The word "sociopath" paints a picture in the head frightening maniacarmed with an ax, with traces of blood of innocent victims on his hands.
In fact, such people are perfectly skilled at imitating social normality.
Close contact with a sociopath threatens with psychological trauma and ruined life, so it is very important to recognize it at the initial stage of interaction.
Sociopathy: what is it - the meaning of the word
What does a sociopath mean?
Sociopathic personality disorder is combined with psychopathy in the latest edition of the authoritative American reference book on mental disorders.
Psychopath and sociopath - is there a difference? Experts no longer consider the disease separate.
Both belong to a broader concept - antisocial personality disorder. In other words, psychopath and sociopath are different names for the same person.
While the experts have not come to a common opinion, what is the complete description of sociopathic personality disorder.
But for each sociopath there is a bright feature - a complete lack of empathy, that is, a person is not able to empathize with other people, they are selfish to an extreme degree. The expression “mother will sell her” - about them.
The remaining characteristic symptoms:
- pathological deceit;
- a violation of attachment (inability to maintain a long warm relationship);
- tendency to shocking actions: positive and negative;
- extremely aggressive behavior of the individual when it is impossible to achieve the desired;
- demonstrative violation of social norms.
The disorder is pronounced, and then it is easy to recognize. More often sociopaths skillfully hide their features, most of them have an IQ above average.
Men are more susceptible to the disease: there is one sociopath for four sociopaths.
Sociopathogenesis - This is the process that creates the prerequisites for the development of pathology.
Already on the stage of formation of the disorder the young sociopath demonstrates emotional dullness, irritability, excessive impulsiveness, weak character.
Arguments about a positive attitude towards injustice and evil are another characteristic feature of sociopathogenesis.
Sociopath: who is it?
What does a sociopath mean? Sociopath is a person devoid of conscience.
According to the severity of sociopaths are divided into 2 types:
- Active wear a mask of normality as long as it is profitable. When there is a chance to commit an unseemly act (including a criminal offense) for their own benefit, they will certainly take advantage of it. Serial killers, maniacs, persecutors fall into this category.
- Passive (latent) can not commit a shocking act in a lifetime. Such people are subject to the influence of third-party authorities, such as public opinion or religious principles. Representatives of this category do not violate the law, only people conventionally called relatives suffer from their behavior.
According to the peculiarities of behavior, 2 types are also conventionally distinguished:
- Highly active (sometimes mistakenly called high-functional or highly intelligent). This type is characterized by a developed intellect, the ability to build social ties, the ability to manipulate. It is about such people, when they are still seen in criminal acts, they say: "Yes, this is a great guy, he could not do this!". Examples from the cinema: Sherlock from the eponymous American TV series, Dr. Bykov from "Interns".
- Imperious sociopath straightforward and shows bad quality without embarrassment. Petty tyrants, bosses, husbands-tyrants, mothers who suppress children are from this category. Examples: stepmothers from Russian fairy tales who send stepdaughters to be devoured by wolves.
Where does it come from?
And there is no exact answer to this question, only versions:
- family and environment;
- genetic predisposition;
- transferred stress in childhood, head injuries.
For a long time it was assumed that the main reason for the development of the disorder is improper upbringing. This theory calls into question the fact that children brought up by sociopath parents often grow up as normal people.
It happens and vice versa: the child becomes a carrier of personality disorder, although he grew up in a prosperous environment.
Most experts believe that the main cause of the disease - genetic defects.
Studies have shown that an EEG of people diagnosed with sociopathy is different from a similar study of a healthy person.
But what kind of violation entails such consequences - unknown.
Diagnostics
Recognize a sociopath - the skill is useful, there are not so many of them (about 1% of all people on the planet), but they are very active and try to charm everyone around just in case.
Only a psychiatrist can make a serious diagnosis. But if a person has found in himself or close people 3 or more of the 10 symptoms listed below, then this is a reason to be wary.
So:
- Intentional damage of things - more often strangers. Sometimes the desire to harm through the destruction of property takes another form - a sociopath hides important documents or objects, using them later, depending on the circumstances. For example, a husband constantly hides his wife's passport in order to instill in her the thought of her own mental illness.
- Inability to self-analyze. A person does not have the ability to determine cause-effect relationships. Each time he makes the same mistakes, without drawing conclusions from previous experience, and even acts to the detriment of himself.
- Increased aggression leads many sociopaths to the dock. In a fit of rage, they are capable of physical violence. Some individuals suffering from a disorder are not inclined to give up (usually out of fear of conviction), which does not negate their malignancy.
- Constant lies - compulsory satellite sociopath. A person lies for any reason and even for no reason, often confused in his own deceit and forgetting what he has told and to whom. For example, the lady tells her friend that the groom presented her a new fur coat, and the next day she tells the same friend that she earned herself a mink herself, settling for a highly paid position.
- Repeated stay in prison testifies to the identity of the person to antisocial actions.
