According to The Sociopath Next Door by Dr. Stout, the U.S. hosts 11.7 million psychopaths, and New York City is home to 320,000 of them. She knows this because people with clipboards have determined that four percent of the American population are psychopaths. Such a staggering fact obviously raises a host of questions: Who are these psychopaths? Where do they shop? Do they all vote Republican?…
Article comments
76 - Marcia Neil
Diet is a definite factor in sociopathy -- people who constantly ingest milk, cheese, and butter products do not behave normally. They must be 'managed', but any directional behavior with and towards them might cause ear-searing verbal attack.
77 - Marcia Neil
Also, there should be a list of potential 'trigger' foods that can provide guidance to prevent sociopathic harm.
78 - Horrible Article!
This article is full of so much wrong and made up information it should be removed! Whatever uninformed fool decided to post up a bunch of made up crap should be ashamed! Or maybe they are not, because they could be a evil sociopath!
79 - Earl
As a divorced father of two it was stunning to discover this book and the reason for all the difficulties I experienced while married. I thought I was nuts! The difficulties I now have obtaining visitation is now understood but will never be acceptable. The realization I was married to a sociopath has been a true epiphany for me. This book should be required reading before marrying someone.
80 - Cory
I can't wait to read this book. In hindsight, I ignored all the OBVIOUS "red flags" because I was in love with this guy.
He was someone that hid his sociopathy well, until he was drinking which sort of triggered a "truth serum" effect. I thought he was "just" an alcoholic, but realize he took great pleasure and pride in inflicting cruelty and havoc onto people's lives.
If you're in a relationship with someone and are constantly made to feel crazy/inadequate/ignored/exhausted.... you may be dating a sociopath.
81 - Douglas Mays
Horrible Article #78. You have been caught. Obviously written by a sociopath. Zero accountability in your statement.
82 - Marcia Neil
If a person has EVER signs-up to 'join' a troop, especially just to ask questions, other troop members become sociopathic if "reports" are not forthcoming with demand. Some children are permanently intimidated if they attend only one or a few meetings, thenq quit.
83 - VeganMommy
To Stereo_Rose:
Have you been tested for Asperger's Syndrome??? It sounds more like what you're describing than Sociopathy.
Asperger's Syndrome is a mild form of Autism. Usually people with Asperger's are brainy (love to read & learn, etc.), can hold a stable job, and they keep to themselves. They have a problem making friends because it's very hard for them to socialize normally - they "rules" of social behavior don't make sense to them and they have a problem being able to "learn" how to socialize.
Even though they feel emotions just the same as everyone else, their "mirror" neurons don't work (these are the neurons that help you mimic your parents to learn things when you are a baby).
The best way to tell someone with Asperger's from a Sociopath is their social life - people with Asperger's usually don't have a social life because they get tired of stepping on everyone's toes (they WANT friends but every time they try to make friends they end up "queering the deal".)They would rather leave others alone than force people into unsatisfying friendships with them.
A sociopath REQUIRES a social life or they at least require people to feel obligated to them in order to get something out of them. They KNOW perfectly well how to socialize and they do it and use it to get what they want out of people (to avoid having to do work themselves.)
In other words, people with Autism/Asperger's are troubled by their condition because they WANT GENUINE emotional connections with other people but can't produce them because of a neurological dysfunction. The way they cope with this disappointment is to find other things to spend their time on (reading, hobbies, etc.) and have the peace of mind that at least they're not "bothering" anybody.
Sociopaths, on the other hand, are not troubled by their condition at all. They don't think there is ANYTHING wrong with them at all and they are perfectly happy with themselves. They DON'T WANT GENUINE emotional attachments with other people - they don't even know what that is because they don't have any GENUINE compassion, or GENUINE love. They only know how to MIMIC genuine emotions, and they use fake emoting like a tool to manipulate others. They know they are manipulating people and it doesn't bother them. There is not "coping" mechanism or "escapism" because there is nothing to cope or escape from. NOTHING about the way they think and act makes them feel bad about themselves. Usually they do not have "hobbies" because their all consuming passion is to mettle in other people's lives to see what they can get out of them or to screw with them.
