Author: Carolyn Miles

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When you hear the word sociopath, the first thing that comes to your mind is the word crazy.

To define the word sociopath, the term “socio” comes from a Latin word “socius” meaning “comrade, friend or ally.” While in the modern world, we define “socio” as “society or social.” Setting the word “path” from sociopath or any path is the “path” that is not the word that we understand as “the way.” It is a Greek root word for “path,” meaning “feeling or disease.”

Many people get crazy at times, but at least those people are not a person with a social disease. People love people, and they like to talk and bond together, but what if you encounter one without knowing it? Let us define, describe, and understand what a real sociopath can do. Are they just fine to be our brother, sister, mother, father, cousin, aunt, uncle, or friend? Is their disorder manageable? Are they dangerous to themselves and others?

What Is A Sociopath?

People who are sociopaths can be considered antisocial. Psychologically speaking, it is a term to describe somebody who has ASPD or Antisocial Personality Disorder. “He doesn’t want to conform to social norms and willfully destroys property, steals or manipulates others for personal profit, or overindulges in pleasure-seeking behavior. For example, he speeds, drives while drunk, engages in risky sex, or uses drugs,” according to Donald Black, MD.

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How can they be so harmful if they are antisocial anyway? These people with ASPD do not understand other peoples feelings and being selfish to the point where they use mind games to control people, break the rules, being manipulative and being manipulative includes being charming as well. Being charming is like the web of a spider, and people fall for that.

Sociopaths can be dangerous to the people around them because they break the rules without thinking of others, as long as their wants and desires are achieved. There is no empathy. As Bill Eddy LCSW, JD said, “sociopaths can have some hidden and dangerous personality features.” They also make impulsive decisions as if it’s their usual way of living, and their actions are hasty too, without feeling some sympathy or feeling guilty for the harm they may cause as they want to satisfy themselves. As the reason why they are antisocial is that they are selfish to the point that they could hurt people feelings.

How Can We Recognize If A Person Has Antisocial Personality Disorder?

People with Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) don’t see themselves as someone who has this disorder. In fact, they feel invincible and dominant. There is nothing wrong with them, or so they think. They will never realize that they have a problem until others intervene for them.

A person’s behavior must show at least three of the following seven traits for being a person with antisocial personality disorder:

• They do not respect social norms or laws. People with ASPD consistently break the law or overstep social boundaries.
• They lie, cheat, deceive others, use false identities, and use people, even their family, for personal gain.
• They do not make long-term plans. People with ASPD also act impulsively without thinking of the result of the effect of such action.
• They also have aggressive behavior. These people get into fights.
• They do not consider their safety and the safety of others.
• They don’t follow up on responsibilities. This may include being late to work or not paying the bills on time.
• They don’t feel remorse or guilt for harming and mistreating others. “The sociopath will still lack empathy and attachment toward the greater society and will not feel guilt in harming a stranger, or rebelling against laws, ” said Kelly McAleer, Psy.D. in her online article titled ‘Sociopathy vs. Psychopathy’.

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Next week, another blog about the topic of sociopathy will be discussed. The categories of sociopathy, the difference between Sociopath and Psychopath, will also be touched. Plus, the treatment for such disorder will also be tackled.

Until then, have a great week!

Feeding my curiosity in sociopathy leads me to study more in-depth on what and who these sociopaths are.   In most readings and videos, even movies about sociopathy

According to Daniel J Winarick Ph.D., “Antisocial does not mean shy, withdrawn, detached, loner, or quiet. The “social” in antisocial refers to social norms and rules. Individuals with ASPD have no regard for the rules, norms, and laws of society.”

Continue reading “The Fears Of A Sociopath”

Have you met someone or have fallen for someone who is diagnosed with a disorder? Did you ever ask yourself if your soul mate, the person you adore, desire, love, and maybe can live without is a sociopath? If you have been reading or watching criminal documentaries and series, sociopaths are the serial killers, not psychopaths. These people have no remorse when they kill, unlike psychopaths who have that realization moment after they have done the deed.

