Sociopath and psychopath: how they differ and how they perceive reality. Psychopathy - signs in men and women, the most famous psychopaths

They both ignore the rights and feelings of other people. And they do not see any guilt behind themselves, causing harm to someone. They are both liars and manipulators. There is much in common between them. Is there a difference between a psychopath and a sociopath? There is also a fundamental one.

Psychopath and sociopath are two terms used in popular psychology to describe people with antisocial personality disorder. There are differences between them. But first, what unites them. General feature sociopath and psychopath - ignoring the safety of other people, their feelings and rights, a tendency to deceive and manipulate. However, contrary to popular belief, such people are not always quick-tempered and prone to violence. Traits shared by both the psychopath and the sociopath, and more specifically, people with antisocial personality disorder, are defined in the Diagnostic Manual for mental disorders(DSM-5). The diagnosis can be established if a person, in addition to the general criteria for a personality disorder, has at least three of the following symptoms:

Regularly violates laws and disregards social norms.
Constantly lies and deceives other people.
Impulsive, unable to plan ahead.
Irritable and aggressive, prone to frequent fights.
Little concern for the safety of others.
Irresponsible, unable to fulfill financial obligations.
Feels no remorse or remorse for hurting others.

These symptoms begin to appear at the age of 15, and ten years later, a person is already halfway to serious personality disorder. What is the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath, anyway? The opinion of clinical psychologist John Grohol.

Features of a psychopath

Psychopathy is most likely a congenital disorder - there is a genetic predisposition to the appearance of such personality traits (unlike sociopathy, which is most likely the product of social factors, environments). Psychopathy may be associated with disorders in the development of the brain. Research shows that psychopaths have underdeveloped areas of the brain that are normally responsible for regulating emotions and controlling impulses. As a rule, psychopaths find it difficult to create a reliable emotional attachment in relationships with other people. Instead, they build artificial, superficial relationships in order to manipulate loved ones for the greatest benefit for themselves. People for them are just pawns intended for the realization of their personal goals. And no matter how much harm they cause to others, psychopaths rarely feel remorse for their own actions.

Oddly enough, in the eyes of others they look charming, reliable, decent people, with a normal, stable job. Some of them even have families and seemingly strong relationships with a partner. Quite often they are well educated, they can learn a lot on their own. Once involved in some kind of criminal history, a psychopath will do everything to minimize the risk of punishment. He carefully plans the case and provides for everything. possible options development of events.

Examples of psychopaths in modern culture:

dexter(hero of the American TV series Dexter, 2006-2013); Anton Chigur(the hero of the novel No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy, 2005, and the hero of Javier Bardem in the film of the same name by the Coen brothers, 2007); Henry in John McNaughton's "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" (1986); Patrick Bateman in American Psycho by Mary Harron (2000).

Features of a sociopath

Sociopathy is the result of the influence of certain environmental factors, such as a destructive family atmosphere in which a child grew up, physical or emotional abuse, or some other childhood trauma. Sociopaths are even more eccentric and unpredictable than psychopaths. Having the same problems with forming attachments, some of them, nevertheless, can maintain with someone personal connection or feel at home in a group of like-minded people. But they are incapable of holding the same job for a long time or showing the world even the semblance of normality. family life. When committing a crime, they act recklessly and impulsively. They are easy to anger, piss off, which is fraught with an outbreak of violence. Because of these features, the dangerous act of a sociopath is easier to foresee.

Examples of sociopaths in movies:

Joker in " dark knight» Christopher Nolan (2008); JD in Fatal Attraction by Michael Lehmann (1988); Alex in Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange (1971).

Which one is more dangerous?

Both of them are a danger to society, according to at least until they try to cope with their disorder. But psychopaths are still more dangerous, because they do not feel the slightest sense of guilt for their actions. They are able to emotionally withdraw from the actions performed. And for a person devoid of empathy, other people's suffering simply does not make any sense. Many famous serial killers were psychopaths. But not all psychopaths and sociopaths have been or will be murderers.