My sister in law is a covetous sociopath and she uses the pity-play religiously to get what she wants out of people. She is a party-girl bartender, and made the smooth transition to trophy-wife/mommy social-butterfly. She keeps the same group of high school thralls around her to protect her from people with a fresh outside perspective (and can spot her sociopathy) She used the pity-play to sucker her Mr.Got-Rocks-boyfriend into a relationship, then got knocked up and he married her.
For the longest time I bought her B.S. that it was her mom that was making up lies and putting words into her mouth, etc. etc. (their mom is crazy - she was an alcoholic, and abusive to my fiancee and his sister growing up) But my fiancee has a conscience, he never uses his mother as an excuse for his problems, whereas his sister will never NOT blame her abuse of people around her on her mother.
84 - hannibal bates
Actually, more damage has been done in my life by people piling guilt on me. I sometimes envy the folks who lack the ability to feel guilt! How many of us have been guilted into doing things we don't want to do? Even things we know we shouldn't do? Guilt is quite a weapon! The sociopath is immune to it's effects...
85 - seethebright
Interesting book. Not that it will do any of you any good, though. Most of you have no friggin clue just how far behind you are. I can do anything I want. I've encountered maybe 2 people in my life who "had me pegged." And you think a book is really going to help you? Can you turn on the tears at will? Can you kick a rabbit in the head with calm, mild curiosity? Can you simply stare down a loud little child to make it shut up? Can you lie about anything to the point of beating a detector? Didn't think so. Love & kisses.
86 - Lady Raine
There's a lot of technical issues with this post, but it was a good read and DOES cover the myth that a "sociopath" is some glaze-eyed, drooling, mumbling, cult leader......
As for the critiques, the technical probs with the post are obvious like comparing Sociopathic Tendencies to Psychopathic ones.
One major difference being that most "Psychopaths" and especially Schizophrenics suffer from actual "Psychosis" and Delusional "episodes" to some degree.
Sociopaths can be just as dangerous and never have a moment of "psychosis" in their lifetime. A Sociopath does not "need" to be in a different mental state like psychosis or paranoid psychosis to do the things that he does.
He does them because he lives by no law but his own and his morals are whatever make (logical) sense to him. These are typically not "loose cannons" running around acting like they hear voices or have MPD. They most certainly do not.
Furthermore, people like myself who have OCD often develop Sociopathic "tendencies" because of an underlying disorder. A person can be loving, loyal, and kind and still be a Sociopath. It's just the level of "control" and Introspection the person is capable of that makes the REAL difference between your average ruthless CEO and a man like Ted Bundy.
87 - I am a sociopath
I am a sociopath i have been clinically diagnosed with anti social personality disorder. I spend every waking day and moment working hard building a mask so others do not find out my secret. I am of above average intelligence and because of this i am successful. I have been to therapy but only to learn better ways to hid my identity. I am not violent nor do i go out of my way to make other peoples lives miserable. However sometimes it happens not purposely but because i cannot read others emotions as well as most people. since i do not feel emotions myself I have a very hard time distinguishing others emotions. This can make it difficult not to hurt or mistreat others. Do i feel remorse after i find out that i did in fact hurt others. No However this does not mean that i go out of my way to fuck over every one in my path. In fact it is more the opposite I try hard not to hurt others feeling or to take advantage of people because i fear that someone may see me for what i really am and make it common knowledge. Making it harder for me to go about my normal existence.......
88 - Marcia Neil
Is someone using your "not" verbiage as "Knott"? Then, indeed, the continuum is 'sociopath----schizophrenic', with the s-word being more pro-active.
