Psychopathy, while not a clinical diagnosis, often refers to someone with antisocial personality disorder.
Few psychology terms stir up confusion like “psychopath.” Even though it’s commonly (though incorrectly) used to describe someone who has a mental health condition, “psychopath” is not an official diagnosis. Instead, it’s an informal term often used for a condition called antisocial personality disorder (ASPD).
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) does not list psychopathy as an official clinical diagnosis.
The true definition of a psychopath in psychiatry refers to someone with ASPD, explains Dr. Prakash Masand, a psychiatrist and co-founder of the Centers of Psychiatric Excellence. ASPD describes a condition marked by patterns of manipulation tactics and violation of others.
ASPD
Masand says one thing that can be confusing about ASPD is the phrase “antisocial.”
“Most people might assume this describes someone who is reserved, a loner, keeps to himself, etc. However, this is not the case in ASPD,” he explains. “When we say antisocial in ASPD, it means someone who goes against society, rules, and other behaviors that are more commonplace.”
While some clinicians regard psychopathy as a more severe subtype of ASPD, the
Read on to learn more important information about ASPD, such as the signs, diagnostic criteria, and treatment options.
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Since the term “psychopath” is not an official diagnosis, experts refer to the signs described under ASPD. According to Masand, some of the more
- behavior that conflicts with social norms
- disregarding or violating the rights of others
- inability to distinguish between right and wrong
- difficulty with showing remorse or empathy
- tendency to lie often
- manipulating and hurting others
- recurring problems with the law
- general disregard toward safety and responsibility
- expressing anger and arrogance on a regular basis
Other possible signs of ASPD include a tendency to engage in behavior that’s reckless, impulsive, or may lead to harmful consequences.
Masand says someone exhibiting this behavior may also:
- lack deep emotional connections
- have a superficial charm about them
- be very aggressive
- get very angry sometimes
Additionally, people with ASPD may not react as if they have hurt someone, and they may be impulsive or abusive and may lack remorse. In the case of ASPD, abusive doesn’t necessarily mean violent.
In addition to the signs and behaviors, Masand says there are certain characteristics that are more prevalent in people with ASPD:
- ASPD is
more common in men than women. - Technically, to receive an ASPD diagnosis, you have to be at least
18 years old . But some children will show signs of conduct disorder, which may be an early indicator of ASPD. - ASPD is a chronic (long-term) condition that seems to
improve with age , and remittance (no longer showing signs of antisocial behavior) is possible. - Mortality rates are
higher in people with ASPD because of their behavior patterns.
Since psychopathy is not an official mental health condition, the condition experts diagnose is ASPD. This is one of four cluster B
- borderline personality disorder (BPD)
- histrionic personality disorder (HPD)
- narcissistic personality disorder (NPD)
Before explaining the criteria used to diagnose ASPD, it’s important to mention that diagnosing and treating ASPD presents some unique challenges.
According to Masand, ASPD can be difficult to treat because the person who needs help often doesn’t believe there is a problem with their behavior. As a result, they rarely seek treatment.
That said, according to the established guidelines used to diagnose ASPD, the behavior generally
“For most people, the worst of the behavior occurs in the late teen years throughout the twenties,” he explains.
Diagnostic criteria
To get a proper diagnosis, a mental health professional will conduct a full mental health evaluation. During this process, the mental health professional will evaluate a person’s:
- thoughts
- feelings
- behavior patterns
- relationships
The mental health professional will identify symptoms and compare them with the ASPD criteria in the DSM-5.
In order to receive a diagnosis of ASPD, a person must show a pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others. This is indicated by
- failure to conform to social norms concerning lawful behaviors, such as performing acts that are grounds for arrest
- deceitfulness, repeated lying, use of aliases, or conning others for pleasure or personal profit
- impulsivity or failure to plan
- irritability and aggressiveness, often with physical fights or assaults
- reckless disregard for the safety of self or others
- consistent irresponsibility, failure to sustain consistent work behavior, or honor monetary obligations
- lack of remorse, being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another person
The mental health professional will also look at a person’s medical history. This full evaluation is a critical step since people with ASPD often have other mental health and substance use disorders.
Age
Because a true ASPD diagnosis is typically delayed until the
Of the two behavior disorders, CD is more severe than ODD.