Psychpathy and sociopathy are two different facets of antisocial personality disorder, which is diagnosed in approximately 1-3% of the population. It is more common in men and predominantly in people suffering from alcoholism, drug and substance abuse. Psychopaths are more manipulative and charming, it is easier for them to create the appearance of a normal life and minimize their involvement in illegal activities. Sociopaths are more eccentric, go berserk easily, and are unable to lead any normal life. They do evil recklessly and without thinking about the consequences.

Sociopath and psychopath: how are they different? How do sociopathy and psychopathy develop? Why do these people violate social norms And why do they sometimes attract us? What allows them to be not only villains, but also heroes? What sociopathic features does the world of big business have, and what place do sociopaths occupy in culture and mass cinema? We understand.

Let's not confuse psychopaths rushing through the park with a chainsaw turned on, and sociopaths, or "strange", original ones, existing, as it were, on the verge of the norm, but still included in social system, of people. These concepts are practically synonymous and designate souls with the same radical, but with different spectrums of feelings.

Psychopaths are people with an anti-social orientation. Psychopathy is a diagnosis with pronounced pathological behavior with complete preservation of thinking.

Sociopathy is a milder expression of psychopathy. If a person, despite his anti-social nature, nevertheless fits into society, is able to exist in it, but actively neglects the rules and norms, then we are dealing with sociopathy. Its classic features include charisma, high intelligence, lack of nervousness, a tendency to lie and hypocrisy, inability to shame, repentance, empathy and love, anger, self-centeredness, lack of morality and morality.

From the point of view of psychoanalytic theory, sociopathy is a dynamic structure of personality along with masochistic, hysterical and others. We all have a personality structure that is made up of genetic prerequisites and individual history. Also, sooner or later, we all face various injuries, but few receive a specific diagnosis.

Where does sociopathy come from? From a biological point of view, the hormonal apparatus of a sociopath produces less serotonin. Such a person is not able to "get enough" of communication, take the necessary emotions from it, experience empathy. To satisfy his emotional needs, he needs a completely different, stronger stimulus. In addition, such a person reacts to external stimuli more aggressively than "ordinary" people. It is his response to any potential danger.

Sometimes the development of sociopathy is influenced by childhood trauma: the child is faced with an early experience of violence, death, which leaves a mark on his psyche. At the same time, the adrenaline received once becomes a sentence for him. As a rule, in the future such a person experiences problems with trust and does not have authority.

Like the characters in Diana Setterfield's debut novel, The Thirteenth Tale, children can be sociopathic even when they appear to be perfectly fine. They believe that they can do anything that helps them to exist comfortably. At the same time, the prohibitions of adults are perceived by them as a challenge. Gradually, a psychopath can form from such an "adrenaline" personality.

As a rule, the childhood experience of a psychopath is a hell in which total arbitrariness on the part of adults or the complete absence of laws of any norms and rules reigns. They are usually raised by an indifferent, "absent" mother, who, in turn, may have her own history of abuse, be depressed, overwork several jobs for a living, or simply be a weak-willed victim to a tyrannical husband.

If the future sociopath grows up in a relatively prosperous environment, then he has a chance to integrate into society and find not only application, but also recognition. For example, he can catch criminals, like Sherlock, or solve mysteries on the verge of life and death, like Dr. House. Sherlock, during an explanation with Moriarty, says: "I am the second you." And this is only partly a metaphor.

A sociopath can achieve really good heights on the social ladder thanks to a developed intellect, the ability to easily overcome stress, and the habit of stepping over people indifferently.

What is the portrait of a socialized sociopath? Such a person experiences absolute indifference to people and social norms. At the same time, for "ordinary" people, the code certain rules makes the world more predictable and safe, and empathy fills it with warmth and meaning. A sociopath, on the other hand, is outside the legislative field, does not need excuses, and seeks goals from the outside. Nancy McWilliams, author of Psychoanalytic Diagnosis, notes that, conceptually, diagnosis refers to a basic lack of human attachment and adherence to very primitive defenses.