Sociopaths usually act like they are such caring people. They “show” that they can provide warmth, kindness, joy, and even affection. To others, this seems like they are in love. But if you take a closer look, a sociopath is defined as the person who has an antisocial personality disorder. An individual with that disorder is characterized by lacking in empathy. “A sociopath is not trustworthy or dependable and has few friends and hollow relationships.  Sociopaths can be incredibly deceptive and have the tendency to be disloyal to their mates.” said  Tracy Smith LPC, NCC, ACS. With their sociopathic characteristics, it’s very unnerving that someone like this can look very similar to a person indeed in love. This is very baffling, so, ask yourself, “Are they capable of loving?”

Are They Capable Of Loving, Or Being In A State Of “Falling In Love?”

To answer that question, we have to make the meaning of love suitable as to the way sociopaths understand it. How? Well, for them, love is like controlling and manipulating people. With that distorted thinking, we can claim that sociopaths are capable of loving and being in love.

Sociopaths are capable of loving when:

• Love is an instrument used to trick and dominate someone.
• Love is more feigned than experienced and serves as an ulterior motive.
• Love is like a letter written in water rather than emotions felt by the heart.
• Love is a feeling of entitlement and authority rather than sentiment and endearment.
• Love is a promise told for gain rather than an expression of commitment and security.
• Love is equal with sex as a mere brief and insincere sexual pleasure, and not the lovemaking of two sacred people being as one.
• Love involves seeing others only as targets and opportunities.

To a sociopath, real love is a love of himself, supremacy, and the game of life. When love is a deep feeling of affection, sensitivity, closeness, and connection between people, then, sociopaths are not capable of that. The real essence of love is impossible for a sociopath.

What Is it Like Falling In Love With Or Loving A Sociopath?

A sociopath is a predator, who charms his victim with great motive because he senses the chance for his advancement. To win a person’s trust, he will start with the courtship and shapes her identity to match that of her victim, a perfect fit, like finding a soul mate.

But as soon as he gets bored and gets what he wants, the thrill is gone, and he moves on. It can be abrupt, leaving the victim confused and hurt. “A sociopath can be really good at faking feelings of love,” Darrel Turner, PhD , a forensic psychologist from Louisiana said, “It’s common when a sociopath enters into a relationship to behave very lovingly or otherwise affectionately toward their partner—at least at the beginning.”

It is possible to be in love with a sociopath. But can they love back? Yes, but only by his definition of love, a cunning, heartless, and detached kind of love. “Some people seem to have no regard for others and can cause harm to them without any regret or feelings of guilt. When this behavior is pervasive, a person may have a chronic mental health condition known as antisocial personality disorder. Sometimes people with antisocial personality disorder are called “sociopaths,” said Kathleen Smith, PhD, LPC.

So, if someone tells you that sociopaths can love or is capable of falling in love, DO NOT BELIEVE THIS PERSON. Sociopaths do not understand the real meaning of love, for they are selfish and think only of themselves.

 

There was never sociopathology in the eyes of some sociopaths, and others try to expand their understanding of themselves.   Self-mastery is their craft.

Battlefield Is In Us

We have come to the era where the battle of the minds and hearts reveal that it was never the battle of arms.  It is the battle in your mind, and that it is vicious.   It is intense, unrelenting, and it is unfair because Satan never plays fair.  And the reason why it is so fierce is that your greatest asset is your mind.  The Invisible War (1965), Donald Grey Barnhouse.

 

Impulsive Antisociality

A sociopathic person’s real deal was to redefine and unfollow the set of standards, rules that bend you to follow.

The mind of a sociopath cannot entirely be understood, the mere fact that they are classed as anti-social in our society is just one of the reasons why they don’t want you to subject them. According to Daniel J Winarick Ph.D., “Antisocial does not mean shy, withdrawn, detached, loner, or quiet. The “social” in antisocial refers to social norms and rules. Individuals with ASPD have no regard for the rules, norms, and laws of society.”

Studies show that in every 100 adults, three are sociopaths. Different factors characterize sociopathic behavior, and there are reasons why they act the way they do.

