and repents. The sociopath made no mistake, does not worry and will do it again - when he needs it. nine0003

It is not easy to end a relationship with a sociopath on your own if you have already fallen under his influence. Enlist the support of friends and family. Get ready for the fact that the sociopath does not accept rejection and will be ready for reckless actions for the sake of your attention.

Warn Others

You don't have to yell on every corner that you've identified a sociopath, but it's sometimes worth warning shared family and friends, especially if you see that someone has fallen under the influence of a manipulator. Help the victim to understand the situation. Of course, you don’t have to fight off a sociopath with a gun, but you shouldn’t completely let the situation take its course. nine0003

Don't be afraid

After all that has been written and said about sociopaths, it's hard not to get paranoid and suspicious of everyone around you. But it is not necessary to write down people with a vile character in this category. And do not think that every sociopath will use you and destroy you.

As already mentioned, a sociopath has a high intelligence, so many people understand that their reactions and behavior are unusual. And not everyone goes over to the dark side: many even ask what to do if they find signs of a dissocial disorder in themselves. nine0003

It is possible to communicate, work and live with a sociopath, especially if self-esteem is normal.

And don't try to change anyone. It is impossible to re-educate an adult.

Think with your head, do as you see fit, then you are unlikely to become a victim. Your confidence and knowledge will help the sociopath see you as an equal rather than a means to an end.

How to become a sociopath and do you need it? What sociopaths feel, the first signs of sociopathy.

Author: Anton Potashev

Summary of the article:

Meaning of the word sociopath
Signs of a sociopath
What does it look like in real life?
Causes and treatment of sociopathy
How do sociopaths feel?
Amazing phenomenon
Sociopathy video test

Recently, the concept of sociopathy has become frequently used. But do we understand its meaning, except that half of it is related to something social, and half to some kind of pathology. But many proudly identify themselves as this category of people and even advise others on how to become a sociopath. For starters, however, you need to figure out what is at stake, maybe it's not worth the risk.

Meaning of the word sociopath

Sociopathy is a term that came from American and European psychiatry, but practically did not take root among our specialists, because few people have heard of it. By it is meant a kind of pathological social behavior with a specific clinical picture.

The word itself is easy to understand, no special explanation is required. It consists of two parts: socio - the first part of any compound words related to society or the science of society; pathia - also part of complex owls related to diseases, pathologies. nine0003

Sociopathy in the scientific world has many variants of sound, but the meaning remains the same:

Antisocial personality disorder;
Psychopathy;
Heboid psychopathy.

The latest (10th) International Classification of Diseases adopted a new name: antisocial personality disorder . It is used today.

The world medical community also decided not to use the term “disease” to describe this disorder, but to use the word “disorder” in practice, since it is not precise, eliminates many difficulties, but at the same time allows you to highlight a group of specific symptoms. nine0003

Signs of a sociopath

Diagnosis, namely diagnosis , is made on the following grounds:

Pathological indifference to the feelings of others;
Disregard for generally accepted rules;
Gross irresponsibility;
Lack of guilt. Sociopaths never admit mistakes, they can always explain them, but they are not without self-criticism, they just have it perverted;

An additional and most dangerous criterion is constant irritability, to which any trifle leads the patient: the smell of food is wrong, the color of clothes, music that does not correspond to his ideas. And then he instantly becomes furious.

This pathology tends to progress. The further the matter goes, the more firmly the patient is sure that he is right. Often such people fall under the influence of sectarian movements, since there they can best fulfill themselves. nine0003

In this video, psychiatrist Denis Solovyov will tell you how sociopaths behave, what antisocial psychopathy and dissocial personality disorder are:

How does it look in real life?

After reading the previous two parts, many will understand that it turns out that we often meet such people in life. Indeed it is. This is one of the problems of modern society. It is not at all necessary that a person with mental disabilities will attack you from behind a corner with a knife. nine0003

No, there are different types of sociopaths:

Passive or hidden, who most of the time behave like decent citizens. But this "decency" must be due to something. Usually by the presence of a stronger ideal nearby, a spiritual mentor to whom he obeys. Often these are religious fanatics who worship the laws of religion. But as soon as someone doubts them, disputes, shows a disrespectful attitude towards faith, how inadequacy will make itself felt;

Often we meet sociopaths just on the street, how else can one explain the aggressive behavior of some drivers on the road, men or women in line to the doctor, inadequate mothers. They do not seem to be doing anything criminal, but they do not think about the safety of others who are indifferent to their losses. nine0003

Causes and treatment of sociopathy

Causes unknown. Pathology began to be isolated relatively recently, the observations made do not yet explain what this is connected with. There are some opinions, but they differ greatly.

Possibly:

Genetic mutation;
Presence of other mental disorders: schizophrenia, mental retardation;
Sequelae of traumatic brain injury;
Or problems of education. nine0016

Such people do not go to the doctor because they are unable to understand the seriousness of the situation. The maximum that a sociopath decides to do is to visit a psychologist and get a course in standard psychoanalysis.

However, the aggressive nature and suspicious character brings everything to naught. He begins to think that the psychoanalyst specifically wants to discredit him in front of others, exposing him as crazy.

How do sociopaths feel?

The problem with these people is perverted sensibility. They are able to understand suffering, but in their own way: they will not worry about a freezing puppy on the street, for example. nine0003

Their imagination is enough to show pity: drown the tormented animal. And they motivate their act by the fact that they saved him from problems, thus, he no longer suffers.

A seriously ill child will not cause tears, because in their opinion the strongest survive in nature. At the same time, the sociopath does not experience the pangs of conscience, guilt, or anxiety inherent in normal people.

The examples given are terrifying, but if you look at our society, you can see that this is the reality. More and more often we pass by, seeing a person lying on the street, filming a burning car on camera without experiencing a natural desire to help. nine0003

Surely, after reading the article, many will find similar symptoms. This is normal, they are inherent in all people. But who did not find signs in himself, most likely has deviations.

An amazing phenomenon

It sounds strange, but some people tend to become sociopaths. It's actually easy to explain. To survive in a big city, to achieve something in life, you have to defend yourself with a wall of selfishness and self-centeredness, cruelty and heartlessness. nine0003

Mask your true self:

Keep communication to a minimum;
Treating others as subordinates, showing one's superiority over them;
Bring to tears with your indifference;
To despair - irritability.

This is quite enough to become a real sociopath. But think, what will happen next , if we all behave like this: we stop adequately assessing reality, we become embittered. From generation to generation, passing on such a manner of behavior, we will destroy ourselves. nine0003

And it all starts gradually: they didn't let an ambulance through on the way to the patient, put the helpless old people out on the street. Then you start to get used to doing cruel, but convenient actions and you stop noticing them behind you.

Everyone will make his own conclusions. But perhaps the time has come not to think about how to become a sociopath, but to think about how not to become one. After all, you must admit that everyone has found some symptoms in themselves.

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