It is noteworthy that a sociopath is not insane and is able to answer for his actions. He distinguishes good from evil and understands the laws that he deliberately violates. At the same time, when committing crimes, he does not suffer internal conflicts because he feels absolute permissiveness.

He juggles norms with virtuosity. A sociopath may refuse to hold generally accepted holidays, accept traditional patterns of thinking, recognize himself as a citizen of a particular country, store things and photographs and honor the memory of his relatives, follow medical recommendations, comfort (he can live in a car, in a forest hut or travel on foot) . Such a person does not trust anyone or anything, she tastes everything. Of course, on your own. There are no laws for her. She offers hers to the world.

A sociopath easily endures loneliness, often changes partners. At total absence empathy, the desire to create a family may arise not on a sensual, but on a pragmatic level: this is how an individual tries to better integrate into society. An example of such a type in cinema is the already mentioned the protagonist series Doctor House.

Fox

Such people attract with their eccentricity and extraordinary talents, but it is almost impossible to get along with them under one roof. It is important to remember that sociopaths themselves are not capable of building deep relationships. Adult love is built on the ability to feel the other and sympathize with the other. But for the sociopath, the environment is only a means to an end, an almost inanimate function. His relationship with others is based on exploitation. Therefore, the more pronounced the sociopathic radical, the less chance there is to create a family with such a person.

Also, a sociopathic character can be represented in a relative social norm. Then we are dealing with a person who does what others are not capable of. This means not only negative, but also positive, creative and even heroic deeds. He works in the war. He works where there is blood and death. Where it is dangerous, including in big business or in areas with great responsibility. He is in the sea, he is in space, he is under water and where the elements are raging.

This is what sociopaths do. They take on responsibility that is difficult for an ordinary person to take on. They walk on the other side of death and survive. Their knowledge is sacred. When faced with death, they experience neither suffering nor guilt. This is what makes them attractive.

The psychopathic type is often reflected in literature, mythology and cinema, including mass cinema. In mythology, this is the hero of the epic. The one who descended into hell and came out of it. A hero is a former warrior who is legalized by our consciousness. Our consciousness cannot stand violence and lack of norms. If someone breaks the rules and stays with us, he becomes a hero, he has a special status. At the same time, a psychopath who does not turn towards society must be punished. He is either a hero or a criminal: there is no middle ground for him. There is no warm world with a fire in the depths of the cave, where children, women and old people are.

In modern mythology, which we can easily see in the Game of Thrones series, the whole Lannister clan has sociopathic traits. Its representatives are not tormented by their cruelty and enjoy absolute permissiveness: the murder of children, incest, the execution of their own son, the attack on their father - all this appears to them as the norm.

The whole family, to the last, is marked with a special right - the right to choose right itself. As the heroes themselves say, "Lannisters always pay." But I want to add: "If they want it." You can serve the Lannisters only for money. In the Lannister world, no one expects loyalty or love. Everything is bought and sold there. Like no one else, they master the emotional vocabulary of manipulation.

Is it possible to live in a community with a sociopath? You can cooperate with him. And he can be served. You can turn your shoulder to him, but you should not expect the same in return. The goal will always belong to him, as well as the main prey. Lions are not known to be interested in the opinion of sheep. Their main mental protection — magical thinking- makes them in some sense rulers.

In a global, sociological sense, the world of big business has sociopathic features, in which calculation, manipulation, cruelty and attempts to achieve a goal without any reflection rule. In everyday life, a sociopath acts in a similar way: not knowing how to feel, such a person chooses an action. And if he regrets anything, it is only that another scam failed.

