Sociopathy , also known as antisocial personality disorder , is a psychiatric illness characterized by a lack of adaptation to social norms and by a lack of remorse, empathy and guilt.

What is a sociopathic person?

On many occasions, sociopathy is confused with psychopathy ; and sociopathic people are described as murderers, madmen, criminals, etc., when in truth, the reality is very different; A sociopathic person does not commit crimes or crimes where he steps, they are people who act normal and without standing out from the rest.

This does not mean that they are the same as people considered normal for society. The difference is that a sociopathic person has no conscience , does not feel remorse or feel guilty if they do something wrong or disobey socially ethical norms.

What aspects characterize people with sociopathy?

A sociopathic person, or with antisocial personality disorder, behaves in a normalized way. However, the fact that it is not detected with the naked eye and that they are not so easily differentiated from other people, does not mean that their behavior is the same as theirs. People with this disorder have certain characteristics that stand out and make them easier to detect:

– They do not feel guilt or remorse: These types of people do not feel pain or remorse, nor do they accept their guilt when their words or actions cause the people around them to be harmed. They only think of themselves and their own benefit.

They usually blame the other for what happens or what happens to them, thus putting themselves in the role of victim continuously. In the event that they admit their guilt, it will be because that way they win or get what they want.

– They manipulate people: Sociopathic people manipulate people to get what they want, either directly or indirectly. As a rule, they take advantage of the most vulnerable people, detecting their weaknesses and using them to their advantage, without it being barely noticed or even noticed.

Their ability to manipulate and deceive is so good that it can even appear that they really feel guilty, thus gaining the trust of the other person or getting what they want with that attitude. But if we stop to observe their behavior carefully, we can see that it is not sincere or honest, they only act that way for benefit.

– Acts abruptly or cruelly : As we have said before, the person who suffers from psychopathy has no regrets or feels guilty, so when it comes to interacting with others, they are cold, acting abruptly, even sometimes cruel, without taking into account the feelings of the other person, etc; all in order to get what they want and achieve their goals.

– Lies repeatedly: These types of people lie continuously, whether about their past, their present, what they do, what they know, etc. They see as something normal to base their life on a lie, since in this way they mold everything for their benefit. Moreover, very often, sociopathic people feel bad telling the truth.

– They show themselves charming : These people show themselves to people as charming, with a lot of empathy and they know how to act or what to say so that others feel important and special, such as appearing nice, funny, trustworthy, etc; that is to say, they have a high gift of people. However, a sociopath has antisocial tendencies, even going as long as weeks without human contact, and not becoming depressed or needing that social interaction.

– They have a lot of intelligence : They tend to think that they are very intelligent people, capable of adapting any situation to get something beneficial from it, with a great capacity for learning. However, it doesn’t have to be that way.

This characteristic is what makes them dangerous people, since they use this intelligence to manipulate people and achieve their goals, hurting others if necessary and covering all their tracks.

– They do not show emotions or feelings: Sociopaths do not usually show emotions or feelings, whether they are pleasant or unpleasant. What they can do is interpret and make them believe that they feel them. Still, not all people with sociopathy are the same, and they can feel those emotions.

– They have a lot of ego : They tend to have a very high level of self-centeredness, believing in this way the most important people, the best, etc. For this reason they are not affected by criticism and they believe that acting on their behalf they act correctly, even that for this reason the legal and social norms, etc; they do not apply to them.

– They do not regularly enter into intimate relationships : As we have said before, people with this disorder have antisocial tendencies, so they withdraw from their relatives and do not usually establish friendship or love relationships with other people. Also, they only see the rest as tools to achieve their goals.

– They stare into the eyes: Not all people with antisocial personality disorder do, but there are those who enjoy staring into the eyes when they speak, seeing how the person feels uncomfortable, pressured and more easily manipulated. What’s more, with these types of attitudes they make the people with whom they engage in conversation believe that they are telling the truth, that they are upfront, sincere and trustworthy.

What signs do people with sociopathy show?

In addition to all the characteristics mentioned above and that help us to detect if we are dealing with a sociopathic person, we must bear in mind that they present the following behaviors and traits:

– They disobey the law on a regular basis.

– They constantly lie and cheat on others.

– They act impulsively , without thinking about the consequences and without planning for the future.

– They can be prone to aggressive attitudes , causing fights and disputes.

– They have little regard for the feelings and emotions of the people around them.

– During childhood they tend to show aggressiveness towards animals or weaker people.

– They are irresponsible people and do not usually comply with their obligations or tasks, both legal and personal.

– They do not feel remorse or guilt when their actions hurt or make people suffer.

– The first symptoms usually appear at the age of 15, but its true peak is in the middle of adolescence. 

Elle Mcdonald

I am Elle Mcdonald Specializations in Psychology . Graduated in psychology from the University of Tennessee in 2000. Diploma of Advanced Studies in the Department of Personality, Evaluation and psychological treatments with excellent results.

First Level of Master in Clinical Psychology at the Center for Behavioral Therapists (recognized with a scientific-professional nature by the College of Psychologists)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *