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Sociopaths are the way they are because, from birth onward, the brainof a sociopath stores learning information in a random, chaotic wayinstead of in the usual designated places in the cerebral cortex. Partof this involves lack of crucial neurotransmitters, but as of yet noone knows whether this lack is caused BY the brain abnormality or is the cause OF it. It's probably the former.

Since their information -- including emotional information -- isscattered all over both brain hemispheres, it takes too long for thebrain to retrieve and process information, and the entire process ofsocialization becomes so ponderous that ultimately it fails. (See thebook "Without Conscience" by Robert Hare, PhD.)

Since the entire cerebral cortex of a sociopath is almost never ata normal level of alertness (their waking brain waves resemble thewaves of a normal person in a light sleep, alpha waves), this may bethe crucial deficiency that cripples the developing child's ability todevelop many aspects of the human mind. As the child grows, some of thebasic mental and emotional skills the rest of the world takes so forgranted never develop, and crucial among these is the thing calledconscience. That one never develops at all.

Some people may envy the apparent calm of a sociopath, but theirexistence is misery. They cannot connect with other human beings, andas babies they are so uncomfortable being held that they fight towriggle free of all but the most basic necessary contact. Theirheartbroken parents often blame themselves or the child, never knowingthat what is really wrong with the child is in his or her brain.

Under the almost somnolent calm sociopaths project is a constantsense of restlessness and unfulfillment that is nothing other than thebasic need all people have to receive stimulation and support fromothers. But a sociopath has no way of receiving this even if it'soffered. The endless frustration of this, and a discomfort that theyare utterly incapable of articulating or even really understanding, is the source of much of their chronic anger and aggression.

Plus, since they grow up in constant conflict with authority, theyare most often bitterly angry and sometimes violent adults, brittle andcombatative under a thin veneer of charm. Offered friendship, theyappear to respond, but quickly discover that they can get nothing fromit; they see the obvious pleasure of other people in such contact witheach other, and they often seek to "even it up" by stealing what theycan -- material goods, or even human lives. They are constantly toldhow "bad" they are, and by adulthood, most of them believe it. Andbehave accordingly.

Sociopaths rarely feel true happiness. If they do, it is usually inthe condition that some kind of intervention -- such as one of thesmall number of medications made for other conditions that may alsohelp somewhat with theirs -- has taken place, and it will be fleeting.For all their frantic racing around, they are really very dead inside,and this is tragic beyond description. Imagine spending your entirelife trying to get your brain to wake up! And failing. Thousands oftimes.

There are stories of people diagnosed as sociopaths who did improveto some degree, with the most ceaseless and diligent help. But sincethe vast majority of this huge body of people (there are more thanthree hundred million sociopaths on Earth) cannot get that kind ofattention, they turn to abusing those they envy, and often to crime. Itis certainly vengeance: "If I can't have any of this, why should you?"This is the real reason sociopaths lash out at strong and kind people.No matter what they say, they know that inside, they are always emptyand damaged beyond repair.

First of all, sociopaths can't fall in love; you may think it's love, but it's one-sided at best.

Second, sociopaths are not skilled at introspection.

Third, sociopaths usually don't know they're messed up. Usually, but not always. They do know they're different.

Only in neuroscience is there hope for these incomplete people. Thekey lies in awakening the brain, which is risky because sociopaths aremuch more prone to seizures than the rest of the population, and that-- an uncontrolled blast of electrical discharge spreading through thebrain and causing violent convulsions -- is likely to be the firstresponse from brain pathways that, after years or even decades ofsilence, are suddenly flooded with impulses.

But if the devices ofneurosurgeons can be tweaked to avoid this shock, and all else relatedto this idea is workable, it's feasible that small electronic devicesplanted in the brain (these already exist in a rudimentary form, but are not yet being usedfor mental illness) could open up a closed connection.

That leaves us with the problem of whether a lifetime of scatteredinformation can ever be set into order. Probably the best that could behoped for would be a kind of retraining -- like what is now done withstroke survivors and head injury patients -- that would be bothintensive and compensatory.

One of the things that would be necessary would be to try to socializethe person whose congenital birth defect made such a thing completelyimpossible before.

Whatever intervention is used, be it drugs orcomputer chips or what have you, it would probably -- I'd say certainly-- be excruciating for the patient at first.

With no knowledge of howto cope with the emotions the rest of the world has been dealing withall their lives, the recovering sociopath would be rendered asvulnerable as a baby.