And it's no surprise that the Lannister kingdom is the most comfortable of the kingdoms in Game of Thrones. This is the best lands with a pleasant climate beautiful women and the sweetest fruits. This is the prototype of the world, which is controlled by the ideology of profit. This is a dream and at the same time a fear of ordinary normal neurotics, which include the majority. The world of a sociopath is a world in which everything is possible. But at some point, he will blow up this world as well, as the sept of Baelor was blown up.

A sociopath is able to look beyond the usual ordinary person meanings, actions and goals, to look beyond the horizon while people continue to sit in caves, where there is a hearth, children, old people, pink silk curtains and standard IKEA furniture. A sociopath is scary and attractive at the same time, he is both a Dragon and a Hero who defeated the Dragon. There is no place for him in the middle of the norm register, he is always on the edge, at the exit or behind the “101 kilometers”.

He has no morals, and when there are no moral laws, "Their Sparrows" always appear with their sermons. As in ancient times: a shaman is an obligatory character for a leader. It is the self-proclaimed Shaman who will take the trouble to explain to the people the shadow side of the feat and speak with the voices of the gods, legitimizing the new right.

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There are many resources on the Internet that are devoted to psychology and psychiatry. On most of them you can find out that sociopath and psychopath- This is the same. Even the world encyclopedia Wikipedia gives a similar description of these two pathologies.

The editors of the site "Popular Psychiatry" conducted a study on this topic and revealed a global mistake of translators, which led to massive confusion in terminology.

Evidence that the difference between a sociopath and a psychopath exists - read this article.

History of terms

In the USSR, everything began with the Soviet psychiatrist Pyotr Borisovich Gannushkin, who became the father of the theory of psychopaths. His work "Clinic of psychopathy: their statics, dynamics and systematics" was released in 1933 and structured in detail all the knowledge on this pathology.

Under the term constitutional psychopathy, he combined various forms character deformations:

asthenics,
schizoids,
cycloids,
paranoid,
epileptoids,
hysterical,
unstable,
constitutionally stupid,
antisocial.

Even then, the sociopath and the psychopath had different meaning, although the first term had a slightly different name - antisocial psychopathy. This is confirmed by the same characteristic features: deceitfulness, extreme egocentrism and lack of social emotions.

According to the works of Gannushkin, the following definitions can be given:

Sociopathy- this is only one of the types of character deformations, but by no means the same thing.

A detailed description of who is on our website in a separate article, so we will not dwell on the features.

In the period 1933-1997, the classification of Gannushkin P.B. was the standard in the USSR and supplemented by the work of other scientists. For example, A. E. Lichko "Psychopathies and character accentuations in adolescents."

After this period, medicine in the countries of the former Soviet Union switched to new classification World Health Organization - ICD-10.

The names have changed, although there are clear analogies between Gannushkin's terms and the new ones. Screenshot comparison below.

Disorders such as sociopathy and psychopathy have been given new names. They began to be called antisocial personality disorder (F60.2) and specific personality disorder (F60) respectively. At the same time, they retained the hierarchy: dissocial impairment is part of specific disorders.

Where did the confusion come from

Most terms in medicine in Russian and English language have different names. For example, in Russian there is, but in English the same disease is called disorganized schizophrenia- disorganized schizophrenia.

In this case, the problem is that in English, sociopathy and psychopathy are the same thing!

Term psychopathy is a synonym antisocial personality disorder or sociopathy.

In confirmation of this, a screenshot of the English-language Wikipedia.

Particular attention should be paid to the ICD-10 code: F60.2.

Since this classification is the same for all countries of the world, you can find this code in Russian-language sources. As can be seen below, it corresponds to antisocial personality disorder.

But why in the Western school of psychiatry difference between psychopath and sociopath is absent?

The fact is that the concept of character anomalies in Western medicine was formed on the basis of the work of other scientists: Karl Birnbaum and George E. Partridge. They originally called psychopathy a sociopathy. Later the name changed, but sociopath and psychopath remained synonymous.

For a long time, Western psychiatrists and psychologists have been debating which term is more correct and whether there is any difference between them.