Sociopaths tend to violate the rights of others without feeling guilty about it because the disorder makes them lose their moral ground to subject what is good and what is just.  They have a sense of deceitfulness, and they love manipulating others to get their wants or desires.  Sheri Jacobson, Ph.D  said in an online article that, “Sociopaths are willing to sacrifice other people’s comfort in order to pursue their selfish goals. They may use manipulation or aggression as a means to get what they want. Simply put, they put themselves above anything else, and they are not afraid to use whatever means necessary to satisfy their own needs.” They are incredibly charming at convincing you to have what they want, disregarding what is right to others, intentionally breaking the laws without reason or the mere fact that this gives them a sense of satisfaction.  A sociopathic person is incapable of understanding what others might feel. The inability to empathize makes it easy for them to manipulate and deceive you.

 

Not All Are A Nuisance To The Society

Sociopaths have two sides, the well-functioning and the less. The well-functioned sociopaths have a ground in society.  They manage to contribute something new to the world whether it is bad or good.  Sociopaths who are also community members encourage the nation to bring the best out of them continually. By doing so, they give immoral acts or unorthodox ones. To test how far the community can go, they either cause pandemonium and wrongdoings and the fact that chaos breeds order is always in their mind. “It is true that there are high functioning sociopaths,” said Kathleen Smith, PhD, LPC. “But they are not the norm.”

The Brain Is A Mysterious Puzzle

We cannot say that sociopaths are incapable of achieving what an average person can do, but some can and they will. The mind of a sociopath is exceptionally complicated. You might wonder, “What could be the thoughts of a person who is without moral ground?” They never base their survival on moral acts; it’s always about the survival of the fittest.  The greatest enemy is the human mind, the complications it has, and the rationality of our beings depends on how we see and perceive what reality to us is.

The judging eyes of others are enough to create a sociopathic behavior in any person. The truth that we are just another brick in the wall by the so-called “elites” is enough cause to have a sociopathic behavior. The real question, therefore, is, “How well can we manage to bend at ease with sociopaths around us?”

A sociopath doesn’t always look like the main character from “Dexter.” Just like any other disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder takes place on the scale. Sociopathy is a real condition. Sociopaths don’t always equate to serial killers. Study shows that 3.8% of people from the US are diagnosed with ASP. And it is very unlikely not to be friends with one having this condition.

This well-known psychiatry professor at the University Of Iowa Carver, says, “It’s a syndrome characterized by lifelong misbehavior.” He also added that people suffering from ASP have a habit of being impulsive and deceitful and at the same time does not have a conscience.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, below are the signs that signify Sociopathy.

Relationship Struggle

People are suffering from Antisocial Personality Disorder struggle with forming emotional bonds, which makes their relationships unstable. They would rather exploit people around them for their advantage, instead of creating a more profound link with them. A person with ASP may want to connect with others, but he has one thing in mind – he will form a superficial relationship and use that person for something. According to Preston Ni M.S.B.A., “In personal relationships, sociopaths  often initially entice with their superficial charisma and calculated charm, before revealing their cruel and uncaring nature over time (i.e., after a committed relationship is established or an important agreement is made). They deceive, manipulate, and abuse in relationships without remorse, leaving their victims wounded and traumatized by their utter lack of decency and empathy.”

Less Empathy

Those people experiencing ASP are well-known for their lack of empathy. A deep-seated rage is at their core and mostly are not able to feel any guilt for their actions. Black mentioned that when a person doesn’t feel remorse, they are freed to doing anything unpleasant that may take place in their minds.

Being Manipulative

They may appear very charming yet secretly aggressive and domineering. They see people as tools that they can use for their advantage, and they are not remorseful of it.

Aggression

Sociopaths are aggressive because they interpret the behavior of others as such, which makes them want to get vengeance. It is their thinking, and most of the time, it is not correct that other people are showing aggression towards them. “The driving force with sociopaths (and they have lots of energy) is to dominate others. This may or may not involve breaking the law. They want to dominate people in order to get things from them, such as their possessions, money, sex, business partners, homes, cars, investments, reputation and so forth,” said Bill Eddy LCSW, JD.

