Antisocial Personality Disorder: What Is It And How Is It Treated?
The term “anti-social” is often used in social situations to describe someone who might not enjoy spending time with others or prefers to be alone sometimes. It could be easy to confuse this term with antisocial personality disorder (ASD). However, this condition is a mental illness unrelated to introversion or “shyness.” It is a severe personality disorder in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), and it can have lasting and challenging symptoms for those impacted. If you believe you or someone you love might be living with this condition, looking at its symptoms in detail can be helpful in understanding its common impacts.
What is antisocial personality disorder or ASPD?
Antisocial personality disorder is a personality disorder in the DSM-5. It can include symptoms like indifference to moral codes and disregard for others. Furthermore, persons who experience this personality disorder may influence others for their own gain. ASPD was once called “sociopathy” but has since been changed due to the word’s negative connotations and stigma.
Someone living with this disorder might struggle with the following:
Difficulty regarding social and moral beliefs
Difficulty feeling empathy
Difficulty respecting the rights of others
A lack of guilt and remorse for behavior
Manipulation and antagonization of others for personal gain
Rudeness, cruelty, or indifference toward others
Symptoms of antisocial personality disorder or ASPD
Various symptoms may be associated with ASPD. These symptoms might appear in childhood or adolescence as a conduct disorder and continue into adulthood. One or a few symptoms may not be enough for a diagnosis. However, reach out for support if you think you might be living with a mental health challenge. Below are a few symptoms you might be experiencing:
Consistent outright lying or deceit to manipulate and exploit others
Difficulty telling “right” from “wrong”
Difficulty learning from past mistakes
Difficulty considering adverse consequences of behavior
Irresponsibility
Difficulty fulfilling obligations
Cruel, disrespectful, rude, or indifferent behavior
Using charm or wit for personal gain
Arrogance
Dangerous actions, such as engaging in substance use (formerly called substance abuse) or driving without a seatbelt
A history of unhealthy or abusive relationships
Intimidation or dishonesty toward others
Impulsiveness and rash decision making
No empathy or remorse for actions that may harm others
Aggression toward animals
Repeated instances of theft
Physical violence
Destruction of property
Continued violation of rules
Difficulty holding a job
If you are facing or witnessing abuse of any kind, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 for support. Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text “START” to 88788. You can also use the online chat.
Statistics on antisocial personality disorder
Though you might hear about ASPD in the media, the condition may be rarer than portrayed. Because of the stringent qualifications for the condition, not everyone who commits a crime has ASPD, and not everyone with ASPD commits crimes. These individuals can live healthy lives and live among others, often peacefully. Below are a few statistics about ASPD:
Approximately 0.6% to 3.6% of adults in the United States have antisocial personality disorder.
Approximately 3% of men and 1% of women have ASPD.
Many people with ASPD exhibit some symptomatic behaviors before the age of 15.
Approximately one-third of incarcerated men have symptoms of ASPD.
Approximately 21% of incarcerated women have an ASPD diagnosis.
A significant number of CEOs and high-level officials showcase traits that may be associated with ASPD.
Antisocial personality disorder cannot be diagnosed in children but may begin as conduct disorder (CD).
Common misconceptions about antisocial personality disorder
There are many misconceptions about those living with ASPD. To reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness, educating yourself on these myths and why they are incorrect can be beneficial.
Myth: Antisocial personality disorder is an untreatable mental health condition
ASPD cannot be cured. However, it can be treated, and those diagnosed can live healthy, fulfilling lives. It can be harmful to label people with ASPD as “sociopaths” that will never participate healthily in society. Many people with personality disorders have healthy relationships, careers, and goals.
Myth: You’re born a “sociopath” or with antisocial personality disorder
Personality disorders can be caused by genetics and environmental factors. However, using the word “sociopath” to describe an individual often leads to stigmas. People with ASPD may be born with the disposition to have traits related to this condition. Still, how they are raised, their exposure to healthy messages, and their family environment may also play meaningful roles in the development of antisocial personality disorder.
Myth: All people with ASPD are violent and dangerous
Many people with ASPD and other personality disorders seek treatment and manage their behavioral urges. Not everyone with this condition may act violently. Although some famous criminals may have been diagnosed with ASPD, some criminals have not been diagnosed with any mental illness. Not all people who partake in dangerous behavior have a mental illness, so looking at mental health through this lens may be stigmatizing. In addition, research has shown that women diagnosed with this disorder are less likely than their male counterparts to engage in violence.
Myth: All incarcerated individuals have ASPD or personality disorders
Although many people in prisons have personality disorders like ASPD, they do not make up the entirety of the prison population. Many people in prison do not have a mental illness, and others have a different mental illness not associated with ASPD. Mental health and crime do not necessarily correlate in every case.
How to cope if you live with antisocial personality disorder or ASPD
If you believe you may be living with ASPD, speak to your primary care physician for a referral to a psychologist. At times, drastic changes in behavior may be a cause for concern for a medical condition, so your doctor might order tests before referral. Some symptoms associated with ASPD can also be a sign of a co-occurring condition or another mental illness. A psychological evaluation with a therapist might be beneficial to ensure you receive the correct services.
Living with ASPD may make it difficult for some individuals to reach out for support or recognize that their symptoms are unhealthy for them and others. To understand your behaviors further, consider going into therapy with an open mind. Ask your therapist whether your behaviors are concerning and how you might be able to take steps to remedy them. Note that cognitive behavioral therapy often requires a willingness to try and perform introspection. If you struggle to do so, let your therapist know so they can work with you to develop these skills.