The famous Canadian psychologist Robert D. Hare wrote in his book "Snakes in Suits" that both terms mean the same thing. The difference is that sociopathy is formed under the influence of society and is not a mental disorder, while psychopathy arises due to biological and genetic factors.

This explains What is the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath in the Western school of psychiatry.

Relevance of the problem

Unfortunately, the terms sociopath and psychopath have become synonymous even in Russian. This leads to confusion even among psychiatrists and psychotherapists.

First on request “Psychopathy” in search engine Google issued an article in the encyclopedia Wikipedia. In it we can see the following description:

The description fits antisocial personality disorder, but not other types of specific personality disorders.

For example, ( anxiety disorder according to ICD-10) has completely different manifestations, but he is also a psychopath.

The main problem is that this pathology is on the verge between psychology and psychiatry. If medical literature is translated by people with medical education, then ordinary translators are engaged in psychology.

This led to the substitution of concepts even in Wikipedia.

A striking example is the book of the famous Canadian psychologist Robert D. Hare called “Deprived of conscience. The frightening world of psychopaths.

In it, sociopath and psychopath also merged into one term. The author even points out the difference between dissocial personality disorder and psychopathy, but from the position Western medicine. For followers of Soviet scientists, his comparison is absurd.

Outcome

The terms sociopath and psychopath have different meaning both in the Western and in the Soviet school of psychiatry.

Soviet psychiatrists adhere to Gannushkin's classification and still use the term psychopathy as a synonym for a specific personality disorder (F60), and sociopathy as a dissocial personality disorder (F60.2).

The younger generation adopts this terminology and also operates with the same concepts.

In the West, sociopath and psychopath are only antisocial personality disorder (F60.2), but the difference is the origin of the disorder. In the first case - social, in the second - organic.

The problem arises when textbooks and books begin to be translated from one language into another. The editors are not aware of the problems in English-speaking countries, but in the CIS the confusion is very pronounced.

A lot of literature on psychology is not translated correctly and, as a result, hundreds of websites give false information.

How to fix this problem is unknown. It remains only to carefully analyze the meaning of the terms sociopath and psychopath in a specific context and carefully select sources for obtaining knowledge and writing scientific papers.

Listening to the news bulletin, you probably paid attention to the fact that often this or that criminal is called a “sociopath”. What is sociopathy or dissocial (antisocial)? Is sociopathy different from or not? What are the signs and characteristics of sociopaths? Are all sociopaths dangerous and prone to crime? How to spot a sociopath?You will learn about this by reading this article.

The term “sociopathy” is controversial and is still the subject of controversy, at present, experts have not been able to come to a conclusion. consensus. Usually the term "sociopathy" is used to define a subtype of antisocial personality disorder in order to distinguish it from psychopathy. Sociopaths are also called secondary psychopaths to separate them from primary psychopaths. You can read more about primary and secondary psychopaths.

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Some scholars use the term "sociopath" as an umbrella term for sociopaths and psychopaths in order to separate it from the definition of people suffering from psychosis (this disorder is not related to sociopathy and psychopathy). Sociopathy is also known as anti-social or geboid psychopathy. Other researchers believe that sociopathy should be understood as a disorder that appeared under the influence of external causes, while under psychopathy is a disorder caused by physiological and biological causes.

Sociopaths are impulsive, but they are not inclined to plan their actions in advance.

What are the signs of a sociopath? According to the DSM-5 Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders V edition, antisocial personality disorder (sociopathy) is associated with violation of the rights of others, is diagnosed at the age of about 15 years and is characterized by the following criteria:

Failure to conform to social norms and respect laws.
Repeated lies, deceit, and hypocrisy for the sake of fraud, profit, or personal pleasure.
and inability to plan their actions.
Irritability and aggressiveness.
Inattention to both one's own safety and the safety of others.
Irresponsibility.
Lack of regrets and remorse for their actions.

