What is the difference between a conman and a sociopath or is there one and can someone be an addict with some characteristics and not be a sociopath?

Answer 1

You are talking about 3 distinct but overlapping things here:

1. Sociopath- This is a psychiatric diagnosis of a person with documented medically/psychiatrically diagnosable sociopathic behavior. Sociopaths behave without remorse or caring for other people. Serial Killers are often sociopaths- they have no feelings toward other humans and do not feel guilty about what they do. But many sociopaths are CEOs of companies, politicians, etc.

Often the reason a person becomes a sociopath is that they were abused as children and learned not to care for or trust other humans (as a defense mechanism perhaps). They may have learned that trusting or caring for other people only leads to pain and thus they view these emotions as weakness. They put themselves first always.

2. Drug addicts or other addicts- Addiction is not neccesarily associated with psychopathy/sociopathic behaviors. Those addicted may engage in sociopathic behavior because their need for the drug or whatever is so strong that the needs of others are diminished in comparison to anyone else's needs.

Due to brain damage or imbalances caused by drugs or unhealthy lifestyle, they may suffer from psychosis (various types of conditions where the mind is malfunctioning). Some addicts may be sociopaths. However, the addict deep down often feels ashamed of what they have done and wish that they were not addicts.

3. Con men- people who lie and decieve in order to steal money, property, or labor from another person. Con men often show little or no remorse, and are smug or proud of their actions, and often unrepentant (ie. Bernie Madoff). Con men would seem likely to be sociopaths, but again this would require a diagnosis. However some con men eventually feel guilty for what they have done and thus may have some other disorder or personality trait (antisocial, oppositional-defiant, etc) behind their behaviors.

Making sense of all three: use a "Venn Diagram"

So, all three of these areas are circles, and the circles overlap in the middle to form a clover. A person might fit into 1 or 2 circles, or even 3 (in the very middle of the clover). The person in all three circles would be a "sociopathic, addicted, con man"! Drawing it out this way is called a "Venn Diagram", one good way of representing the categories you've listed in your question. It gives you a visual picture of where an individual could land within the framework illustrated in the diagram. Think of somebody who has been in trouble like Amy Winehouse, Tiger Woods, Bernie Madoff or Justin Beiber, decide if they belong on the diagram at all, then try to pick a point on the diagram where you would place them if they do belong on there.