Sociopaths

have you ever taken the MMP test? It told me that i was a sociopath, sexualy confused--I'm a girl damnit!!--and may become a serial rapist.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/384366/Minnesota-Multiphasic-P...

Sociopaths are Manipulative and Conning
They never recognize the rights of others and see their self-serving behaviors as permissible. They appear to be charming, yet are covertly hostile and domineering, seeing their victim as merely an instrument to be used. They may dominate and humiliate their victims.

I can see more women belonging to this description, rather than men. I just think women are naturally more manipulative, with exceptions of course.

Read The Sociopath Next Door. It's a fascinating book.

Some sociopaths aren't manipulative. They don't even realize they are sociopaths. They just live their everyday lives devoid of emotion, not realizing that this is abnormal.

Others are very cunning. Doing whatever it takes to be the top performers of companies. Stabbing however in the back or lying about whatever they need to to get there.

Others cheat, steal, use spouses.

They come in all shapes and sizes!

well thanx this is awesome um sociopaths are like psychopaths except the way a psychopath sees a human being a sociopath sees society : they are ego-driven believe they do not have to pertain to the law because of some trauma placed on the individual by what they feel represented society at that time usually happens repeatedly as a child, addiction is normal , so are problems with the law , they usually are fire starters, bed-wetters, and have an aversion to animals , yes they do manipulate however only in social situations to use people as a means to an end.

anybody fit this!!! actually men are more likely to be sociopaths , however their is an increase in women since the past 5-10 years . so women why??? why not men ???
"yes we are a generation of children raised by women " to quote loosely however the problem isnt another women , more often than not men are moved by other Men!! see in the end Marla is the solution not the problem ...

so we have said women now why women? what is it when you think of women, especially being sociopathic? post a picture rant whatever all of this is great..I am planning to go to the middle east with in the next( me-willing) year or so thanx...i want to hear it.

I was diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder, which is like, one step away from being a Sociopath. However, I believe they're full of shit. Because I'm the most awesome person ever.

The strange thing to me, when it comes to things like sociopathy and anti-social personality disorder, is that it lumps together several traits that I don't see as inherently related. And this makes me wonder why these traits would have a relationship.

When alot of people think of sociopaths they focus on the idea that they don't feel empathy, but there are many other traits assigned to sociopaths. Such as impulsiveness and violent behavior. Along with a laundry list of speculations about what kind of past experiences sociopaths are supposed to have had.

I'm far far from an expert on the subject, but it just seems curious to me that these traits have been lumped together as though all of them, when occuring simultaniously, form a more meaningful condition. What truly is the connection between not feeling empathy and being impulsive? Or the connection between being aggressive and being irresponsible? Or Narcissism and drug addiction? What is the root trait that all those stem from?

I don't know, perhaps these traits do have some sort of meaningful connection to each other. But surely not everyone who does not feel empathy is impulsive. Some of the coldest people I know are excellent at planning. So what do we call those people?

Is a mere lack of empathy even worthy of being called a mental illness?
And isn't there a subtle yet significance difference between being unable to empathize with people and being unable to care about people?

no they do care about certain individuals its just authority figures that are important to society as a whole are dangers to them...for what reason i dont know i believe it has something to do with lack of structure as a child. its just society they hate i.e. the world for whatever developed reasoned inside the psyche.

oh did you noticed i got banned because i didn't lol!

The sociopath you are describing differs significantly from what I've come to understand to be the clinical definition of a sociopath... not that that's automatically a bad thing...

But anywho, what's unhealthy about not liking authority figures? Why would anyone, with the exception of the mentally weak and the emotionally frail, truly ENJOY someone having authority over them?

That's not the least bit true. A sociopath, by definition, does not - can not - feel anything for anyone but his or herself.

You just kept posting away, didn't you?

Psychopaths and sociopaths are considered by the modern psychiatric community to be two sides of the same coin, a fact only brought out more by the fact that the two words are used interchangeably by modern English speakers and that the definitions read similarly. Yet there are key differences.

