Psychopathy

Psychopathy

The psychopath is the patient who suffers from a personality disorder characterized by a predominantly antisocial behavior, being frequent acts where the laws are infringed, whether thefts, scams or similar, can reach up to the kidnapping or aggression against their fellows, all persons with psychopathy have reduced his intelligence, and with an apparent insensitivity to pain that can cause in others.
The term psychopath - now in disuse in the clinical environment - starts to replace the sociopath. Currently it is framed within what is known as antisocial behaviour, which is the one in which the individual manipulates, transgresses and in some cases violent social norms in their own benefit, regardless of morality, or the consequences of their actions may have on others.
Some studies indicate that in recent years has occurred an increase of people with antisocial personality disorder, causing them to submit in four of every 100 people, giving almost three times more in men than in women. One of the reasons may be that in an increasingly competitive society, are better considered those individuals who progress, regardless of the means used to achieve it, thus fostering this individualism, which sometimes can be the germ of a psychopathic tendency. What, Furthermore, joins a desire in some people take advantage of the other and even do harm, without guilt. Referred to those who fail to express themselves violently 'white-collar psychopaths').
The majority of cases of psychopathy are precisely type non-violent, manipulative, rather, that they get what they want at any price, without worrying about the consequences of their actions. These are people who tend to live a seemingly normal life, despite which the term 'psychopath' tends to be more associated with cases of extreme violence, since they are also the more flashy, but in proportion the number of psychopaths that are expressed so is negligible. .

Causes of psychopathy: what leads them to do so?

On the causes originating the psychopathy, they are not yet clear, there is a genetic factor which can be expressed in this or other disorder, according to the environment where the person develops, but what does seem to be decisive is the lack of affection received from parents during the infancy of the affected individual, as well as the disregard of these by their moral education; What is projected on the affected, since the stage of school, with fellow behavioral problems.
Although not all misconduct of this kind during childhood will result in a psychopathy, if it is important enough to explore the reasons why small upsets and even assaulted by classmates, while apparently mediate cause to do so, in order to be able to rule out pathology or diagnosed, carry out time, since soon becomes a more effective is treatment for psychopathy.
Likewise, it is worth noting that this personality disorder may be due to certain brain reciprocation, especially in the frontal lobe, malformation, disease or brain injury.

Profile of a psychopath

The film presents case in point of psychopaths, cold and calculating, committing deplorable acts, without feeling remorse for it. Without reaching the ends of exceptional cases, observe some of the following traits in a family member or loved one would be a good sign to take you to consultation and start thus to explore whether the person suffers or not of psychopathy.
While psychopathy in extreme degree is usually recognised by their criminal acts, there are also other manifestations that characterize a person with this personality disorder. These could be some of the symptoms and traits typical of the profile of a psychopath:

• Shows approval, and even coldness, and lack of empathy for the feelings of others.
• Manipulator, with some charm, able to get what they want from others.
• In its extreme degree is eminently transgressor of social norms of coexistence, characterized by his criminal conduct and his cruelty.
• Lack of guilt and remorse in what he does, knowing the damage they may be causing.
• They have a capacity of judgment, distinguishing between good and evil, with normal intelligence and even at times higher than the average.
• With inability to form healthy, stable and lasting personal or social relations.
• Absence of delusions or hallucinations, or irritability or anxiety that may lead their behavior.
• Thought and behavior guided by reason and pragmatism, with a limited role given to the feelings, imbued with what some authors have called social narcissism.
• They usually do not feel fear nor respond to fear of punishment for their actions.
• They don't consider the opinions of others, and do not suffer tension by social disapproval for their acts.
• People are seemingly controlled, trying to lead a normal life, hiding their real tensions and intentions.
• They are people who do not flee from situations of stress and risk, they seek it, e.g. practicing extreme sports as a way to free their internal tensions.
• In some cases may be irritable and angry, and can trigger a situation of physical or verbal violence without having apparent reason to do so.
• Psychopaths are people who, in addition, often show addictive behaviors, either in the behavioral field as in the case of the kleptomania or consumption of illegal substances.

