Sociopathy - signs, causes, treatment

Sociopathy (dissocial disorder or antisocial psychopathy) is a mental pathology of behavioral reactions. A person suffering from this syndrome is unable to form harmonious relationships with others. He does not distinguish between normal and illegal behavior, and does not adhere to the rules of decency accepted in society.

Who are sociopaths, people completely devoid of conscience, shame and guilt, constantly demonstrating aggressiveness and viciousness? This disorder is common in modern society. Sociopathy affects about 3% of women and 5% of men. The vast majority of them (80-85%) become criminals.

A sociopath is a potential criminal

History of antisocial psychopathy

Considering the phenomenon of sociopathy, scientists adopt the dogma according to which it is believed that every born personality initially has two categories of existence:

1. Biological. Man is the most intellectually advanced biological creature.
2. Social. The human personality lives in society from birth. By constantly communicating and contacting with their own kind, humanity has created writing, customs and culture.

For thousands of years, such a property as humanity has been formed and strengthened in the human gene pool. Modern man is a creature with initially formed habits of socialization, which include the perception of upbringing, moral norms, culture, and ethics.

A sociopath is a person who is unable to become a full-fledged member of society . According to psychiatrists, disturbances are noted already from conception. Due to an error in the formation of the gene system, hereditary memory does not “awaken”, the makings of social norms are not formed in the individual.

In simple words, a sociopath is a person who is sick at the genetic level and, due to a congenital disorder, is unable to socialize and adapt to the realities of everyday life.

A sociopath is a person who does not fit into society

Let's start with a boring definition, but it's just to understand what is what. So, the word sociopathy (or rather the concept) has become widespread and popular among ordinary people mainly thanks to films, TV series, literature and the media.

Let's take, for example, the inimitable Sherlock Holmes from the recently discontinued series. Here he is, an example of a real refined sociopath. Or not? Let's figure it out.

In the medical nomenclature of diseases (DSM-5), sociopathy is interpreted as dissocial personality disorder . This already says something, but let's go into a little more detail.

A person susceptible to symptoms of this disorder will exhibit:

1. asociality;
2. impulsiveness;
3. aggressiveness;
4. inattention to one's own safety;
5. irritability;
6. lack of guilt and shame.

Due to the set of such qualities, it is difficult for people susceptible to this disorder to build long-term and strong relationships with loved ones and find new friends. Excessive temper prevents you from listening to your interlocutor or making concessions, and the lack of shame prevents you from apologizing for your behavior.

Life of a Sociopath

If we consider any mental disorder, we can see that disorders manifest themselves at different levels, depending on the age and living conditions of the patient. As for sociopathy, medium and high levels of pathology stand out more clearly. They are detected in a person from early childhood.

Child with dissocial disorder

A small sociopath is characterized by an increased level of aggression and self-esteem, bordering on powerful egocentrism. Aggression affects everyone. Such a child can calmly deliberately throw a stone at a baby, kick a dog/cat, steal money from his mother’s wallet, or try to steal something from a store.

To understand what a sociopath is, the definition of the disorder can be obtained by observing such a child. The first signs of sociopathy appear at different times:

1. Boys. The onset of the disease can be noticed in them already in preschool age.
2. Girls. But among representatives of the fairer sex, sociopathy begins to manifest itself during the transitional period of adolescence.

Little sociopaths actively oppose parents and family members and are deliberately disdainful of family values. Such children do not experience any remorse at all; they have no sense of shame. They do not feel guilty, even if they are caught stealing.

A sociopathic child is unfamiliar with shame, conscience and guilt.

Often, sociopathic children justify their misdeeds with contrived outside influence, carefully abdicating responsibility. Everyone is to blame, but not them. When observing aggressive children, it is necessary to be able to distinguish between genetic sociopathy and pedagogical neglect .

The manifestation of both directions is very similar. But the behavior of a pedagogically neglected child can be corrected with the help of experienced psychologists, teachers and parents. But a genetic disorder requires regular corrective sessions with child psychotherapists and the use of medications.

How is pathology diagnosed?

The diagnosis of “sociopathy” is made according to a number of basic criteria identified in the child:

1. Explaining committed illegal actions by the mistakes of others.
2. Complete denial of socially accepted rules of etiquette, laws, behavior and decency.
3. Inability to build and maintain friendly relationships with peers.
4. Ignoring other people's opinions, showing complete indifference to the feelings of other people.
5. Manifestation of sudden, uncontrollable aggression when it is impossible to get what you want and satisfy your own needs.
6. Complete absence of feelings of guilt and shame. A sociopathic child cannot evaluate his own behavior and give an adequate assessment of his misdeeds.