Counseling options for personality disorders
Whether you have been diagnosed or suspect you might be living with ASPD, a few options are available to you for treatment. One way to reach out for assistance is through online therapy, which might benefit someone who prefers to stay home when receiving care. With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can take control over your preferences for treatment, choosing between phone, video, or live chat sessions. In addition, you can send messages to your therapist 24/7 if you have questions or need to chat, and your clinician will respond as soon as they are able.
A study from 2022 found that online psychotherapy could be more available in treating personality disorders. The results of the study found that client satisfaction was moderate to high and resulted in a reduction of symptom severity similar to that of face-to-face studies. These results show promise in the future treatment of dissociative personality disorder like ASPD. Therapy may also help with comorbid mental health conditions, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, or substance use disorder.
Takeaway
What are three symptoms of antisocial personality disorder?
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSMV) lists many possible symptoms of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), and they usually emerge in varying degrees depending on the individual's life circumstances.
Some of the most common antisocial traits that meet the diagnostic criteria are:
- A tendency to manipulate and exploit others with a lack of remorse or regret for the pain it causes.
- An individual with ASPD may regularly express unwarranted or misdirected anger and aggression.
- They typically have little or no regard for social norms or the law.
What is an example of an antisocial personality disorder character?
Dr. Hannibal Lector, the antagonist from the novel/movie "The Silence of the Lambs," is one of the best-known fictional characters depicted with antisocial personality disorder. Lector embodied many of the characteristics of ASPD— he was both brilliant and sadistic, manipulative and unremorseful, and charming yet threatening.
How do you know if someone has an antisocial disorder?
Individuals developing antisocial disorder will likely do as they please with no regard for its consequences or impact on others. You may notice feelings of hostility towards an individual, group, or society in general. They may seem charming, but that charm is often used to manipulate and exploit others.
What is the hardest mental illness to live with?
Each person's experience with mental illness is unique to their personality, relationships, and life circumstances. That said, borderline personality disorder is generally accepted as the most challenging mental health condition to live with— both for the patient and for those who support them. However, BPD is manageable with long-term psychotherapy and medications such as mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and/or selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors. (SSRIs)
What is the most common antisocial behavior?
Typically, aggression is the most common antisocial behavior. This can be in the form of shouting, fighting, or any kind of disruption meant to intimidate and draw attention. People with antisocial tendencies may have fits of rage in public places, pick fights, and bully or target the people around them.
What triggers antisocial personality disorder symptoms?
While the exact cause is still unknown, researchers believe that ASPD arises from a combination of environmental and genetic factors but may also result from neurological irregularities. For example:
- People who experienced child abuse, particularly verbal and caretaker sexual abuse, are more likely to develop ASPD.
- Children raised by an alcoholic parent or caregiver are more likely to have a childhood conduct disorder, later manifesting as ASPD in adulthood.
- Brain abnormalities in childhood may be associated with lifelong patterns of antisocial behavior.
What is the difference between introvert personality and antisocial personality?
Though the terms are sometimes (erroneously) intertwined, there are many differences between being an introvert and antisocial. The most notable may be that introversion is a personality trait rather than a mental health condition, while ASPD is a diagnosable disorder.
Introverts often desire and are capable of building healthy relationships. People with ASPD are typically incapable of developing healthy relationships, instead using their social skills to manipulate and exploit others for their own personal gain.
Introverts are typically conscientious of their surroundings and how they interact in a social setting. People with ASPD are often indifferent to their impact on others and feel little or no remorse if their behavior causes harm.
How do you describe antisocial behavior?
Antisocial behavior may be described as overt or covert aggression. Overtly aggressive antisocial behaviors are typically directed at others, such as intimidation, bullying, or abuse. Covert aggression is typically directed at the property of others and may include theft, vandalizing, or setting fires.
What is the most painful personality disorder?
Again, borderline personality disorder is often labeled as the most painful of the mental health disorders to live with. It can cause great suffering for the people experiencing its symptoms of uncontrollable mood swings, aggressive behavior, intense fear of abandonment, and severe problems with self-esteem and relationships. Bipolar, social anxiety, and schizoaffective are other disorders described as particularly painful.
What is the Joker's mental disorder or mental health condition?
Diagnosing antisocial personality disorder, or any disorder, requires a thorough assessment and interviews with a mental health professional. Such an assessment is not possible for "the Joker"— a fictional comic book antagonist in the Batman series known for his violent, psychopathic traits. Despite the lack of information required to achieve a holistic diagnosis of his condition, some researchers still speculate.
For example, a paper published in the BJ Psych Bulletin conjectures that the "unusual combination of symptoms suggests a complex mix of features of certain personality traits, namely psychopathy and narcissism (he meets DSM-5 criteria for narcissistic personality disorder)."
Do antisocial personality disorder symptoms go away?
ASPD symptoms usually do not go away entirely, but they can be managed and reduced with long-term therapy, medication, and support.
What is the Big Five of antisocial personality disorder?
The "Big Five" refers to the five-factor model of personality traits—openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism—which can help understand personality aspects, but it is not specific to ASPD.
What triggers a psychopath?
Triggers for psychopathic behavior can vary but often include:
Perceived threats.
Challenges to their control or authority.
Situations that prevent them from getting what they want.
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