Insensitivity

People with Antisocial Personality Disorder shows no concern about the results of their actions and how it would be of effect to others. They are that insensitive, as long as they are getting what they want, and when they want it.

Impulsivity

Every individual has that “impulse” decision at times, but for sociopaths, it is normal to be unreasonably impulsive and spontaneous. As Kathleen Smith, PhD, LPC said,  sociopath “..are at high risk of incarceration due to impulsive behaviors. They’re also likely to have a shorter life expectancy due to impulsive behaviors like substance abuse and criminal activity.”

Being Deceitful

Those who are affected by Antisocial Personality Disorder have no problem lying calmly and easily. They often exaggerate things when it is beneficial for them. Being truthful is impossible for them.

Being Irresponsible

Sociopathic patients are usually indifferent to responsibilities, and they are ignoring normal obligations as they pile up. They don’t care about it.

Having Risky Behavior

Sociopaths often find themselves being involved in risky behaviors- not concerned about the devastation they cause to others nor themselves. Promiscuity, alcoholism, compulsive gambling, drug abuse is familiar to them. This study will reveal that your ex may have a psychopath condition on the loose.

The disorder may be considered mild. People with the said are telling lies or trouble with their partners. But still, it is not a surprise if someone has the said condition are robbers or even murderers.

 

The clinical term for someone with this mental health condition is antisocial personality disorder ASPD. You might think that your child has been extremely unusual behavior and that said behaviors might be a sign of him having antisocial personality disorder.

There are now many medically reviewed research studies by therapists and mental health professionals  indicating that mental disorders (such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and antisocial personality disorder ASPD etc.) are serious threats to a person’s mental health and may be cause for concern.

These studies can help you understand how these unusual behaviors can affect your child’s life. Keep reading to learn more about sociopathy.

Child Sociopath

According to the diagnostic and statistical manual, sociopath disorders in children are a very controversial topic. These symptoms can also be because of a conduct disorder. There is a lot to identify and set boundaries about it, but don’t jump to any conclusions about aggressive criminal behavior and personal gain without an official diagnosis. It may be signs of an antisocial personality disorder ASPD, but it might just be a behavior that they happened to learn.

This behavior of kids includes a lack of empathy (but not like psychopaths) and might disregard the consequences of their actions at one point. Being psychotic is different. A person with a psychotic personality disorder does not have a care in the world whether their actions are affecting themselves and those who surround them. This is very reckless behavior as part of a personality disorder that can become dangerous as well, both to a person’s physical and mental health.

“Stealing from family members, compulsive lying, bouts of violence, self-centeredness, and a seeming indifference to looming consequences are just a few of the heartbreaking behaviors parents have to witness firsthand,” says Joseph Lee M.D.

According to the manual of mental disorders, the consequences of sociopaths to them are just threats that their parents are saying and they are not scared of these threats.  They do not care if they offend a person’s feelings, hurt someone, or disregard their parent’s wishes. To them, they are only doing what they want to do, even if it’s a negative thing. This is why personality disorders such as sociopathy are considered antisocial behavior or antisocial traits. It’s not just part of their personality. It’s real disorder with harmful consequences.

Sociopath

 A child may lie once in a while to get away with trouble, but early signs of sociopathy are when a child frequently lies without any reason. They only do it because they like to and see no reason to be guilty about it. They are masters of manipulation and can easily manipulate others.

According to psychologist Paul Frick of the statistical manual of mental “Kids with mental health issue tendencies, though, are unrepentant. On a larger scale, this sort of lying without any emotional attachment can be dangerous.”

They might think that hurting someone is healthy or that not following their parents is okay. Thus, there is an antisocial or sociopathic tendency that always lying is nothing to them because they do not care or have no remorse if their parents get mad. In fact, they do not care about people’s feelings. They’ll focus more on control and the persistent pattern of breaking rules.

