Understanding The Impact Of Antisocial Personality Disorder On Relationships

Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is a mental health condition usually characterized by a lack of empathy for others, impulsive behavior, and disregard of social norms. A person with ASPD may also lie and engage in deceitful behavior for personal gain, which can make it challenging to build and maintain interpersonal relationships over a long period. While there may be difficulties in managing a relationship when one member is living with ASPD, various coping strategies and treatment options can reduce symptoms and improve relationships. 

Treating ASPD typically involves working with a mental health professional. Various therapeutic techniques and lifestyle changes can positively impact how a person with ASPD interacts with friends, family members, and society as a whole. 

What is antisocial personality disorder?

Antisocial personality disorder is one of 10 personality disorders included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), and it is listed as a cluster B personality disorder. Cluster B personality disorders usually involve erratic, emotional, or dramatic behavior and include narcissistic personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, and antisocial personality disorder. 

While the exact cause of ASPD in each person may be different, genetics, a history of child abuse or trauma, and other environmental factors may play a role in the development of ASPD. 

Symptoms of antisocial personality disorder may vary but often include the following: 

• Lack of empathy or remorse
• Disregard for safety
• Frequent run-ins with the law
• Impulsive behavior
• Social anxiety
• Irresponsibility
• Engaging in lying or deceitful behavior for personal gain 

ASPD may occur comorbidly with other disorders, including substance use disorder (formerly called substance abuse disorder), which may exacerbate symptoms. A person with ASPD may not want or seek support on their own, which can lead to a complicated diagnostic process that may involve friends and family members. Although ASPD can be challenging to treat and manage, recovery is possible and may involve ongoing therapy sessions. 

How does ASPD affect different types of relationships?

ASPD can have a large impact on building new relationships and maintaining old ones. For many with ASPD, it can be challenging to develop interpersonal relationships, and some people living with ASPD may experience loneliness. Understanding the link between antisocial personality disorder and relationships may start with considering how a person with ASPD may interact with different people in their life.  

Family relationships

ASPD can impact family relationships and dynamics between parents and children, siblings, and extended family. Individuals with ASPD may have experienced a challenging parent-child relationship due to high levels of impulsivity and deceitfulness. Although ASPD cannot be diagnosed in children, a precursor called conduct disorder may be present in children and adolescents. 

In cases where a parent is living with ASPD, a lack of empathy and high levels of irresponsibility and deceitfulness can impact child development and strain the relationship between parent and child.

ASPD may also impact sibling relationships. While growing up, it may be common for an older sibling with ASPD to influence or drive the younger sibling to partake in rule-breaking or deviant behavior, although updated evidence may be needed. This, in some cases, can increase antisocial behaviors in the younger sibling as well. Over time, sibling relationships may become strained as the person living with ASPD may lie or take advantage of their sibling.  

Romantic relationships

​​Romantic relationships involving individuals with ASPD often face significant challenges. One of the primary difficulties can be maintaining a healthy partnership due to the characteristic traits of ASPD, such as a lack of empathy, impulsivity, and manipulative behavior. These traits can lead to an atmosphere of distrust within the relationship, as partners may frequently sense they have been deceived or manipulated. Trust issues can be compounded by the tendency of individuals with ASPD to engage in dishonest or deceitful actions, making it hard for their partners to experience security and confidence in the relationship's stability.

Patterns of abusive or exploitative behavior may occur in romantic relationships with someone who has ASPD. Such individuals may use emotional manipulation, coercion, or even physical or verbal abuse to exert control over their partners.

Friendships and professional relationships

Maintaining close friendships can be challenging for a person living with ASPD. Traits like irritability, lack of reliability, and willingness to use others for personal gain can all make it hard to develop long-term relationships. This also means that during times of need, a person with ASPD may not have a strong support network of friends on which to rely. 

In the workplace, a person living with ASPD may find it difficult to develop working relationships with colleagues or managers. For a person with ASPD, it may be common to leverage colleagues or situations at work to improve their position or for personal profit. ASPD-related behaviors may lead a person to change jobs frequently, which can also make it challenging to develop long-term relationships. 

Coping strategies for loved ones

Although it can be challenging to develop long-term relationships with people living with ASPD, it may be possible with some planning and preparation. Caring for and developing a relationship with a person with ASPD may involve learning coping strategies designed to enhance the relationship. These strategies can help both parties protect themselves emotionally. 

• Setting boundaries: Setting and maintaining boundaries may be important for any relationship and can be especially important when developing a romantic relationship or friendship with a person living with ASPD. Clearly laying out acceptable and unacceptable behaviors and actions can create healthy habits in a relationship. 
• Gaining understanding and education: Developing an understanding of ASPD symptoms, as well as educating yourself about the ins and outs of ASPD and how it impacts a person’s life, may reduce stigma and improve interpersonal relationships. Education can allow you to anticipate symptoms and how they may manifest within a relationship. 
• Developing healthy communication: Healthy and consistent communication around emotions, expectations, and symptoms can improve interpersonal relationships for individuals with ASPD. It may be important to let your partner know how their actions impact you. 
• Seeking support: For individuals with ASPD and their friends and family, it may be beneficial to seek additional support from a therapist who can provide you with additional strategies and monitor symptom progression.

Treatment and management of ASPD

There may be no cure for ASPD. However, various treatments may reduce impulsive behavior and other ASPD symptoms. Treating ASPD typically involves a combination of therapy and lifestyle changes. 

It may not always be convenient to attend in-person therapy sessions at a brick-and-mortar office. Online therapy sessions can occur from any location with a device and internet connection. With online therapy, you aren’t limited to professionals in your local area, which can enable you to broaden your search for a therapist who is a good fit.  

Online therapy may be an effective way to manage personality disorders, including ASPD.  An online therapist may use a variety of therapy options to address ASPD symptoms, which may include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Both therapy techniques typically focus on identifying and replacing unhealthy thought patterns and behaviors. 

Are you or a loved one living with ASPD?

Connecting with a therapist may help

Individuals with ASPD and their loved ones may also benefit from attending couples therapy or family therapy. A family therapist can help you work through the symptoms of ASPD and develop positive habits and effective communication skills. They also can look at your relationship and the impacts of ASPD from a holistic perspective, which can contextualize symptoms and events.