If at least three signs are present, doctors diagnose “dissocial disorder.” Such symptoms are constant; for sociopaths, antisocial behavior is the everyday norm. This poses a threat to the safety of not only the patient himself, but also those close to him.

If a disorder is detected, it is necessary to monitor the child for a long time. After all, innate traits of nature can be mistaken for sociopathy: impulsiveness, cruelty, irritability, selfishness.

Sociopathy very often occurs against the background of additional mental illnesses or becomes a consequence of more severe personality disorders (psychosis, schizophrenia).

Growing Up Sociopath

The older such a child becomes, the more sophisticated and thoughtful the disease manifests itself. The patient absolutely does not perceive attempts to reach his conscience. The only thing that can slow down an aggressor is fear of severe and severe punishment .

The patient acts according to the law of the animal pack: he did something bad, he earned pain (punishment). To avoid further pain, you need to refuse such an act in the future. These are conditioned reflexes characteristic of wild animals (trainers are guided by such reflexes).

A sociopath lives by the laws of an animal pack

How to recognize an adult sociopath

To understand that a sociopathic personality has crept into the ranks of friends or colleagues, pay attention to the characteristic signs of a sociopath:

Lack of morality . This sign manifests itself in a love of violence, torture, and bullying. When a sociopath witnesses a tragedy happening to his loved ones, he does not feel compassion or pity. Such a person cannot sympathize and never admits guilt.

Irresponsibility . Vividly manifested in teamwork. A sick person always thinks only about himself. In achieving his goal, he will resort to lying, stealing and other recklessness. It is impossible to come to an agreement with him and there is no need to count on a responsible approach to work.

Tendency to lie . Sociopathic individuals are distinguished by highly developed intelligence. The older sociopaths become, the more subtle and sophisticated their lies become. To realize his plans, the patient uses all his innate ability to charm and charm. And he's no stranger to acting.

A sociopath, if desired, is able to win over any person and instill in him the desired thought.

High level of narcissism . For someone with antisocial disorder, self-enjoyment is very important. Such people do not perceive and react aggressively to any (even mild and unobtrusive) criticism. They demand constant praise and admiration, causing such a reaction by any means.

Desire to take risks .
Sociopaths have an uncontrollable appetite for risk. They love dangerous, life-threatening actions and behaviors. A simple peaceful life for such a person is boring and uninteresting. Adult sociopaths use sexual overtones to create risky situations. They will try to get the thrill by any means.

Two types of sociopathy in women

Who is a sociopath: 10 signs of the disorder Photo: Depositphotos
Typically, sociopathy in women occurs in a milder form than in men. The disorder can occur against the background of schizophrenia, alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling addiction, and brain diseases. Experts distinguish two types of sociopathy: active and passive.

Active sociopathy

An active sociopath is sociable, often the life of the party. But she is not able to empathize or have compassion for other people.

For women with this disorder there is no word “no” - they can do anything. That is why they sooner or later end up in prison.

Characteristic features of active sociopathy:

• Women lack the ability to think and act strategically;
• They cannot maintain their impulse - therefore they are often addicted to gambling, drug addiction, and alcoholism;
• They cannot keep their attention on one thing, so they often change jobs;
• Prone to aggression, theft, vagrancy, promiscuity.

Sociopaths become prostitutes or hangers-on and kept women of oligarchs - that is, they enter into relationships for profit.

Passive sociopathy

Only a specialist can recognize a passive sociopath. As a rule, those around her have no idea about her disorder - only her close ones know.

These women have a limiting factor - something they are afraid of: public opinion, superiors, God, etc. Therefore, their disorder is not so obvious. But there are characteristic features of passive psychopathy:

• Lack of disgust;
• The house is a walk-through courtyard, and the hostess herself is hospitable, helpful, and loves feasts;
• Cannot take responsibility for his life, for the future;
• Can’t control the impulse – gets involved in alcohol, drugs, gambling;
• Hot-tempered;
• When something doesn’t work out, he can’t stand it and tries to cope with difficult emotions with the help of alcohol and drugs;
• Constantly gets into unpleasant stories and situations;
• Men perceive such women as an intermediate option when they need to rest somewhere. But no one is planning a family or children with them.

Causes of female sociopathy

A combination of factors leads to female sociopathy:

1. Genetics - the disorder could have occurred in distant ancestors, for example, in a great-grandfather. And appear after several generations.
2. Psychological factor. For example, a codependent mother will raise a sociopath (codependency is a pathological attachment on an emotional or physical level). There may also be childhood psychological trauma.

Women who are sociopaths do not consider themselves sick and do not go to treatment, even forcibly. In this case, psychotherapy is needed by their loved ones.