Sociopath Origins

A Lack Of Empathy

An antisocial personality may be the result of becoming numb over time due to traumatic experiences that led them to be a sociopath. Again, someone who is sociopathic does not have a care in the world, even if something bad could happen to another person. They only care about others for personal gain. He or she could do something terrible, like push a playmate or hurt another social child, or would watch the other person suffer without any reaction whatsoever and will not offer any help.

According to a peer-reviewed studies expert, the situation happened when a person who is diagnosed as a sociopath or personality disorders pushed another kid into a hotel pool, sat down on a chair, and watched the kid sink to the bottom of the pool without him feeling guilty, scared, or worried. He did not offer any help or call for help.

These types of personality traits or sociopath tendencies are alarming. A diagnostic and statistical manual expert would agree that the lack of empathy might soon build personality disorder and impulsive behavior similar to a sociopath and other mental health conditions.

They Can Be Very Manipulative

A lot of children can be a bit manipulative in an adorable way. As parents, we often see this as a form of sweetness so they can get what they want but a sociopathic and mentally-disturbed child being manipulative is different.

A person with a mental health conditions such as conduct disorder can be manipulative without you realizing it because they have thought it through and have calculated each action that you will not even notice. They can be outright authoritative without showing any little emotion.

They Display Violence And Rage

During childhood, it is usual for a child to display example of anger, especially when provoked. These mentally-disturbed children are showing an alarming rate of violence and rage daily without any reason.

In addition to that, “the four areas of behavior include aggression to people and animals (often bullies, threatens, or intimidates others; has been physically cruel to people; has been physically cruel to animals); destruction of property (fire-setting or destroying property); deceitfulness or theft (has broken into someone else’s house, building, or car; has stolen items of nontrivial value).” says Seth Meyers Psy.D.

This could be dangerous, especially if your child has other siblings around. Mentally disturbed children could get hurt and could hurt other children because of this.

Always Love Your Children And Do What’s Best For Them

It can be hard to grasp for no matter what, you will always love your children and think of the best for them. But you cannot deny these actions if mentally-disturbed children are still on display and other people are noticing them.

Thus, consider the environmental factors associated with antisocial personality disorder. That way, you can at least have a chance to improve your kids’ personal relationships.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, these are the signs in which your child could be sociopathic. It will be hard to admit to yourself, but it all starts with you. If your child is displaying these symptoms, it is time you get the help you and your child needs.

Do not think about the embarrassment or humiliation that you and your child could experience but think about getting your child to be better. This is not just for you and your family, but for the people and support group communities around you as well.

Final Thoughts

Luckily, many researchers are looking for ways how to treat a child that is mentally challenged and can even prevent this early warning psychopathy checklist from developing ASPD. You will get the right help you need so that your child can normally live, just like any loving and caring child. Just like any other social norms. Also be aware of any other possibilities, such as bipolar disorder.

You might think this condition is irreversible, but that is not true. Today, a lot has been developed, including how to treat antisocial behaviors or antisocial personality disorder.

With the right effective treatment and comprehensive therapy for possible sociopathy or ASPD, your child could lead a healthy normal life and grow up to be the right person.

Seek help from a certified mental health professional to secure your kids emotional well-being. Ask for help for advice diagnosis or treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a sociopath vs psychopath?

Which are worse, psychopaths or sociopaths?

Is it possible to love a sociopath?

What are a sociopath’s weaknesses?

Can sociopaths cry?

What’s the difference between a narcissist and a sociopath?

What makes a sociopath angry?

What are the early warning signs of sociopathy in a relationship?

How do sociopaths behave?

How do you confront a sociopath?

How do I know if I’m a sociopath?

Do sociopaths feel guilt?

Do sociopaths feel empathy?

What are some types of personality disorders?

Falling in love with the right person can feel like you have won a lot of things in this life. However, it can also be problematic especially if you start to notice that the one you love and care for has been hiding a secret from you. At the same time, you may also find yourself in a situation where your partner suddenly turns out to be someone who is not. It can be heartbreaking if you do not know how to handle a situation – especially if you are already planning to start a family.

Continue reading “Dealing With A Bipolar Lover 101”