How to distinguish a sociopath from a psychopath?

Although both terms refer to disorders and refer to Antisocial Personality Disorder, sociopathy and psychopathy are two various diseases although they are often confused.

Common features for both disorders are the following:

Disrespect for laws and social norms.
Disrespect for the rights of others.
Lack of guilt and regret.
Tendency towards aggressive behavior.

Psychopath vs Sociopath: What's the difference?

A reasonable question arises - how to recognize a sociopath and distinguish him from a psychopath, what are his character traits and features?

Sociopaths are more emotional

Sociopaths are more nervous, they are easily excitable, prone to emotional outbursts. As a rule, they live on the outskirts of cities and have a lower social level. Not able to stay in the same job for a long time. It is difficult for them to create close relationships with other people, but they are capable of it.

The crimes that sociopaths commit are usually spontaneous, poorly organized. They don't tend to plan ahead.

Psychopaths plan their actions and are not capable of empathy.

Psychopaths are characterized by a lack of empathy and are unable to form emotional relationships. They have a superficial charm that helps them deceive and manipulate others. As a rule, they are intelligent, well-mannered and have a stable job.

Crimes are thought out and carefully planned in advance, keeping their emotions under control. They are cold and calculating. This is mainly what distinguishes them from sociopaths.

The causes of sociopathy and psychopathy are different

The causes of sociopathy and psychopathy are different. It is believed that psychopathy is a consequence of genetic and biological factors, while sociopathy is formed as a result of exposure to external causes. Usually, greatest influence experience acquired in childhood influences the development of the disorder.

Psychopathy is more associated with a physiological defect - underdevelopment of the brain area responsible for controlling emotions and impulses. The causes of sociopathy are childhood trauma, as well as emotional and physical abuse. Therefore, it is considered acquired, not congenital. Moreover, sociopaths are capable of empathy in certain circumstances and in relation to individuals.

However, it is also true that not all survivors of childhood trauma and abuse become sociopaths. Therefore, it is also important to take into account the traits of character and temperament, on the basis of which, under the influence external factors disorder develops.

This also explains the different ability to rehabilitate psychopaths and sociopaths. Psychopaths, once in prison, as a rule, do not change their behavior, and, when they are released, in most cases they again commit a crime. This is much less common with sociopaths and other common criminals.

Not all sociopaths are criminals

Despite the fact that the majority of prisoners are sociopaths (much more often than psychopaths), antisocial personality disorder is not synonymous with crime. Sociopaths are prone to crime, but this does not mean that all sociopaths commit them. Many, both sociopaths and psychopaths, are perfectly integrated into society, and, despite the conflict, do not become murderers.

Not all sociopaths are criminals

Sociopathy in childhood

Antisocial or antisocial personality disorder does not appear out of nowhere. It develops from childhood. What are the signs that a child can become a sociopath?

Behavioral problems in sociopaths begin to show up in childhood, starting around the age of 8 or 9. Such children break the rules, like to deceive, lie about trifles, are aggressive towards people and animals, break things, toys, etc.

Both a psychopath and a sociopath are individuals with antisocial personality disorder. But, there are significant differences between them. If we talk about common features oh, they do not take into account the opinions, rights, views of the people around them. If they harm someone, both physically and morally, then guilt will not follow. Both of them lie in every situation. So, as we can see, there are a lot of similarities between a sociopath and a psychopath.

Both sociopaths and psychopaths tend to manipulate the people around them. They often achieve their goals by fraudulent means. But, nevertheless, among such psychologically ill people there are those who are not distinguished by aggression and are not inclined to use violence against the people around them.

Important! Diagnosis "sociopath" or "psychopath" can be established only if the patient corresponds to the symptoms in the form of:

Violation of laws;
Neglect/ignorance of established social norms;
Excessive impulsivity, bordering on soreness;
The manifestation of aggression;
A person, with any remark addressed to him, is capable of rude physical strength(may hit an outsider);
Does not think about the safety of the people around him;
If he harms loved ones (offends, hits), then he will not feel guilty.

