In the field of psychiatry, sociopathy is defined as "antisocial personality disorder" and indicates a pathology that prevents the patient from adapting to the ethical and behavioral standards of his own community. A sociopath can become a threat, exhibit criminal attitudes, organize dangerous cults, and cause harm to himself and others. A person can show several signs of sociopathy, such as absence of remorse, contempt for the law, and a habit of lying.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Recognizing the Characteristics of a Sociopath
Step 1. Pay attention to the personality and behaviors of the individual
A sociopath is often extremely charming and charismatic. Her personality can be called "magnetic" and, for this reason, she gets a lot of attention and praise from others. A sociopathic individual also has strong sexual energy, strange fetishes, and may be addicted to sex.
- A person suffering from this disorder almost always has a tendency to assume the right to occupy certain positions, to possess things and people. He believes that his views and beliefs are the absolute truth and despises the ideas of others.
- Typically, these are not shy, insecure, or speechless individuals. They have difficulty dealing with emotional responses such as anger, impatience or disappointment, verbally assault others and react hastily to these emotions.
- They can also show an innocent look. It is as if they are playing a character in a play, with very careful demonstrations of their personality. They can appear innocent or particularly sweet, which is easy to believe, because they are very good actors. You shouldn't take the first impression you have of them for granted; if you don't know such a person well, it can mislead you into thinking he is sweet or innocent. The only way to understand a sociopath's true personality is to know them well. If you follow your intuition, you may get the feeling that their "character" is too simple to be real. Non-sociopaths are genuine people and not a perfect picture of a simplified personality.
Step 2. Consider the person's past and present behavior
A sociopath displays an overly spontaneous and courageous attitude; it gives the impression of acting outside the reality of social norms and engages in bizarre, risky or outrageous activities, without evaluating the possible repercussions.
- Sociopaths can be criminals. Since they have a tendency to disregard the law and social rules, they may have a criminal record. They could be scam artists, kleptomaniacs or even murderers.
- These people are "licensed liars". They make up stories and make quirky, incredible, but very convincing statements, flaunting confidence and determination.
- They hardly tolerate monotony, get bored quickly and need constant stimulation.
Step 3. Evaluate the relationships the individual has made with others
The way a human being interacts with other people is a very good indicator of sociopathy. A disturbed person is very adept at convincing their audience to do what they want, either through charm or more aggressive means. The result is that friends and colleagues find themselves acting as the sociopath wants.
- People with this personality change are unable to feel guilt or shame for their actions. When they hurt an individual, they feel no remorse; they seem completely indifferent or try to rationalize their actions.
- Know that they are manipulators; they attempt to influence and dominate the people around them and have a tendency to occupy leadership positions.
- These individuals show no empathy and are unable to love. Although, in some cases, they give the impression that they care about a person or a small group, in reality they have great problems feeling emotions and it is very likely that they have never had a healthy romantic relationship in the past.
- Sociopaths have great difficulty dealing with criticism. They often want approval from the rest of the group because they feel they have a right.
Part 2 of 3: Dealing with a Sociopath
Step 1. Tell someone what you are going through
If you are in a romantic relationship with someone who abuses you or you work with a colleague who treats you with contempt, talk to someone. If the relationship becomes abusive or you fear for your safety, ask for help and distance yourself from your partner. Don't try to manage this individual alone, ask a friend or family member for help.
If you are a victim of domestic violence, call 1522 or 112 emergency service
Step 2. Keep a safe distance from this person
If the sociopath you're dealing with isn't part of your family or your partner, then walk away from him. If you continue to spend time with this individual, your quality of life will suffer.
- Stop making contact with the disturbed person and, if you can, avoid all those situations or places where you might meet them.
- Tell her you need space and ask her not to call you.
- If this individual does not cooperate or refuses to leave you alone, then consider changing their phone number and other contact information. If he continues to pester you, go to the police and report him for stalking.
Step 3. Deal with a sociopath with caution
If this is an individual that you cannot or do not want to remove from your life, then be very cautious when you find yourself discussing their behaviors with them. Before addressing the subject, remember that this is a disturbed person, who is irritable by nature, defensive and potentially violent. Ask a friend or other family members for help and arrange for them to intervene in case of hostile reactions.
- Avoid accusatory statements and don't point out specific mistakes this person has made. Instead, focus on outlining the overall situation and let her know that you are anxious about her health. You could start the conversation by stating that you are worried and would like to help her.
- Don't talk about your feelings and how this person hurts them. Sociopaths show no reaction to this type of argument.
Part 3 of 3: Understanding Sociopathy
Step 1. Remember that sociopathy and psychopathy are not the same
These are two psychiatric pathologies not yet fully understood but, according to various researchers and theorists, different from each other. The DSM-5 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (V revision), which is used by psychiatric physicians, provides a description of antisocial personality disorder that has many features common with sociopathy and psychopathy. These latter pathologies are not diagnosable as antisocial personality disorder, but some research has found that they are specific disorders belonging to the category of antisocial disorder, with which they have several aspects in common. Here is a short list:
- Contempt for laws and social customs.
- Inability to recognize the rights of others.
- Inability to feel remorse or guilt.
- Tendency to engage in violent behavior and attitude.
Step 2. Look at the main indicators of sociopathy
In addition to showing signs of an antisocial personality disorder, some sociopathic individuals may exhibit other characteristics. Most of these are related to a lack of conscience, while psychopaths are believed to have absolutely no conscience. Listed below are some sociopathic personality traits:
- Compulsive lying.
- Extreme self-esteem.
- Tendency to anger.
- Inability to hold a job or stay in the same place for too long.
- Sentimental relationships based on possession, to hide the fear of abandonment.
- Social ties preferably with emotionally vulnerable people.
- Any crime committed is disorganized and spontaneous, without planning.
- Continuous pursuit of flattery.
Step 3. Remember that the cause of sociopathy is still unknown
Some research seems to suggest that there is a genetic factor, others point to a denied childhood or abuse. One study, in particular, showed that 50% of sociopaths inherited the disorder through their genetic makeup. However, it is undeniable that environmental factors and other conditions may be the cause of the pathology affecting the rest of the sociopaths examined by the research. Due to these conflicting results, it is not possible to identify with certainty the origin of the sociopathy to date.
Advice
Remember that being a sociopath does not automatically mean being a criminal or a bad person
Warnings
- Do not attempt to diagnose a person as a sociopath and do not recommend that someone you feel is disturbed to see a psychiatrist. If you suspect that an individual is a sociopath, use this information to help you manage them and ask for help if you feel in danger.
- If you feel like you are a victim or threatened, call the police. Don't try to resolve the issue yourself if you fear your life is in danger.
