When we speak of sociopathy we refer to a personality disorder currently known as antisocial personality disorder. Unlike what many of us can come to think of as the term antisocial (which is about people who do not like to live with others, who isolate themselves and do not participate in social relationships), people with this type of personality disorder do not have to act in this way, in fact the vast majority is not So. Sociopathy is closely related to psychopathy since people who suffer from it present some very similar symptoms such as the fact that they do not have any kind of remorse for their Actions.
In this Psychology-Online article, we are going to describe in detail which are the personality characteristics of a sociopath, to let you know what their treatment consists of and give you some advice on how to deal with these types of people.
This type of pathology is generally detected and diagnosed from the age of 18, however the Symptoms begin to develop from the adolescent stage and sometimes even from childhood.
Although it seems that sociopathy is a rare disease, there are more sociopathic people than we imagine, it is just that in many occasions tend to mask their true personality since they are people who are very good at performance. Do you want to know how a sociopath acts? Pay attention to its characteristics.
Sociopath: main characteristics and symptoms
Next, we offer you the main characteristics of a sociopath:
- TOact cruelly. A sociopath can behave very harsh and / or ruthless towards another person and then pretend nothing had happened.
- He has no regrets. Despite having carried out certain actions that directly or indirectly affect one or more people, the feeling of guilt or remorse for having it does not appear in their mind done.
- Lack of empathy. He totally lacks empathy since it is impossible for him to put himself in the place of another person, to feel their pain or share their joy.
- Egocentrism. He focuses solely and exclusively on himself and the only thing that interests him about other people is what he can get from them for his benefit.
- Handling. Although they cannot understand or feel it, they know perfectly what are the weak points of other people, especially the most insecure. Therefore, they take advantage of them whenever they can to manipulate, exploit them and obtain all the possible benefits from them regardless of the physical and / or psychological damage that it may cause them.
- Charm. Contrary to what can be expected of a sociopath, they tend to be extremely charming with other people to get what they want from them. They may superficially appear to be trustworthy and / or funny enough when the situation warrants it.
- They lack fear and / or anxiety. These kinds of people don't really get to experience any kind of fear and / or anxiety even in an extremely dangerous situation where your life is at stake. Really before this or any other type of situation that a normal person would generate this type of reactions, they would respond in a calm and safe way having “everything coldly calculated".
- Intelligence. They are people who have a high degree of intelligence and their mental agility is incredible. That is why they regularly manage to be successful in the workplace, reaching high job positions. The downside of their intelligence is that they always use it for their own benefit and to harm others.
- They do not have stable interpersonal relationships. Due to the characteristics of this disorder, sociopaths are unable to connect with people and therefore both the relationship they have with others is quite superficial and is based solely on their interest own self.
- They repeat the same mistakes. Despite the fact that sometimes, when they have been caught committing some serious act or crime, they have been punished, they will never learn the lesson. It is very common that they keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again without caring about the consequences that this may bring.
- Unreliable. These are people who have a high capacity to lie.
- Ease of speech. They are people who have great verbal ability, have a high level of persuasion towards others, they know how, when and when to say things. For this reason, it is very easy for them to be successful, especially economically since over time they achieve establish a good network of contacts, they can easily convince their clients of what they want, etc.
Now that you know the profile of a psychopath, now is the time to know how to treat it through psychological therapy.
The hardest part of treatment for a sociopath is not carrying out the treatment itself and end it, but for the sociopath to recognize that he has a problem and actually has a desire to get over it.
Generally, when a sociopath comes to request help it is because he is feeling discomfort in other areas of her life and it is difficult for him to carry out his objectives and increase his emotional well-being. At first, it is very difficult for him to accept and acknowledge her problem, however if the professional who attends him knows how to use good strategies for him, he can get him to do so.
Psychological therapy
With respect to cognitive behavioral therapy, It is worth mentioning that first a functional analysis and a complete evaluation of the individual's personality profile, their medical history and their context are carried out. After the exact diagnosis is made, it is intervened through a psychoeducation where it is explained in detail to the patient in which her disorder consists, symptoms, consequences, causes, how the treatment is going to be carried out, among others things. In this way, you will also work with the acceptance and recognition that you have this disorder.
Once you have begun to accept this condition, you work with the elimination of the main symptoms that generate more discomfort. It is also reflected through the cognitive restructuring with the patient about her thoughts, feelings and emotions that she is experiencing, trying to modify them for more rational ones.
Her personal values are reestablished and exchanged for others more positive and favorable for him (her) and skills are taught to know how to modify her actions. It is necessary to mention that each case is totally different even if one suffers from the same disorder and therefore it will not be the same treatment for everyone.
First of all, it is necessary to know what are the most obvious signs that indicate that we are indeed facing a person with this type of condition. You can make a reflection about her way of acting and even think if you are a person close to him (her) since on many occasions it is not easy to recognize this type of person. If you are sure that you are dealing with a sociopath, you need to learn to take distance from him (her) Since it could cause you problems on a psychological and even physical level.
If it is a close relative, it is best to attend support groups and with a professional to provide you with the necessary techniques and tools. to live with him (her) in the best possible way, as well as to know how to guide you to try to convince him (in case you are not at risk) to receive help.
If you want to know a little more about a sociopath, we recommend you read this article: Can a sociopath love?
It is necessary to be attentive to any signal that indicates that that person may harm us and, if so, carry out measures to protect our safety. In case of receiving threats directly, it is essential to notify the police.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