Which makes sense, because some of the most basicaspects of the human mind would be developing from the primordialstasis in which they had remained since birth!

A person thus treated would never be fully normal, but the humanbrain is amazing in the way it adapts and continues to develop allthrough life.

And given the utterly joyless and meaningless existence asociopath leads, any improvement is better than none.

Robert Hare, PhD., says that the personality of a sociopath(psychopath) is essentially set in stone, so to speak, by adulthood,and incredibly hard to change.

Hard to change, not impossible.

Recent research on the disparities of brain function in psychopaths/sociopaths yielded some startling results:

Structural and functional hippocampal abnormalitieshavebeen previously reported in institutionalized psychopathic andaggressive populations. This study assessed whether prior findings of aright greater than left (R > L) functional asymmetry in caughtviolent offenders generalize to the structural domain in unsuccessful,caught psychopaths.

Methods:

Left and right hippocampal volumes were assessed using structuralmagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 23 control subjects, 16unsuccessful psychopaths, and 12 successful (uncaught) communitypsychopaths and transformed into standardized space.

Results:

Unsuccessful psychopaths showed an exaggerated structuralhippocampal asymmetry (R > L) relative both to successfulpsychopaths and control subjects (p < .007) that was localized tothe anterior region. This effect could not be explained byenvironmental and diagnostic confounds and constitutes the first brainimaging analysis of successful and unsuccessful psychopaths.

Conclusions:

Atypical anterior hippocampal asymmetries in unsuccessfulpsychopaths may reflect an underlying neurodevelopmental abnormalitythat disrupts hippocampal-prefrontal circuitry, resulting in affect dysregulation, poor contextual fear conditioning, and insensitivity to cues predicting capture.

Keywords: Hippocampus, psychopathy, MRI, trauma, neurodevelopment, asymmetry.

So it is understandable why many people don't think anything at all canbe done to change the sociopath, but in fact, that isn't true. Somekeep trying to help them; giving up is not an option. Sociopaths cause too much trouble. And experience as much.

A good therapist can prevent you from victimizing him/her withoutvictimizing you in the process. And, as mentioned above, recent studies made byneurosurgeons and other medical experts have finally begun to pinpointthe things that go awry in the brain that are part of what causessociopathy.

In some cases, such medications as Depakote, Topamax, Risperdal, Dilantin, Pentobarbitol, andeven Lithium are being prescribed, and although some individualtherapists prescribe Ativan and the like, much more research needs Tobe done there on ultimate benefit of drug treatment. It is alreadyknown that drug treatment must be augmented by a very structured andpositive-oriented talk therapy.

Sociopaths can get somewhere in a specialized form of talk therapy if the clinician isself-confident and relaxed, firm but never authoritarian orself-important. It must not ever become an ego-contest.

Once theprocess gets far enough along so that the sociopath is actually able tofeel even a tiny flicker of genuine happiness, that is an impetus thatwill grow stronger if the process continues to move forward.

But the emotional response of a sociopath will always be to some degree abnormal.

Why does a sociopath cry? Is it like the crying of a "spoiled" child, or is it like the crying of a damaged person?

Maybe both.

Thenear-constant state of frustration and dissatisfaction felt by a truepsychopath is the source of not only their rages but those eerie,on-and-off-like-a-faucet tears. (Yes, tearsare seen even in some men,though of course still more common in children and women.)

Generally, it is considered impossible for sociopaths (as well asautistic individuals) to ever experience love firsthand, and this is atragedy.

The matter of missing neurotransmitters in a sociopath is, ofcourse, another problem. Would "waking up" the cerebral cortexeventually stimulate production of these? Or would they have to besynthesized? Only time will tell.

Just as science understands that epilepsy is not demonic possession,that people with dissociative conditions are not harboring ghosts ordevils in their bodies, and that depression is not a "deadly sin," itwould and will be able to prove that sociopathy happens for a reasonand that it can be dealt with. Sociopaths do very bad things. Butbranding them all "pure evil" isn't going to help anyone. It's justmore hate.

I have commented elsewhere that the human brain is the greatest newfrontier in many ways. (Although I certainly have no lack of interestin space.)