When
If an adolescent or teen shows an ongoing pattern of aggression toward others and regularly makes choices in opposition to the rules and social norms at home, at school, or with peers, a clinician may decide to
To receive a diagnosis of ASPD before the age of 18, a teen must also have a previous diagnosis of CD
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“Psychopath” and “sociopath” are often used interchangeably to informally describe someone with ASPD. Since sociopath is also not an official diagnosis, it typically joins psychopath under the umbrella diagnosis of ASPD. There is no clinical difference between the two terms.
Both psychopathy and sociopathy are other terms or ways to describe ASPD. The behaviors that are often seen in both tend to fall under the criteria of ASPD.
While the exact cause of ASPD is not known,
More research needs to be done to understand the genetic aspects of ASPD. Previous research estimates that between
Additionally, some of the environmental triggers of ASPD
ASPD
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Like the diagnostic process, treating someone with traits that fall under the ASPD diagnosis can be difficult. Typically, a doctor may recommend a combination of psychotherapy (talk therapy) and medication.
While
According to a
The researchers in the 2015 review also found that for some people with ASPD, the condition may improve or remit as they get older — with improvement occurring at a median age of 35. They also found that people with stronger social ties and support, such as a spouse or family, were more likely to experience remission.
Psychotherapy may be helpful in understanding how the disorder can impact your life and relationships. A mental health professional will work to develop strategies that help decrease the severity of the symptoms.
If medication is part of the treatment plan, a doctor might prescribe medications that treat related mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, or symptoms of aggression.
Options
- antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or bupropion
- antipsychotics
- anticonvulsants
The word “psychopath” is often informally used to describe someone with ASPD.
ASPD is notthe same as being “antisocial.” It primarily involves behavior that conflicts with social norms, as well as a general lack of disregard for others.
Despite the complexities surrounding ASPD, a mental health professional may be able to identify this condition and offer treatment that can help.
Read this article in Spanish.
FAQs
What's the difference between a sociopath and a psychopath and a sociopath? ›
Many people use the terms sociopathy and psychopathy interchangeably, but they have different meanings. “Sociopath” is an unofficial term to describe a person who has antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), whereas psychopathy describes a set of personality traits. However, ASPD and psychopathy can overlap.
What is the difference between sociopath and psychopath test? ›In a clinical setting, there's no actual difference between sociopathy and psychopathy. A mental health professional won't diagnose either of the two. In these interpretations, psychopathy is sometimes seen as involving more planned behavior.
What are the 7 symptoms of a sociopath? ›- Not understanding the difference between right and wrong.
- Not respecting the feelings and emotions of others.
- Constant lying or deception.
- Being callous.
- Difficulty recognizing emotion.
- Manipulation.
- Arrogance.
- Violating the rights of others through dishonest actions.
There is no "cure" for psychopaths, and they will never be able to change. If they are in prison, psychopaths can be managed with reward-based treatment. But this is simply a means of control, rather than a cure.
Can sociopaths feel anger? ›Sociopaths experience anxiety and find rage far harder to control. They may act without thought and, as a result, they may have a harder time blending in.
What makes a person a sociopath? ›Antisocial personality disorder, sometimes called sociopathy, is a mental disorder in which a person consistently shows no regard for right and wrong and ignores the rights and feelings of others.
What does a sociopath want? ›Sociopaths usually form relationships with people in order to get what they want — be it power, sex, money, status, and so on. "They have little capacity for intimacy, mutuality, and reciprocity in a close relationship," Dr. Durvasula says. So it's very common for them to keep score in their relationships.
Do sociopaths feel fear? ›Do sociopaths have any feelings? Yes, people living with antisocial personality disorder experience feelings and emotions. “These [emotions] may include anger, anxiety, depression, and even fear,” says Hong.
How do you communicate with a sociopath? ›To deal with a sociopath, be strong and calm.
When you interact with a sociopath, keep your guard up and resist the temptation to talk it out or change the person. Remember that sociopaths aren't motivated by love, but by power, so you want to show them you won't give them power over you.
- Trust your instincts. ...
- Keep Records. ...
- Call the person out and defend yourself (carefully). ...
- Never, ever trust that person again. ...
- Leave. ...
- Provide help and support for others.
Does sociopath stare? ›
A sociopathic stare is a look that doesn't involve any sort of feeling or emotion. It is different than when someone looks at you and their eyes light up because they are happy to see you. The sociopathic gaze may be the only way to tell that someone is a sociopath.
What is a psychopaths weakness? ›lack of empathy, guilt, conscience, or remorse. shallow experiences of feelings or emotions. impulsivity, and a weak ability to defer gratification and control behavior.
