As we encounter various individuals in our lives, we inaccurately assume that those we meet are similar to ourselves: kind, honest, trustworthy and responsible. It is difficult to fathom that someone we know could have sociopathic tendencies or have Antisocial Personality Disorder. Moreover, people wrongly assume that sociopaths are those who rape and murder. While some individuals who engage in such horrifying behaviors, most sociopaths do not and never end up incarcerated.
In fact, individuals with sociopathy are among us. One in 25 individuals meet criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder. Not being able to reocognize someone who is likely to have Antisocial Personality Disorder puts you at a disadvantage and increases your likelihood of being victimized by one.
Individuals who have sociopathy operate as predators; exploiting the weak, kind-hearted and innocent. They are especially likely to target those with high empathy. The better you understand how they operate, the safer you will be.
Sociopaths can be spotted because they lack empathy and see others as objects to be used for their personal gain. They rely on manipulation and exploitation to get their needs met. They know what right and wrong is; however they are not concerned about behaving in a moral way as long as their needs get met. They lack a conscience and feel no remorse when they have done something wrong. They feel justified in their behavior.
Sociopaths are impulsive and irresponsible. Sociopathy has a range in degree of severity. Milder sociopaths are inconsiderate, self-centered and entitled. They are able to mask these traits by artificially cultivating a benign or even sweet demeanor, which enables them to ingratiate themselves to potential victims. They tell others what they want to hear rather than being authentic.
They can fake emotion very well, making them appear authentic. However, true feelings of empathy are lacking. The more intelligent the sociopath, the more dangerous they are. Look for inconsistencies in what people do and say.
In romance, sociopaths often start out as generous and charismatic. They’ll sweep you off your feet by showering you with attention and making you feel special and privileged. For an emotionally needy person with low self-esteem, this type of courtship is a dream comes true, but it soon turns into a nightmare as the actual intentions of the sociopath are revealed. Another type of sociopathic lover is emotionally unavailable or an exciting rebel. They make a relationship with them into a tantalizing challenge. They might even tell you that they are no good and will only hurt you, and they do this knowing it will make you try harder to be with them. Any woman who is attracted to an antisocial man and believes that her love will transform him is setting herself up for disaster.
Being able to identify them will spare us a lot of grief.
I am committed to providing the highest quality of care and maintain a deep desire to facilitate personal transformation that allows individuals to live whole-heartedly. My desire is that individuals live a life embodied with peace, joy, love, and prosperity. I hope to accomplish my purpose, which is to help you live your dream of realizing your fullest potential in a personal and meaningful manner that allows you to live the life you want.
A.C.T. will provide free resource information for individuals and families to help promote education. For more information, please contact Dr. Drecun at Dr.Drecun@a4ct.com or (858) 792-3541. You may also visit us online at www.a4ct.com. ACT serves the Del Mar 92014 and Rancho Santa Fe 92067 area.