According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), “Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a lack of regard for the moral or legal standards in the local culture. There is a marked inability to get along with others or abide by societal rules. Individuals with this disorder are sometimes called psychopaths or sociopaths.”
How Many Sociopaths
According to the DSM, sociopaths make up about 4 percent of the population. With the U.S. population at about three hundred million, that means there are about 12 million sociopaths in the U.S. and most of them are probably not in prison, but living among the rest of us. Three-fourths of sociopaths are male and one-fourth are female.
Misconceptions about Sociopaths
Famous sociopaths like Ted Bundy have led the general public to think that sociopaths are all serial killers, but this is just one of the anti-social behaviors they might engage in. According to Dr. Hervey Cleckley, (The Mask of Sanity, 1998) sociopaths are perplexing because they do not exhibit cognitive defects or obvious psychosis and in fact appear quite “sane” and can be very clever in getting what they want. They can adapt to whatever situation they find themselves in and can “con” not only friends and family, but even professionals.
Criteria for Diagnosis
Sociopaths will exhibit at least three of the following behaviors by age fifteen: repeated acts that could lead to arrest; conning for pleasure, lying and using aliases; impulsiveness; repeated assaults on others; reckless disregard for their safety or the safety of others; irresponsibility with financial or work obligations; and rationalizing away any pain they cause others. A diagnosis is not made until age eighteen, after taking into consideration the behaviors in the preceding years and eliminating other possible disorders.
How to Recognize a Sociopath
Unfortunately for their victims, sociopaths look just like everyone else. Combined with their characteristic superficial charm and habitual lying, they can fool most people, at least for awhile. Dr. Matha Stout, author of the Sociopath Next Door, offered tips for spotting sociopaths in an interview in Edition Magazine. According to Dr. Stout, the defining characteristic of a sociopath is a complete lack of conscience. Since most people do have a conscience, they find it impossible to imagine having no feelings about deliberately harming others for fun. Another characteristic is dishonesty; lying even when telling the truth would work just as well. Deceiving others is one of the games they play and it can take the form of infidelity, criminal activity, or simply ruining someone’s reputation. Dr. Stout says that the perfect victim is someone smart enough to be a challenge and good enough to forgive and continue believing their lies for a long time.
Treatment for Sociopaths
Sociopaths will almost never volunteer for treatment, since they feel no distress. They will, however, go to counselors if it might get them out of some trouble they have created. They will also quit this process as soon as they are out of trouble. While many treatments are attempted, Dr. Cleckley stated that after many years, he knows of no effective therapy for them.
Sociopaths are fairly common, do a lot of damage to those who are close to them, and will not change. Dr. Stout advises that, “If you have reached the point where you’re certain that this person has no conscience, or is in it to win rather than to love you, then the very best thing you can do is to get away.”
DISCLAIMER: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be used to diagnose or treat Antisocial Personality Disorder. If you have concerns about your mental health, please consult with a qualified mental health professional.