Do psychopaths have friends? ›Psychopathic individuals have relationships with friends, co-workers, relatives, siblings, parents, romantic partners, and children. These relationships serve their social and material needs.
What do psychopaths eyes look like? ›The various suggested characteristics of “psychopath eyes” seem to echo the general belief that people with ASPD have no emotions to show. These descriptions include: dead, flat, or reptilian-like eyes. very dark irises, or eyes that appear black.
Can psychopaths cry? ›There are some areas where psychopaths may experience normal emotions and grief is one such area. In response to death of a person with whom there is a bond, some psychopaths can experience sadness and this may even bring about feelings of guilt which are otherwise impossible to feel. Crying may be a part of this.
Do sociopaths feel regret? ›The Difference Between Sociopath and Psychopath
Although psychopaths are classified as people with little or no conscience, sociopaths do have a limited, albeit weak, ability to feel empathy and remorse.
A sociopath can sometimes be happy when others simply can't, because they don't have feelings of remorse or guilt. These particular emotions usually don't make us feel happy right away. So in theory, the complete lack of these emotions can result in more happiness.
What kind of music do psychopaths like? ›More than three million people have responded so far, and while online surveys have serious weaknesses, the results so far suggest psychopaths favour rap music over classical and jazz.
Can a sociopath be nice? ›This description may make it sound easy to spot a high-functioning sociopath. But people with ASPD can also be charming and highly intelligent. Often, they know how to manipulate people into doing what they want, so they may come across as friendly and outgoing when it's really all a ruse.
What type of person does a sociopath target? ›The empath.
Often, the person targeted by the sociopath is an empath. Empaths are ordinary people who are highly perceptive and insightful and belong to the 40% of human beings who sense when something's not right, who respond to their gut instinct.
What are the habits of a sociopath? ›
A lack of conscience and empathy, disregard for rules and norms, and impulsive and aggressive tendencies are all common traits of a sociopath. These traits make a person more likely to use, exploit, abuse, or harm other people, so many sociopaths are dangerous people to allow into your life.
Are sociopaths jealous? ›Sociopaths often have dislike “normal people”. And strong jealousy for people more successful than they are. They will gossip and talk behind people's backs. In the beginning, you might feel special for hearing their confessions.
Can sociopaths love their child? ›"Narcissists, psychopaths, and sociopaths do not have a sense of empathy," she told Business Insider. "They do not and will not develop a sense of empathy, so they can never really love anyone." This doesn't change when they have children.
Are sociopaths calm? ›Sociopaths and psychopaths have antisocial personality disorder. This means they have a disregard for others and are exploitative and manipulative. But sociopaths differ from psychopaths. While psychopaths are calm and cool under pressure, sociopaths are more prone to fits of rage.
How do psychopaths react to danger? ›If someone gave you a fright while you were watching a horror movie, you would probably show an “exaggerated startle response” – in other words, you'd jump out of your skin. Psychopaths react far less intensely in such fear-evoking situations. If anything, they remain calm.
Do psychopaths get angry easily? ›Psychopaths are, however, more likely than average to experience anger is in response to frustration (Blair, 2012). Thus, rather than being chronically likely to construe any high arousal state as anger, psychopaths appear more likely to experience anger primarily in response to frustrated attempts to achieve a reward.
Are psychopaths quiet? ›Psychopaths tend to speak slowly and quietly
A 2016 review of studies, published in the journal Aggression and Violent Behavior and highlighted on Inc., found that psychopaths tend to speak slowly and control their speech more so than non-psychopaths.
Uninhibited by conscience, they initially assess the utility of those around them freely and equally. They then tend to narrow their choices to those they find unusually trusting or vulnerable. Sometimes, simply having normal personality traits qualifies an individual as vulnerable.
How do you beat a sociopath at his own game? ›- Don't play their game. They can't win if you don't play with them. ...
- Play their game, and beat them at it. ...
- Assertive non-compliance. ...
- Let them expose themselves. ...
- Reveal little about yourself.
Studies show psychopaths usually speak in a controlled manner. They don't emphasize emotional words like other people do. Their tone remains fairly neutral throughout the conversation. Researchers suspect they craft a calm demeanor intentionally because it helps them gain more control in their personal interactions.
Can a sociopath love you? ›
“It's common when a sociopath enters into a relationship to behave very lovingly or otherwise affectionately toward their partner—at least at the beginning.” Sociopaths can be charismatic, charming, and flattering, and “someone with APD can seem to love others when it suits their end goal,” adds Manly.