Sociopaths, along with other "hopeless cases" like peoplewith Alzheimer's disease, Down's syndrome, Asperger's, ADD, ADHD,autism, and the schizophrenias, along with more common disorders suchas depression and addiction, and so on, are a mystery, but scientistshave a way of hammering away at mysteries until they unravel them, and,be assured, they are well on their way to the core of this one.

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4d ago

If a sociopath were diagnosed prior to their criminal stage, treatment would likely involve a combination of psychotherapy and possibly medication to address any comorbid conditions. Psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or dialectical behavior therapy, could be recommended to help the individual learn healthier ways of thinking and behaving. It is essential to work with a mental health professional to develop a treatment plan tailored to the individual's needs.

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Q: What is the treatment plan for sociopath if he could have diagnosed prior to his criminal stage What specifically could have been done If psychotherapy would have been recommended which type?
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How do you use sociopath in a sentence?

The sociopath showed no remorse for his harmful actions towards others.


Do you have first hand answers about how I could get involved with a sociopath?

It is not advisable to intentionally get involved with a sociopath as it can be harmful to your well-being. If you suspect that someone you know might be a sociopath, it is important to set boundaries and seek support from trusted professionals or organizations that can help you navigate the situation safely. Remember to prioritize your own mental and emotional health.


What is a synonym for psychopath?

A synonym for psychopath is sociopath. Both terms refer to individuals with antisocial personality traits characterized by a lack of empathy and disregard for the rights of others.


What if the definition of a sociopath?

A sociopath is typically characterized by a lack of empathy, guilt, and remorse, along with manipulative and deceitful behavior. These individuals may engage in impulsive and risky actions without consideration for the consequences, often disregarding societal norms and the rights of others. It is considered a personality disorder that can impact relationships and social functioning.


Could a sociopath pass the MMPI 2 test the second time around?

It is possible for a sociopath to manipulate their answers on the MMPI-2 test to achieve desired results, but passing the test would not change their underlying personality traits. Sociopaths may exhibit deceptive or calculated behavior, so their performance on the test may not accurately reflect their true nature.

Related questions

Is it impossible for a person diagnosed as a sociopath to get her heart rate up to optimal in aerobic exercise?

Being diagnosed as a sociopath does not affect your heart in any way. Aerobic exercise will not affect your mental status in a negative way.


What to do stepson is eleven possible sociopath and also have 3 little ones don't know what to do husband doesn't see it what to do?

You can't diagnose a eleven year old as a sociopath. Proffessionals agree that a sociopath can only be diagnosed accuretly as a adult. Once more many CEOs and leaders are sociopath, so your child might grow up to be great.


How do you recognize sociopath in children?

Sociopathy is not diagnosed in people under the age of 18. See the links below for more information.


Can you get someone diagnosed as a sociopath without him present from information from family and friends?

No. An interview with the person is required before making any diagnosis.


What do you call someone who is clearly a sociopath but honestly cares about a small group of people?

A good actor. Though you cannot be sure if they are truly a sociopath or not until they have been diagnosed as such. If they honestly care about people then I would look along the narcissistic route. If they are a sociopath, then the caring is most likely an act so that they can get what they want.


Does a sociopath's behavior start from childhood?

I believe so, yes. (my sister is a sociopath)


Can a sociopath pathological liar be officially diagnosed?

It is called Pseudologica Fantastica in the DSM IV for psychiatrists


What if two sociopaths were romanticly involved would it work better verses a sociopath with a normal person?

I am a diagnosed sociopath so I speak from my own experiences. We... we being sociopaths simply use people for our own gain and progression in life. Think of a predator hunting it's prey. If a sociopath is romantically involved with a sociopath it is likely to be shortlived since they will not have anything to offer. So really.... no. It's hard to describe and frankly if I were to meet another sociopath I would stay far away. Competition in my game... I don't need that.


How do you tell a sociopath that they are one?

If you were involved with one and he/she is a chameleon and fools others (only for a short time usually) then worry about getting on with your own life and realizing that others can look after themselves. Sociopath/narcissist will hang themselves every time ... they just have to open their mouths!


What is a sentence with the word sociopath?

The sociopath lacked empathy and manipulated others for personal gain.


How do you live with a sociopath?

You don't. Get as far away from a sociopath as you possibly can.


Can you be diagnosed as bipolar but really sociopath?

Possibly. Bipolar disorder involves mood swings, and sociopaths can also have rapid mood swings. However, depression- which is a prerequisite for Bipolar I and Bipolar II- is rarely seen in sociopathy.