User blog comment:ChristianWallis/A Look into Sociopathy/Psychopathy/@comment-10789912-20160721170757

Diagnosed Anti-social Personality Disorder (improper- Sociopathy) and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (you'll find that the two almost always go hand in hand) here.

First, I'll start by pointing out that newer versions of classifications are starting to add a divide. This divide is not official yet, but is growing. It suggests that "Sociopath" be used for those with Anti-Social Personality Disorder whom have an active conscious and can tell moral lines, and "Psychopathy" for those that do not have those abilities.

Second, psychopathy and sociopathy encase more than just a lack of empathy and sympathy for others- including an inability to put yourself in the place of others. For instance, if something bad happens to someone as a result of your actions, you might not even notice they're going through a difficult time, and may just see them as melodramatic. You'll also find that a wide majority of professional American Football players display psychopathic traits. The ability to remain completely mentally isolated and calm in moments others would crack under stress? Big sign.

The biggest distinctions between Sociopaths/Psychopaths and someone with functioning empathy is just that- the mental isolation and typical narcissism. Often, other people are seen as things/objects. There is absolutely no emotional connection between a Sociopath/Psychopath and someone they are not well acquainted with. Frankly, people can go through awfully traumatic experiences that force them to break down, or gruesome injuries, and a Sociopath/Psychopath will not be affected emotionally at all. People, typically excluding the closest of the close to the individual in question, are more of "worthless things" than a full person with emotions and a mind like them. TL;DR: Sociopaths and Psychopaths won't be emotionally affected when horrible things happen to anyone but themselves, and usually a close group of a few people.

You're spot on with the risk/reward morality. When you don't care if something horrible happens to someone, instead of that being your buffer to not do something, it is instead the fact of "it's not worth 15 years to life in prison". Risk/reward is everything.

Manipulation of others is a key factor in being diagnosed with Anti-Social Personality Disorder. It's one of the biggest giveaways for a Sociopath/Psychopath. Someone can offer something you want? Manipulate them and take it. Other than manipulation of others, there is also typically manipulation of your image. A Sociopath/Psychopath will often, and this connects to narcissism as well, show themselves as the most intelligent person, often pairing themselves with geniuses.

One thing to keep in mind is that it's often the intelligent that develop sociopathic traits, as a result of a cynical worldview and very literal ideology. When you start seeing people as population numbers in a greater picture instead of a human being in and of themselves? That's rather sociopathic. You're taking that distinction away from them and reducing them to a "thing".

Sociopaths and psychopaths are not divided in the manner of their development. Both are typically caused by what you've stated- childhood abuse or molestation, but keep in mind Anti-Social Personality Disorder can also be hereditary. In fact, when diagnosed with it, the first huge question you are faced with is if any of your parents or grandparents fit that description as well. A sociopath/psychopath will likely spawn another. Instead, the divide is rather simple. Other than what I've stated above (Sociopaths can at least have a basic moral line and have a conscious telling them what's a stupid idea), the divide is often in behavior. A sociopath is typically described as someone that can blend in to a crowd, lead a perfect life, is popular, and is extremely manipulative behind the curtains. A psychopath is typically far more ballsy, albeit stupid in their behavior. Far less of a mental restraint.

There are a few more aspects people typically don't read up on, that I will copy (abridged, keep in mind) from the descriptions offered to me in the months leading up to my diagnosis and the papers I read in those said months. Below are some notes you left out about Anti-Social Personality Disorder.

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 * Typically power freaks. Few things are more satisfying than having power over the life of another. In any situation power can be achieved, even minor, it's the priority in the mind of someone with Anti-Social Personality Disorder.


 * They usually see absolutely nothing wrong with them, and as a result, most don't get the diagnosis or seek help at all. They see their mental patterns as completely normal, and until forced to see the point of view of someone with empathy to the point they can grasp it or read up on human psychology, they usually will just believe they are a completely average person with some minor anger and control issues.


 * Many fantasize about things such as murder, rape, cannibalism, and necrophilia for their entire lives, and this is what usually births a killer- when the risk of prison is no longer stronger than the benefit of completing their fantasies in that risk/reward mindset.


 * A massive sign for Anti-Social Personality Disorder is receiving any form of pleasure upon killing animals or playing in gore. Yes, the "Sociopaths and Psychopaths kill small animals in their youth" concept is completely true. They will usually kill animals in increasingly gruesome ways to receive that rush.


 * There are two other personality disorders that go directly hand in hand with Anti-Social Personality Disorder. These are Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Sadistic Personality Disorder. Makes sense that those that feel no empathy and sympathy for others would be sadistic, yes?


 * People with Anti-Social Personality Disorder are often easy to make violent and angry.


 * The sense of reward for Sociopaths/Psychopaths is off. If they do something they see as deserving of a reward, not only do they want it given to them, they want it given to them in that very instant. Sexual relationships with Sociopaths/Psychopaths are not to be leaned on, since Sociopaths/Psychopaths will usually get out right offended when they believe they deserve sex and it isn't offered, feeling as if their reward is being withheld from them.

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 * Since empathy and sympathy aren't felt, relationships of any kind are very hard for a sociopath or psychopath to keep. How can you date someone for months if you can't empathize or sympathize with them at all?

There's my two cents, as someone with Anti-Social Personality Disorder, on your blog.