Antisocial Personality Disorder is found worldwide. It seems less common in countries and societies that have limited personal freedom, but it may simply be that more APDs in those societies find ways to fit in and stay out of trouble. Worldwide, approximately 2-3% of the population express APD symptoms, of which roughly two thirds to three quarters are men.
The essential feature of the antisocial personality disorder is a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and the violation of, the rights of others. Desalvo most certainly qualifies.
most of them do.
The most common term is sociopath. However, like most catchall terms, sociopath often is used to refer to people with other personality disorders. The correct term is "antisocial personality."
One of the personality disorders should fit this. Most likely Antisocial Personality Disorder or perhaps Borderline Personality Disorder. They differ somewhat though. Look them up, online.
DefinitionAntisocial personality disorder is a psychiatric condition in which a person manipulates, exploits, or violates the rights of others. This behavior is often criminal.Alternative NamesPsychopathic personality; Sociopathic personality; Personality disorder - antisocialCauses, incidence, and risk factorsPersonality disorders are long-term (chronic) patterns of behaviors and relationships that interfere with a person's life over many years.The cause of antisocial personality disorder is unknown. Genetic factors and child abuse are believed to contribute to the development of this condition. People with an antisocial or alcoholic parent are at increased risk. Far more men than women are affected. The condition is common in prison populations.Fire-setting and cruelty to animals during childhood are linked to the development of antisocial personality.SymptomsA person with antisocial personality disorder:Breaks the law repeatedlyLies, steals, and fights oftenDisregards the safety of self and othersDoes not show any guiltSigns and testsTo receive a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder, a person must have shown behaviors of conduct disorder during childhood.People with antisocial personality disorder may have the following signs:Anger and arroganceCapable of acting witty and charmingGood at flattery and manipulating other people's emotionsSubstance abuse and legal problemsTreatmentAntisocial personality disorder is one of the most difficult personality disorders to treat. People with this condition rarely seek treatment on their own. They may only start therapy when required to by a court.The effectiveness of treatment for antisocial personality disorder is not known.Expectations (prognosis)Symptoms tend to peak during the late teenage years and early 20's. They may improve on their own by a person's 40's.ComplicationsComplications can include imprisonment and drug abuse.Calling your health care providerCall for an appointment with a mental health professional if:You have symptoms of antisocial personality disorderYour child shows behaviors of this disorderReferencesMoore Dp, Jefferson JW. Antisocial personality disorder. In: Moore DP, Jefferson JW, eds. Handbook of Medical Psychiatry. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2004: chap 137.
Borderline personality disorder
Each personality disorder is classified into one of three "clusters": clusters A, B, or C. Cluster A is called the "eccentric" cluster, and it includes schizotypal, paranoid, and schizoid personality disorders. Cluster B is called the "dramatic" or "erratic" cluster, and it includes ASPD (another name for sociopathy), borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorder. Cluster C is called the "anxious" or "dependent" cluster, and it includes avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders. Cluster B is the one that shares the most characteristics with sociopathy. Borderline personality disorder is a disorder that is characterized by emotional instability. People with borderline generally are described as "childish", and they often feel as if they are victimized. Their emotional swings often resemble those of sociopathy. Histrionic personality disorder is characterized by attention seeking, including excess seduction, being the "life of the party" even if there isn't a party, and have quick mood swings (which is something that all of Cluster B has in common). This disorder is similar to sociopathy because of the need for all of the attention to be on them. Finally, we come to narcissistic personality disorder. Those with narcissistic personality disorder think of themselves as the greatest thing alive. They are bad at taking criticism in any way. They require constant attention, and they may lie to achieve their own goals. The main reason that those with narcissistic personality disorder resemble sociopaths, though, is because they feel little to no empathy. To sum that long answer up, borderline personality disorder resembles sociopathy because of its mood swings, histrionic personality disorder resembles sociopathy because of the attention-seeking, and narcissistic personality disorder resembles sociopathy because of the near or full lack of empathy.
An old-fashioned name for antisocial personality disorder is psychopath. These are damaged people, and most of the damage was probably done during their childhoods. A person with antisocial personality disorder was most likely neglected or abused as a child. But the abuse and neglect doesn't have to be severe; even benign neglect can cause a person to develop this illness. Living with other people isn't easy. Whether they're a college dorm-mate, a roommate, a parent, a lover or a spouse, sharing daily living space with other human beings requires a lot of compromising and setting of rules in order. But the problem with antisocial disorder is that there are no specific medications for that condition. That means that only some sort of the psycho therapy, perhaps a group one might help. But of course, he has to have the will and desire for that. A family is like an orange: each segment is unique, but connected to make a whole. When member suffers, the entire family suffers. When a loved one in your family is suffering from one of the personality disorders, the entire family is under stress.There are many excellent therapists, counselors, and medical practitioners who specialize in treating personality disorders, but very often the caregivers are overlooked. Just as Mom and Dad can be taken for granted by the children, they can also be assumed to be doing just fine in such a stressful environment. It doesn't matter much what the personality disorder is when it concerns the well-being of the family. It could be borderline personality disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, or manic depression. The caregivers need to be taken care of as well!
In sharp contrast to Anti-Social Personality Disorder (sociopathy) is another personality disorder, termed Borderline Personality Disorder, in which the problem is the opposite of the problem of the sociopath: the sympathetic nervous system of person with BPD responds too easily, too strongly, and way too often!Meanwhile, in the true sociopath/psychopath, the fight-or-flight reaction is very brief, extremely difficult to sustain even in an emergency, and does not touch certain organs as it ought to do; sociopaths are chronically "bored" because they are literally half-asleep most of the time. (Even though they tend to look awake and behave in an alert, intense manner.)Additionally, although individuals with Borderline Personality tend to use manipulation in various forms such as malingering, these are usually intended to gain the concern or sympathy of perceived caregivers. In persons with Antisocial Personality Disorder, deceit and manipulation are used to gain material gratification such as money, gifts, etc. Also, personality features specific to APD, such as an extreme sense of entitlement, egocentricity, narcissism, and exaggerated self-assurance are typically absent in persons with BPD.
Law enforcement frequently encounters several personality disorders, with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) being one of the most prevalent, often associated with criminal behavior and lack of empathy. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is also commonly seen, particularly in crisis situations, as individuals may exhibit intense emotional instability and impulsive actions. Narcissistic personality disorder can arise in confrontations involving individuals with inflated self-importance and a lack of regard for others. Additionally, paranoid personality disorder may lead to challenges during interactions, as individuals exhibit suspiciousness and mistrust.
Psychopaths (also sometimes called sociopaths) are actually diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disoder (DSM-IV). Individuals with this disorder demonstrate a long-standing pattern of disregarding and violating the rights of others. They are often aggressive, reckless, impulsive, and irresponsible. They have no inherent regard for rules or laws, but are able to "play the game" in order to reach an end goal. Most notably, they do not demonstrate empathy for others or remorse for having wronged another. Can they show signs of different mental disorders? Absolutely. Antisocial Personality Disorder can co-exist with any number of other mental health issues - Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, ADHD, etc. It's important to remember, however, that some other disorders can make the individual appear to be antisocial when in reality he/she isn't. For example, if the antisocial behavior occurs ONLY during the course of Schizophrenia, the behavior is attributed to the Schizophrenia and a separate diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder should not be given.
With the exception of Antisocial Personality Disorder, Bipolar Disorder is the mental illness most commonly associated with alcoholism. Over 40% of individuals with Bipolar 1 have a history of alcohol abuse.Basically, Bipolar Disorder and alcoholism tend to go hand in hand. Being Bipolar can cause increased mood swings in alcoholics.