The dangers of sociopathy

Dissocial disorder is not always the cause of a person’s withdrawal from society. On the contrary, sociopaths, striving for worship and adoration, become excellent manipulators. They are seductive, cunning and intelligent.

In the process of long-term communication, a sociopathic personality identifies the vulnerabilities of the interlocutor and subsequently uses them for his own benefit. Many famous serial killers are representatives of the class of sociopaths:

• Chikatilo (one of the most famous sadistic maniacs of the 20th century has more than 60 victims);
• Jeffrey Dahmer (US serial killer responsible for the deaths of more than 20 people, killed with extreme brutality);
• John Gacy (the famous American “killer clown” who took the lives of more than 30 young men and teenagers).

They successfully charmed future victims and gained their trust. They were then lured into traps and killed mercilessly. Famous historical figures-tyrants are also classified as sociopaths: Caligula, Hitler, Stalin.

People with sociopathic disorder can often be found among:

Religious fanatics . Sociopaths, with their inherent egocentrism and addiction to violence, often create sects and teachings. Guided by their own ego, such “gurus” reshape accepted religious teachings, creating their own philosophical concepts. Violence, murder, and sadism often flourish in these sects.

Perfectly mastering eloquence, sociopathic sectarians, by the power of their persuasion, subjugate the masses of people, forcing them to carry out their plans.

Lovelace scammers . The ability to charm any person plays into the hands of sociopaths who want to live at the expense of others. Such people quickly fall in love with women, potential victims. Having robbed her dry, the sociopaths abandon her in pursuit of their next passion. The pain and confusion of an abandoned and betrayed lover gives sociopaths incredible pleasure.

Sociopaths can pretend to be anyone to achieve their goal.

How to distinguish sociopathy from social phobia

The meaning of the word sociopath is often confused with social phobia. Social phobia also refers to psychoneurological diseases. But the behavior patterns of a sociopath and a social phobe are diametrically opposed. Social phobes are distinguished by the following characteristics:

1. They are afraid to speak in front of large numbers of people.
2. They are not at all prone to displays of aggression and are able to sympathize with the people around them.
3. They can get rid of their phobias on their own by training willpower and cultivating the missing qualities.
4. They are prone to panic attacks, which can be dealt with by experienced psychologists (a psychiatrist and psychotherapist work with sociopaths).
5. They are afraid to start conversations with strangers (in a store, at work). They are even afraid to make an important call. Social phobes simply don't know how to start a conversation.

Violence

While it is generally accepted that sociopaths and psychopaths are inherently dangerous, this is more a construct of television drama than a true reflection of the disorder. Violence, while certainly possible, is not an essential characteristic of either sociopathy or psychopathy. With that said, people with APD will often go to great lengths to manipulate others, whether it be to overpower, manipulate, disarm, or scare them in order to get what they want.

When psychopaths do become violent, as in the case of Jeffrey Dahmer, they can also harm themselves just like others. Martens notes that the more a psychopath feels socially isolated, sad, and lonely, the higher his or her risk for violence and impulsive and/or reckless behavior.

What to do if you are surrounded by a sociopath

Child . If a child suffers from sociopathic disorder, parents should immediately seek help from a child psychotherapist. A little sociopath requires careful diagnosis and long-term correctional work to normalize behavior. Correction is carried out with the direct participation of teachers and parents.

Acquaintance (colleague) . If you are “lucky enough” to encounter a sick person in your immediate environment, you should distance yourself from such a person. Keep all contact and communication to a minimum . Remember that it is impossible to appeal to his conscience and try to re-educate him. This is a sick man.

Boss . The best solution would be to change jobs. If it is impossible and unprofitable to change services, make adjustments to your communication with such management. Don’t say anything personal or unnecessary, don’t give in to his emotions and desire to subjugate.

How are sociopaths different from psychopaths?

Both are forms of antisocial personality disorder

"Sociopath" is a term people use, often loosely, to describe someone who clearly has no conscience. In most cases, this description needlessly designates a person as hateful or worthy of hatred. The same applies to the term "psychopath", which to many people suggests a sociopath who is simply more dangerous, like a mass murderer. Both of these are not only inaccurate descriptions, but also unpleasant.

From a clinical perspective, people who are sociopathic or psychopathic are those who exhibit signs of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), characterized by a pervasive disregard for the rights and/or feelings of others. Sociopathy and psychopathy are considered two types of APD.

While psychopaths are classified as having little or no conscience, sociopaths do have a limited, albeit weak, ability to feel empathy and remorse. While psychopaths can and do follow social conventions when it suits their needs, sociopaths are more likely to fly off the handle and react violently when faced with the consequences of their actions.

