Tell-Tale Signs of a Sociopath
We have all seen movies and TV series where a certain character was described as being a sociopath, which led them to commit horrible crimes. While sociopaths have a bigger chance of committing certain crimes, this mental condition is often hyphened in cinema; in real life, sociopaths can float under the radar; they can be your coworkers, potential dates, and even some of your friends. In fact, to research brought forth in the book "The Sociopath Next Door", it was found that roughly 1 in 25 Americans is a sociopath, meaning 4% of the population in the country are sociopaths or have sociopathic tendencies. While some such individuals do not harm people, others can wick havoc on their surroundings. To learn if you may know sociopaths, find out what a sociopath is sociopath signs that are a must-know.
What is a Sociopath?
A sociopath is an individual who has Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD); people who fall under this definition cannot under other people's emotions, and they do not relate to other humans. As a result, people with ASPD tend to make impulsive decisions, like harming other people, without feeling guilty about their actions.
Another characteristic of sociopaths and people with ASPD, in general, is manipulative behavior; such individuals play "mind games" with people to try and control them, and many sociopaths are often described as charming and charismatic.
Signs of a Sociopath
Now that you have a better understanding of what is a sociopath, it is time to learn how to sociopath with these signs of sociopaths:
Arrogance
People with ASPD exhibit very high self-confidence and they can be very arrogant. As a result, sociopaths will be condescending, and they are easily triggered and irritated by other people, especially when they disagree with other individuals.
Charm and wit
Talking with a sociopath can be a pretty pleasant experience; people with ASPD do not exhibit negative qualities – they can also be nice and charming (only when they want to be). Sociopaths are often intelligent, great conversationalists, they have a good sense of humor, and personal charm in spades, and they can also be pretty flirty. While on their own, these qualities are positive, a sociopath can use them to manipulate people into doing something that is not good for them.
Impulsiveness
People with ASPD have disregard for the consequences of their actions, so they are often impulsive. Sociopaths can take part in activities that risk their lives and the lives of others, with no care for the results. As a result, people with ASPD develop high-risk and addictive behaviors, such as substance abuse, gambling, etc.
Aggression
People with ASPD are often abusive towards others – both verbally and physically, and they disregard the negative results of the injuries they inflict on others. They use insults, negative statements, humiliation – private and public, as well as deprecation to verbally hurt those around them and weaken their status.
Lack of empathy
This is one of the most well-known signs of ASPD; sociopaths cannot feel empathy or remorse towards others, and it often seems like they lack a conscience altogether. There are sociopaths who do not feel remorse but do not physically harm other people. However, certain circumstances and influences will lead sociopaths to commit violent crimes without feeling remorse or empathy for their victims and the people close to the victims.
Lying and disregarding right and wrong
Those who have ASPD can lie through their teeth without batting an eye. Sociopaths lack boundaries, they do not care about right or wrong, they have no problem breaking the law, they get in and out of jail, and they do not think about the short-term or long-term consequences of their actions.
Do You Know Sociopaths?
Most people have individuals in their lives who seem a bit off, and while not all of them are sociopaths, many display ASPD characteristics. There is no replacing the diagnosis of the professional, but if you meet people who display several ASPD personality traits, you might want to reconsider your relationship with them.
As sociopaths tend to get into legal troubles, you can complete the picture by searching for the criminal records of people you suspect may be harmful to you. ProPeopleSearch.com's criminal records search will provide you with a detailed account of people's criminal past, including their arrest records, mugshots, the nature of their crimes, violent crimes they committed, sex crimes, number of offenses, and much more.
You can perform the check on potential dates, adults in your children's lives, co-workers, and other people who display ASPD traits.
Sociopaths can display dangerous and manipulative behavior without regard for other people's well-being, which can make relationships with them problematic. By knowing the signs of a sociopath and being vigilant about the way people in your life treat others, you will be able to get a deeper insight into the psyche of certain individuals, and keep your distance from those you think may harm you.