Diagnosis of psychopathy

While taking into account the symptoms and manifestations listed above, at first glance may seem simple to diagnose psychopathy, it is not so much, because that first you have to establish the differential diagnosis of other diseases and simulations that can show similar behaviour such as:

• In the case of the simulations, the person not is governed by the disease, but for other purposes as it may be notoriety or be cleared of a crime, and thereby avoid the corresponding sentence.
• The borderline disorder personality, and even in some cases of mental retardation, where it is normally acts following the indications or the example of another person "without notice" of the inadequacy of their acts.
• People who suffer from 'temporary madness', as a reaction to a situation of stress or in response to a threat to himself or a loved one, is this real or not.
• People suffering other psychiatric disorder that makes you suffer hallucinations or delusions, such as persecution, to justify behavior defensive which in some cases is expressed aggressively.
• Nor is considered psychopathy in cases in which the person suffering from emotional incontinence, low tolerance to frustration, and outbreaks of anger or wrath, which can lead him to commit violent acts.

To be a personality disorder, since children will begin to experience the first trends psychotics by the minor, but of course, these are not going to be equal which can take an adult, because you start with something simple as it can be to annoy co-workers, take away things, and can rarely reach the physical assault; As it is experiencing, and consolidated in his actions despite the consequences, each time going to go daring to major acts.
Although psychopathy will be forming since childhood, being an inner personality trait, not in all cases be express at an early age, being more frequent that I will be expressed from adolescence, where there is some degree of social permissiveness with young people, even when it comes to complying with the standards of conduct, because it is assumed that at this time are guided by hormones and are not responsible for what they do.

Treatment of psychopathy

Being of a personality disorder, i.e., that affects how you think, feel and Act, we must be clear that the treatment of psychopathy will be complex, since it has to intervene in all areas of the person to get to correct this behavior, although the major difficulty is that the psychopath wants to change, especially when their actions reported him immediate personal gratification, and lacks enough empathy to feel guilt for his behavior.
One of its distinctive features is that it is usually know well how to manipulate others, and get these whatever he wants, therefore the psychopath requires training in love, where they learn to put themselves in the situation of the other, so that you understand what he feels, thus developing emotional skills of empathy; It is also trained to establish and maintain lasting and healthy social relationships.
This training consists of the person to do various exercises, role-play, where will be adopting different social roles, so that you go having positive experiences on other ways of relating, which will help you in the future to have more options to get adapted to the standards of social behavior. Equally positive visualization and relaxation techniques help them control the internal tension that guide them towards the search for the satisfaction of their immediate impulses.
With regard to misconduct, the most difficult is to stop violating laws, psychopaths are fully aware of when you transgress social norms, and nevertheless do so, treating that Yes, that do not take them, giving the greater appearance of normality to disguise the crime; It is why it is so difficult to detect it, and the benefits provided by make it almost impossible to change.
Pharmacological level, despite attempts to find a suitable treatment for psychopathy, there is a specific for this medication since it is not suffering from delusions, hallucinations, or States of anxiety or aggression that motivate him; so no can combat symptoms, deprivation of liberty being the way in which society has solved this social problem in the most serious cases; i.e. Remove the psychopath of the streets, avoids to do harm to anyone else, but reality tells us that almost never occurs their reintegration.
One of the major difficulties to achieve a satisfactory goals in this treatment is the lack of involvement of the person psychopath, since it's a voluntary and conscious behaviour, and that I often bring benefits, either autocomplaciencia or social, for what hardly want to change, and continue the treatment for psychopathy. being more effective if you start at an early age.

Tips for preventing psychopathy

Psychopathy is a personality disorder, hence the best time to address their prevention is precisely at the age in which it is forming, i.e. childhood and before adolescence, when a person sets their way of being, thinking and relate to the world, i.e. their personality, then it is very difficult to change, despite the efforts carried out by family members and therapists.
For this reason that, when it is suspected the existence of this disease, it is recommended to follow the following Tips for preventing psychopathic behaviors:

• If you look at behavior of deception toward another person by your son, which then may even boast of their success, it's talk with him seriously about it and explain the reason of the incorrectness of their acts.
• About giving a good moral foundation to your son, but above all do it with the example, since children learn more by what they see, that by what they hear.
• If your child is a spiteful or vindictive, she has not forgiven when you've had some evil or have not given him what he wanted, teach him to forgive and forget.
• If damage is caused by your child to a similar, tries to apologize and make amends, in such a way that you understand that this behavior is inappropriate.
• If your child lies and distorts reality to get what she wants, it's facing you with the truth, so realize that lying is not a way of relating healthily.

If you see any of these behaviors in your child, and after your instructions does not rectify your way, try to dedicate more attention and care, and if you see that despite this he continues behaving as well, go to a specialist, explore the motives of such conduct, it may be that you are beginning to germinate any mismatch in its formation as a person that can trigger in psychopathy.

Article contributed for educational purposes