Willem H.J. Martens, in his infamous article “The Hidden Suffering of the Psychopath,” states that psychopaths sometimes suffer from emotional pain and loneliness. Most of them lead lives filled with pain and are unable to trust people, but like all people on the planet, they too want to be loved and accepted. However, their own behavior makes this extremely difficult, if not impossible, and most are aware of this. Some feel distressed by actions they cannot control because they know it further isolates them from others.

Sociopathy from a medical point of view

Sociopathy is a mental illness of a genetic nature. Dangerous and serious personality disorder. To understand how to treat a patient, it is necessary to assess the depth of the disorder and identify the cause of the disease.

There are many opinions about the causes of sociopathy.

How do people become sociopaths?

Psychiatrists, studying the origins of the disease, are inclined to conclude that the following situations become the trigger in the development of sociopathy:

• criminal environment;
• congenital gene mutation;
• excessive parental care;
• physical brain injuries;
• drug addiction and alcoholism of parents;
• lack of education and proper attention;
• traumatic childhood events of a social nature (loss of loved ones, ending up in an orphanage);
• hereditary factors (in the presence of blood relatives with severe mental disorders).

Types of antisocial psychopathy

Sociopathy is a serious disease that accompanies a person throughout his life . The quality of the patient’s existence and the perception of him by those around him directly depends on the category of mental pathology. Sociopathy is divided into two types:

Active . This type of mental disorder is characterized by the absence of any kind of restrictions in the actions of a sociopath. Such patients live guided only by their own desires, not paying attention to the needs of others.

A highly active or domineering sociopath is particularly cunning and thoughtful. He may not break laws if he feels some benefit from this, and even demonstrates obedient and responsible behavior.

Patients with an active form of sociopathy have a tendency towards crime and complete social disorientation. Cinematographers have created images of active sociopaths: remember Dr. House, Sherlock Holmes (played by Benedict Cumberbatch). These heroes are active sociopaths.

Passive . A passive sociopath is a more hidden personality in the manifestation of mental illness. Such a patient is characterized by manipulation, thoughtful steps in communicating with people without violating accepted laws. They tend to create their own traditions and restrictions.

Despite the lack of conscience, compassion and feelings of guilt, these individuals can get along in society, partially following generally accepted rules.

Summarize

Sociopathy is the most dangerous personality disorder because these people are unpredictable, inconsistent and uncontrollable. There are no laws, moral and ethical standards for them.

In ordinary life, it is not easy to recognize a sociopath - these are sociable, charismatic people who feel the interlocutor well and masterfully adapt to him. But close communication is fraught with psychological and even physical injuries. Sociopaths are alien to compassion, pity, respect, affection - they evaluate people from the position of “benefit or disadvantage.”

10 signs will help you recognize a sociopath. If a close relative suffers from the disorder, follow the rules we described. In any case, you need to be in touch with a psychotherapist and follow his recommendations.

Material prepared by: Alexander Sergeev Cover photo: Depositphotos

Treatment of sociopathy

Treatment of sociopathic mental disorder is a complex and difficult task. The difficulty lies in the fact that a sociopath does not see any problems at all, and considers his antisocial behavior to be completely normal.

But even if such a person asks for help, the psychotherapist has difficulties in establishing a trusting relationship with the patient . They are necessary for a successful adjustment. It is difficult for a sociopath to maintain a routine and obey recommendations. When carrying out corrective treatment, doctors apply two main rules:

1. The presence of an experienced psychiatrist is mandatory.
2. Initiation into the results of therapy of a minimal amount of the patient’s environment. This is done to strengthen the patient’s trust in the treating specialist.

When treating a sociopath, doctors also resort to medication. The patient is prescribed antidepressants, sedatives and hormonal drugs. All aggressive medications are prescribed in small doses so as not to cause addiction in a person.

Definition

Sociopathy is a human emotional disorder, manifested in antisocial, impulsive, sometimes aggressive behavior, and inability to form close relationships. People suffering from sociopathy are not adapted to life in society. They are conflict-provoking, regularly cross the line, and violate socially prescribed laws and rules. They do not know how to empathize, have compassion and pity, they are cynical, self-confident, deceitful. They have difficulty experiencing disappointments and are unable to get rid of aggression peacefully. They tend to blame others for everything, do not learn from their mistakes, sanity is the norm for them.

Recently, people have increasingly begun to cover up their antisocial behavior by claiming that they are sociopaths, but not simple ones, but highly active ones. In fact, a true sociopath is unable to admit that he is not like that.

Sociopathy and social phobia should not be confused. The second term means fear of committing any public actions, actions that will be evaluated by the public.