When we talk about sociopathy we are referring to a personality disorder currently known as antisocial personality disorder. Unlike what many of us may think about 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 personality disorder do not have to act this way, in fact the vast majority do not. 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 type of remorse for their actions.
In this Psychology-Online article, we are going to describe in detail what the personality characteristics of a sociopathto let you know what their treatment consists of and give you some advice on how to deal with this type of people.
12 characteristics or symptoms of a sociopath
This type of pathology is generally detected and diagnosed from the age of 18, however the symptoms begin to develop from the stage of adolescence 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 on many occasions they tend to mask their true personality since they are people who are very good at acting. Do you want to know how a sociopath acts? Pay attention to its characteristics.
Sociopath: main characteristics and symptoms
Below, we offer you the main characteristics of a sociopath:
- Act cruelly. A sociopath can behave in a very harsh and/or ruthless manner towards another person and then act as if 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 done so does not appear in your mind.
- Lack of empathy. He totally lacks empathy since it is impossible for him to put himself in another person’s shoes, 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 obtain from them for his benefit.
- Handling. Although they cannot understand or feel it, they know perfectly well what the weak points of other people are, especially the most insecure ones. Therefore, they take advantage of every chance they can to manipulate them, exploit them and obtain all possible benefits from them regardless of the physical and/or psychological damage that may be caused to them.
- Charm. Contrary to what can be expected from 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 fun enough when the situation calls for it.
- They lack fear and/or anxiety. These types of people do not really experience any kind of situation in the face of even extreme danger where their life is at stake. Actually, in this or any other type of situation that would generate this type of reaction in a normal person, they would respond calmly and confidently, having “everything coldly calculated.”
- Intelligence. They are people who have a high degree of intelligence and their intelligence is incredible. That is why they regularly manage to succeed in the workplace, reaching high positions. The negative thing about 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 cannot connect with people and therefore the relationship they have with others is quite superficial and is based solely on their self-interest.
- They repeat the same mistakes. Even though on occasions, when they have been caught committing a serious act or crime, they have been punished, they will never learn their lesson. It is very common for them to continue 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 skills, they have a high level of persuasion towards others, they know how, when and at what moment to say things. This makes it much easier for them to achieve success, especially economically, since over time they manage to establish a good network of contacts, they can easily convince their clients of what they want, etc.
Treatment of sociopathy or antisocial personality disorder
Now that you know the profile of a psychopaththe time has come to know how to treat it through psychological therapy.
The most difficult part of treatment for a sociopath is not carrying out the treatment itself and ending it, but rather the sociopath recognizing that he has a problem and truly having the desire to overcome it.
Generally, when a sociopath comes to ask for help it is because they are feeling discomfort in other areas of their life and it is difficult for them to achieve their goals and increase their income. At first it is very difficult for him to accept and recognize her problem, however, if the professional who cares for him knows how to use good strategies for him, he can manage to get him to do it.
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, psychoeducation intervenes in which the patient is explained in detail what their disorder consists of, the symptoms, consequences, causes, how the treatment will be carried out, among other things. In this way you will also work with the acceptance and recognition that you suffer from this disorder.
Once you have begun to accept this condition, you work to eliminate the main symptoms that cause the most discomfort. It is also reflected through the cognitive restructuring with the patient about their thoughts, feelings and emotions that they are experiencing, trying to modify them with more rational ones.
His/her personal values are reestablished and changed to more positive and favorable ones for him/her and he/she is taught skills to know how to modify his/her actions. It is necessary to mention that each case is totally different even if you suffer from the same disorder and therefore there will not be the same treatment for everyone.
How to treat a sociopath
First of all, it is necessary to know how to recognize the most obvious signs that indicate that we are indeed dealing with a person with this type of condition. You can reflect on her way of acting and even think about whether you are a person close to him (her), since in many cases 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 problems on a psychological and even physical level.
If it is a close family member, it is most recommended that you 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 guide to try to convince him (if you are not at risk) to receive help.
If you want to know a little more about a sociopathic person, we recommend reading this article:
It is necessary to be attentive to any sign that indicates that this person may harm us and, if so, take measures to protect our safety. If you receive direct threats, it is essential to notify the police.
This article is merely informative, at 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.
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