Definitions
1. According to www.dictionary.reference.com, a psychopath is somebody "with an antisocial personality disorder, manifested in aggressive, perverted, criminal or amoral behavior without empathy or remorse." A sociopath, on the other hand, is "a person, as a psychopathic personality, whose behavior is antisocial and who lacks a sense of moral responsibility or social conscience." Looking at the definitions, it is very easy to see how the two terms can be confused.
Features
2. Psychopaths and sociopaths both fall under the description of anti-social personality disorders, according to the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders version Four), a publication of the American Psychiatric Association, as updated in 2000 (see link below).

Some criteria for anti-social personality disorder include:
• Failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors.
• Deceitfulness.
• Impulsivity or failure to plan ahead.
• Irritability or aggressiveness.
• Lack of remorse.
History
3. Prior to 1994, the words psychopath and sociopath discussed two different classes of individuals. Psychopaths are more likely to be irritable and violent, whereas sociopaths seem to be of more normal temperament but do not do well with societal norms. As of 1994, the two categories were merged under the single heading of anti-social personality disorder (ASPD), as discussed above.

The terminology used by the medical community does not necessarily have much to do with the common usage. In the common use, both terms are essentially interchangeable, although "psychopath" is more widely used to describe individuals who exhibit violent or criminal behavior.
Significance
4. Like many personality disorders, psychopathy and sociopathy capture the imagination. That allows their situations to be discussed, perhaps erroneously, in public venues. They have shaped modern thinking of what is and is not permissible in society, as one of the primary problems of such people is their inability to follow societal norms.

Although psychopaths are notoriously resistant to treatment, there have been some significant strides made in the treatment of sociopathic behavior through behavioral therapy, most notably the use of a reward system in which positive and negative reinforcement are used to promote socially acceptable behavior and discourage anti-social behavior.

I think there's a bit of those traits in everyone. I think what differentiates sociopaths/psychopaths from everyone else is that they have those thoughts and feelings all the time. It's their way of life. I would never wanna see a shrink. They can find something "wrong" with almost anyone. Then you get labelled or stigmatized for life.

A sociopath is a person who has antisocial personality disorder. The term sociopath is no longer used to describe this disorder. The sociopath is now described as someone with antisocial personality disorder.

The main characteristic of a sociopath is a disregard for the rights of others. Sociopaths are also unable to conform to what society defines as a normal personality. Antisocial tendencies are a big part of the sociopath’s personality. This pattern usually comes into evidence around the age of 15. If it is not treated, it can develop into adulthood.

Visible symptoms include physical aggression and the inability to hold down a steady job. The sociopath also finds it hard to sustain relationships and shows a lack of regret in his or her actions. A major personality behavior trait is the violation of the rights of others. This can appear as a disregard for the physical or sexual wellbeing of another.

Although these symptoms are all present, they may not always be evident. Research has shown that the sociopath is usually a person with an abundance of charm and wit. He or she may appear friendly and considerate, but these attributes are usually superficial. They are used as a way of blinding the other person to the personal agenda behind the sociopath’s behaviour.

Many people with antisocial personality disorder frequently indulge in alcohol or drug use. They may use these substances heavily as a way of heightening their antisocial personality. The sociopath sometimes sees the world on his or her own terms, as a place of high drama and risky thrills. The sociopath may suffer from low self esteem, and the use of alcohol and drugs is a way to diminish these feelings.

The causes of antisocial personality disorder are thought to be either genetic or environmental. Children who are influenced by antisocial parents may adopt these tendencies. Similarly, role models such as one's friends or peer group may also influence the behaviour pattern of a sociopath. Antisocial behaviour is more likely to occur in men than in women. About 1% of women have this disorder, while 3% of men are affected by it.

It is very rare for a person with antisocial personality disorder to seek help of their own accord. Treatment for antisocial personality disorder is usually through group psychotherapy. Sociopaths often find it helpful to talk through and recognize their problems with people they can trust. In a number of cases, this type of personality disorder tends to diminish from the age of 30 onwards.