What do you say to a sociopath? ›Never talk about personal things with a known sociopath. If they try to ask questions or get you speaking, quickly change the subject and move on. Talk about neutral topics, including sports, politics, or the weather. Any other subject of conversation is better than what is going on with you or how you feel.
Can a sociopath live a normal life? ›Both psychopaths and sociopaths present risks to society, because they will often try and live a normal life while coping with their disorder. But psychopathy is likely the more dangerous disorder, because they experience a lot less guilt connected to their actions.
Are sociopaths loners? ›Sign of Sociopath: Lack of empathy
People with antisocial personality disorder don't feel empathy for other people, Cohen says. Understandably, this makes it difficult to maintain relationships or friendships and many sociopaths tend to be loners.
The data reveal that across both listening and talking conditions higher affective psychopathy is a significant predictor of reduced eye contact (listening: r = -. 39; talking: r = -. 43). The present findings are in line with previous research suggesting impaired attention to social cues in psychopathy.
Can psychopaths get scared? ›Summary: Researchers have found proof that psychopathic individuals can feel fear, but have trouble in the automatic detection and responsivity to threat.
What are psychopaths attracted to? ›They will find themselves more attracted to men who are more like little boys, spontaneous and irresponsible, so they can step in and straighten everything out. Women like this don't feel quite alive without someone to care for. They are often susceptible to one of a psychopath's favorite weapons — gaslighting.
What do psychopaths struggle with? ›Lack of Empathy
Psychopaths struggle to understand how someone else might feel afraid, sad, or anxious. It just doesn't make sense to them as they're not able to read people. A psychopath is completely indifferent to people who are suffering—even when it's a close friend or family member.
Psychopaths are not impervious to love's benefits, and they suffer when they're absent. Though they are largely disassociated from feelings of sincerity and vulnerability—emotions which are central to forming strong romantic bonds—psychopaths are not impervious to love's benefits, and they suffer when they're absent.
How do sociopaths behave? ›Some people develop unhealthy and rigid thinking, emotional, and behavioral patterns that affect their work and relationships. Individuals with ASPD do not follow social norms and show no regard for other people's rights or feelings. People may sometimes refer to them as sociopaths.
Can sociopaths feel emotional pain? ›
Do sociopaths have any feelings? Yes, people living with antisocial personality disorder experience feelings and emotions. “These [emotions] may include anger, anxiety, depression, and even fear,” says Hong.
What does a sociopath want? ›Sociopaths usually form relationships with people in order to get what they want — be it power, sex, money, status, and so on. "They have little capacity for intimacy, mutuality, and reciprocity in a close relationship," Dr. Durvasula says. So it's very common for them to keep score in their relationships.
Can a sociopath apologize? ›Sociopaths might even apologize or put themselves down if it serves some greater purpose in the game they are playing.
Does sociopath stare? ›A sociopathic stare is a look that doesn't involve any sort of feeling or emotion. It is different than when someone looks at you and their eyes light up because they are happy to see you. The sociopathic gaze may be the only way to tell that someone is a sociopath.
Are sociopaths calm? ›Sociopaths and psychopaths have antisocial personality disorder. This means they have a disregard for others and are exploitative and manipulative. But sociopaths differ from psychopaths. While psychopaths are calm and cool under pressure, sociopaths are more prone to fits of rage.
Do sociopaths feel regret? ›The Difference Between Sociopath and Psychopath
Although psychopaths are classified as people with little or no conscience, sociopaths do have a limited, albeit weak, ability to feel empathy and remorse.
A sociopath can sometimes be happy when others simply can't, because they don't have feelings of remorse or guilt. These particular emotions usually don't make us feel happy right away. So in theory, the complete lack of these emotions can result in more happiness.
What kind of music do psychopaths like? ›More than three million people have responded so far, and while online surveys have serious weaknesses, the results so far suggest psychopaths favour rap music over classical and jazz.
Are sociopaths jealous? ›Sociopaths often have dislike “normal people”. And strong jealousy for people more successful than they are. They will gossip and talk behind people's backs. In the beginning, you might feel special for hearing their confessions.
Can sociopaths love their child? ›"Narcissists, psychopaths, and sociopaths do not have a sense of empathy," she told Business Insider. "They do not and will not develop a sense of empathy, so they can never really love anyone." This doesn't change when they have children.
Who is a high functioning sociopath? ›
The people who have an easier time engaging in these dishonest behaviors may be called high-functioning sociopaths. Indeed, someone who's high functioning often comes off as charming and warm, while hiding behaviors and conduct that's often anything but.