Psychotherapists note: « If a indicated symptoms begin to manifest themselves in adolescence and are not subjected to medical and psychotherapeutic treatment, then after a few years such a person will come to complete breakdown personalities."

Psychopath - symptoms

Become a psychopath for a reason genetic predisposition to that mental illness. While they become already a sociopath, being influenced by a certain society and its characteristics. The reason should be sought in the pathologies of brain development.

Psychotherapist John McVines: « Latest Research in the field of psychotherapy show that psychopaths have a congenital underdevelopment of the part of the brain responsible for emotionality and impulse transmission.

Indeed, psychopaths are those people for whom to build any social relations very difficult. They do not find mutual understanding with anyone who surrounds them, even if they are close relatives.

Psychopaths cannot form a social bond even with their close relatives.

How then does a psychopath live in society? He, instead of trying to communicate with those around him, begins to build artificial relationships. This can be compared with the game of a child and dolls (inanimate objects). All relationships of a psychopath with anyone are built exclusively on selfish grounds - for some reason, the patient needs this particular person.

Surroundings for a psychopath are inanimate people, but objects (like pawns in chess), thanks to which he can realize certain goals. Moreover, the patient does not understand and does not realize that he can cause real harm. close person. There are cases when psychopaths, in a fit of another attack, took the lives of their loved ones and at the same time did not realize that they had done something bad and illegal. Such people will never, under any circumstances, show a sense of guilt.

Psychological picture

Psychopath in the eyes of others- is smart, decent, moderately charming, reliable person. He has a stable job, absolutely normal for society. At the same time, a psychopath can have a family and children, and from the outside it will seem that the couple has an excellent relationship. Patients with this receive higher education, communicate with people. But! If a psychopath, due to certain circumstances, is involved in a criminal story, then he will do everything possible to calculate the logical moves that are beneficial for him.

Crimes committed by psychopaths are rarely disclosed. Such people are “flattered” by their impunity.

Sociopath - Symptoms

A person is not born a sociopath, but becomes a sociopath at a certain stage of his life. For example, if a child grows up in a family where they are subjected to psychological, physical, emotional abuse, then childhood trauma is on the face. In adolescence, a sociopath may be bullied by peers, and in family life, he/she may be a victim of a partner.

Psychopaths are born, sociopaths are made.

Sociopaths differ from psychopaths in that their behavior is unpredictable.

The main difference between sociopaths is that they can build positive relationships from a psychological point of view with their work colleagues, friends or relatives. Moreover, in a certain circle (for example, a circle of friends), people with a personality feel quite comfortable.

But! It is very difficult for sociopaths to be in the same society all the time. Therefore, they often change jobs, leave love relationship. If psychopaths are able to play a certain role - for example, demonstrate the ideal family to the public, then sociopaths will not be able to do this.

Psychopaths are reasonable and intelligent, they will never take hasty actions and will always consider every step. While sociopaths act on emotions, they are driven by impulses. The actions of a sociopath are very easy to predict.

Psychotherapist advice:“If you come into contact with a person who has symptoms of a personality disorder, stop such communication. It is unpredictable and may threaten your safety and health.”

Caution - Dangerous

Which of them - a sociopath or a psychopath - is more dangerous to society? The answer of psychotherapists: both. But, if you already analyze, then psychopaths are extremely dangerous. After all, even if they brutally kill a person, they will not feel guilty. A psychopath, after committing an illegal act, can absolutely calmly communicate with people around him. If we turn to the history of forensic science, then all major serial killers were psychopaths. But, this in no way means that a person who is diagnosed with the inclinations of a sociopath or psychopath will become a criminal.

In custody

Psychopaths and sociopaths are sick people characterized by a personality disorder. They are anti-social in nature. Most often, a similar psychological portrait can be observed among drug addicts, alcoholics,.