89 - Laurie H
I worked for a sociopath who was out of control and people would only last at that office so long and then they would move on or just quit. It was an incredible learning experience on that behavior, and the sad part is upper management refuses to do anything about her as they are scared of her.
In the end the agency loses, the people who work for this person loses and have to suffer. It is just a mess!
90 - Briguy
to 14. noneof yourbusiness
You are people too, but only by the most textbook definition of the word.
In order to truly love a person, you must learn to truly know and understand that person. On a very fundamental level, I can never understand you. You and I live on different paradigm's. It is pointless, if not harmful and dangerous to care for someone who is quite literally incapable of caring for others.
As for my opinion. Those who only care about themselves only deserve themselves.
Best of luck to you.
91 - lil ol me
You people are .....amusing. I am a sociopath and I know what the condition means. You say how evil we are and it only shows that you do not understand us at all. I do not try to hurt people, I must be extra vigilant to not hhurt anyone for the simple reason that it is almost immpossible for me to understand all the screwed up little twists and turns that make up your interpersonal relationships. YOU PEOPLE ARE THE CRAZY ONES. Why not just be straight forward in how you act. You would be a lot easier to understand.
92 - tasha
I dated a scociopaty for a year and half. Worst year and a half of my life. He lied , cheated, lied, cheated some more, cried, and mooched. That's all he was so controlling I lost all my friends. And his temper was out of this world. Why I stuck with him so long??? Only God knows. I was miserable, and all he did was try to bring ke down. It still disturbs me!!! I am now married And very happy!!!! Only thing is this Guy is still in my life due ti my sister in law is dating his twin brother. The sociopath and his miserable gf live at My sister in law's house. I just found this out a week ago. I think about it all day everyday!!!!!! I want to protect my family and his new gf from him. I just dont want anyone in this world to every have to go through what he puts other people through............ I also jist a week ago figured out that whathe is , is a sociopath. It obviously gave me a lot of answers to what i dealt with in the past. I just wanted to write this to not pitty sociopaths when they try to make u feel bad for them!!! That's what they do best. And will keep on doing it.
93 - Mike
How can we be sure that most of the posts here describing how some sociopath destroyed their life, relationship, etc. are accurate? maybe the person who caused you so much hurt was just your typical selfish jerk who was raised as a spoiled brat.
Also, I tend to agree with some of the posters that not all sociopaths are harmful or "evil". Most probably are not aware and just want to be left alone. Those who have figured out their condition probably are busy trying to figure out ways to coexist with "feelers".
The evidence is in the numbers.. if there are 11M sociopaths in the US, and all of them are "evil" to the core (as what some of the comments seem to imply), I would expect a lot more crimes and social disturbances to happen.
Finally, personality disorders are a continuous spectrum from normal personality types. Thus, a certain poster's suggestion to shoot or incarcerate or penalize ALL persons with a diagnosis of sociopathy would seem to be very unfair to those with only mild manifestations, especially since psychiatric diagnoses in these borderline cases can be very subjective.
94 - Happee
Wow to think I even try to care, Look you guy's it's kinda closed minded to think all soci's are wired exactly the same where not, for instance a over all is true what you all say;however just because we dont have empathy or sympathy doesn't mean we don't want to feel many of us want nothing more; we dont all imitate emotional response as a game to see if we can trick people(though it's really not that hard to) I want to feel, I envy those who feel naturally; Want to KnoW what I do feel??? Secretly I agonize deep deep down in my soul (who im sure isn't a sociopath) The finding and retaining of true Love and you know what? Iwanted this so bad I've taught myself to connect through over whelming heart pounding chemistry, you can call it what you like and no I cant speak for others but; I found a organic 100%real way to experiance some true emotion;through the chemistry of the human body and mind with the one Man who knows all of this and Loves me regardless of that which I can not change , using that chemistry allows me to also truly bond with people on a regular basis as well my children so one real feeling just of another nature.
95 - aim
This writer sounds a bit "abrasive".