A Sociopath- You Could Be One

Are you a sociopath? You just might be one. The statistics show that one in every 25 people is a true blue sociopath. If your office has 50 people, you work with two of them. Does that mean you are in mortal danger? Of course not.

Let’s get educated and look at the mind:

– Sociopaths can and do maintain eye contact. If fact, they are so good at it, the term is ‘a predator’s stare’. Other people might think it’s a mark of arrogance or conceit when the person is probably unaware that they’re doing it or how it may unnerve others.

– Sociopaths are psychopaths. The term sociopath was coined because of the absolute negative reaction to the word psychopath. Modern psychology has further differentiated them, but they share many traits. They have an antisocial personality disorder and have a “pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others.” Many show overconfidence, lack of remorse, high manipulation skills and no desire to conform to social norms unless it benefits them.

– Here’s a biggie! Not all sociopaths are criminals! Studies have shown that less than 20% of inmates are sociopaths, but they also conclude that 50% of all truly serious crimes are committed by sociopaths. Hmmm, does that mean they are simply smarter than the average criminal?

– If you met one, you’d probably like them. They are knowledgeable about social behavior and smart enough to use it to their advantage. It is a learned behavior for them, not instinctual, but effective nonetheless.

– They do prey on people’s weaknesses. Many things they do are benign like stealing a diary to read it so they better know how to manipulate that person through their weaknesses. Most times they don’t need to resort to that type of behavior because they have a heightened awareness to people’s flaws. ‘Predator six sense’

– Sexual preferences are often gender neutral. Many consider themselves asexual and it’s not the physical attraction that draws them, it’s more a component of the personality that intrigues them. That being said, sociopaths are capable of love and many have long lasting relationships with children. It is a different kind of love but meaningful to them.

– They are usually very successful in their field. They like being top dog. This plays into their survival of the fittest mentality and their willingness to exploit others for their own gain.

– Their actions and relationships are viewed with a benefits eye. What will they get out of it? How will it further their position, social standing etc.

– Because they can change to fit whatever environment they are in, they tend to have very little “sense of self”. They practice this skill all the time, much as a large predator practices camouflage while stalking their prey. Hmmm, there seems to be a common word running through this post.

– So how do you know if you’re a sociopath? M.E. Thomas, an author and diagnosed sociopath, compiled this list-

You have a lot of friends, admirers and lovers
You are extremely self-confident
You are charming
You use your charm and confidence to manipulate others
You are morally ambivalent
You believe in survival of the fittest
You are great at making decisions on the fly and being spontaneous
You get restless easily
You are a daredevil
You are successful
You are easily distracted
You have a predatory spirit
You are highly intelligent

 

– If you checked off a bunch of these attributes, don’t run to the nearest doctor for a diagnosis. Go on with your life and don’t worry about it. There is NO cure for this disorder and if you’re happy then forget about it.

– While this is a common disorder and most live “normal” lives, just know they will destroy you if it’s to their advantage.