- No fear neglecting the safety of their own and those around them. A striking example is aggressive driving behavior, including drunk driving.
- Man realizes that he is doing badly, but doesn't feel guilty. The feeling of complete permissiveness gradually develops.
- Threats, harassment, blackmail. They are applied to those who “spotted” a sociopath and hurt him, or at least have such an opportunity. Usually they are former partners (less often - partners).
- Availability grand plans in words and the lack of attempts to implement them in reality.
- Irresponsibility. Even if a person is caught in a bad deed, he blames everyone around him: wife, husband, parents, president.
Sociopath and responsibility are incompatible concepts, he will always shift the blame on the one who is next.
Symptoms always accompanying the disorder:
- dependence of any kind (alcohol, play, food);
- labor instability: frequent job changes, conflicts with colleagues;
- the inability to start a family: permanent marriages and divorces, sometimes with the same partner;
- manipulation of others for profit;
- ridiculous and unreasonable claims to close people ("not that" facial expression);
- obfuscation and reinterpretation of facts.
Sociopaths are easy to lie and manipulate because guilt is not familiar to them.
Often sociopathy is accompanied OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), manifested in obsessive actions, reminiscent of rituals. This may be an excessive desire for cleanliness: a shower five times a day or a daily thorough cleaning.
How to treat and how to avoid?
How to deal with sociopathy? Disorder can not be completely cured. The main difficulty of treatment lies in the fact that a person does not see shortcomings in his behavior.
Sometimes an individual thinks: “What if I am a sociopath?”. The very thoughts that have arisen on this account indicate that man is healthy, but could be under long-term destructive influence.
Real sociopaths do not suspect themselves of anything bad, self-criticism is completely alien to them. A person who has found problems in himself and has independently turned to a specialist is not a sociopath, disorder does not imply the ability to self-analyze and repentance.
Sociopath comes to the doctor only under pressuremost often partner (partner). And the motive is the fear of losing a wife or husband, and with it, certain benefits, and not the desire to change.
Psychotherapy corrects only manifestations of the disorder.: a person learns to comply with the norms of behavior, take into account the wishes of loved ones
There can be problems here: it is difficult to trust a psychotherapist to a sociopath, in addition, he can try to manipulate a doctor too.
Some specialists immediately refuse to work with such patients not believing in the possibility of a positive result.
Medication the disease is not treated, only associated symptoms: depression, anxiety. If necessary, the doctor prescribes antidepressants, barbiturates or tranquilizers.
Stop being a sociopath willpower will not work: these are not the whims of a person, but a serious personality disorder.
It is possible to reduce the manifestations of sociopathy only with a long course of psychotherapy and with a high motivation of the patient (for example, in case of fear of being abandoned by a regular partner).
Sociopathy is a matter of chance, but help your child parents can not become a sociopath. Reasonable education, without excessive severity or, on the contrary, softness on the verge of promiscuity, will help to grow up a healthy person in all senses.
Communication: how to behave?
A normal person is better off not having anything to do with sociopaths.. If, nevertheless, a person with pronounced manifestations of the disorder is among friends or colleagues, certain tactics will help:
- Do not try to beat the sociopath. Firstly, it is extremely energy-intensive, and secondly, it is impossible. On his side - the lack of conscience, which keeps a normal person in the framework.
- Do not be afraid. Sociopaths are cowardly when they feel rebuffed. They rarely carry out threats; greater pleasure to destructive people gives fear of sacrifice.
- Do not re-educate a person: not to conduct soul-saving conversations, not to offer a trip to the doctor. Such an approach can only provoke an attack of sociopath aggression.
Sociopath husband: what to do, how to live with him?
From spouse with personality disorder better to leaveas soon as the worst fears in the diagnosis were confirmed. The second option is to try to cure as much as possible.
But you need to be ready not only to spend all your life on correcting the behavior of your husband, but also to endanger your health and well-being of children.
Sociopaths have magnetic charm and long enough sincerely admire their partner. Then the woman at one moment is dropped from the pedestal and becomes disagreeable in everything: moral, and sometimes physical, violence begins.
The cycles of idealization-depreciation can be infinite, with bright intervals will be reduced, and the bad - increase.
For sociopath such games are just fun.
The range of his emotions is not rich: fear, envy, disgust. Therefore, he "squeezes" out human partner's feelings.
For the psyche of a woman emotional swings are disastrous. The wives of sociopaths always suffer from neurosis, depression or suicidal thoughts. Given the manipulative impact of a sociopath on the victim, it is possible that a woman will need outside help.
If for some reason it is impossible to part with the destructive spouse, the wife best to use the tactics of "gray stone": Do not give bright reactions to any actions of the husband, often complain about the problems and diseases.
Sociopaths do not like boredom and difficulties, it is likely that the partner himself will leave the woman alone.
The image of a sociopath is romanticized in cinema and literature. In real life - these are dangerous people, from which a normal person, if he plans to remain so, should stay away.
Who is a sociopath in simple words:
