Narcissist / Psychopath / Sociopath
The descriptions and traits below are taken from Internet sources. There are many books written on the subject too. This blog is just intended to be a place to start if you're wondering what Narcissist / Psychopath / Sociopath. I recommend you that you do some more digging around if you need more information.
Sociopathy vs. Psychopathy vs. Antisocial Personality Disorder
There is often confusion between these terminologies because of wide overlapping of the features. Sociopathy is nearly synonymous with antisocial personality disorder. Antisocial personality disorder is a medical diagnosis which is commonly termed as sociopathy. However, some people may have some features of sociopathy which may not be suffice to meet the diagnostic criteria for antisocial personality disorder. They may also be called (albeit wrongly) sociopaths.
Some people consider psychopathy synonymous with sociopathy. However, psychopathy is a more severe form of sociopathy. Psychopathy is not a defined diagnosis in the widely used DSM-IV criteria for the diagnosis of mental disorders. Most of psychopaths will meet the diagnostic criteria for antisocial personality disorder, however vice versa is not true and only 1/3rd of the sociopaths will meet the criteria for psychopathy.
Psychopath And Narcissist: What’s The Difference?
Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump has been called both a "narcissist" and a "psychopath." And, while in common parlance, the two terms are often used interchangeably, there are key differences between both the disorders that one should know.It is quite difficult to identify someone as a psychopath. They can seem quite normal and even charming but their normalcy is a mere façade. Psychopaths lack conscience and empathy thus leading them to be calculating, manipulative, impulsive and sometimes, criminal. On the other hand, psychopaths are usually gifted with incredible intelligence.
They are quite predatory in nature. They constantly seek people out to abuse for their selfish gains moving on to the next person without so much as a second thought. Psychopaths don’t fear anyone and possess a remarkable amount of confidence.
Psychopaths and narcissists have one important trait in common. They both lack empathy.
However, people suffering from Narcissistic Personality Disorder exhibit great arrogance and a constant need for attention both in their personal and professional lives. Narcissists are often described as “cocky, self-centered, manipulative, and demanding.” They believe they are entitled to special privileges and tend to hold themselves in high regard.
Although on the surface, narcissists seem to have a high self-esteem, they usually have very poor self-esteem and hence the mask. In some cases, however, it has been observed that narcissists may have high self-esteem at both levels.
Narcissists can also be quite aggressive, often acting on an impulse to gain attention. Narcissists often display emotions unlike psychopaths, indicating that while a narcissist can suffer humiliation, psychopaths don’t.
Source: Mary Pascaline Dharshini, Medical Daily, 2016.
Narcissistic Traits
Below are the most common traits found in people with Narcissistic Personality Disorder:- An insatiable appetite for the attention of others
- Extreme feelings of jealousy
- An expectation of special treatment
- Exaggerating achievements, talents, and importance
- Extreme sensitivity and a tendency to be easily hurt and to feel rejected with little provocation
- Difficulty maintaining healthful relationships
- Fantasizing about their own intelligence, success, power, and appearance
- An ability to take advantage of others to achieve a goal, without regret or conscience
- A lack empathy, or ability to understand and share the feelings of others, and a tendency to disregard others' feelings
- A belief that only certain people can understand their uniqueness
- A tendency to consider themselves as skilled in romance
- Responding to criticism with anger, humiliation, and shame
- Seeking out praise and positive reinforcement from others
- An expectation that others will agree with them and go along with what they want
- Whatever they crave or yearn for must be "the best"
Psychopathic Traits
The twenty traits assessed by the PCL-R score are:- glib and superficial charm
- grandiose (exaggeratedly high) estimation of self
- need for stimulation
- pathological lying
- cunning and manipulativeness
- lack of remorse or guilt
- shallow affect (superficial emotional responsiveness)
- callousness and lack of empathy
- parasitic lifestyle
- poor behavioural controls
- sexual promiscuity
- early behaviour problems
- lack of realistic long-term goals
- impulsivity
- irresponsibility
- failure to accept responsibility for own actions
- many short-term marital relationships
- juvenile delinquency
- revocation of conditional release
- criminal versatility
Sociopathic Traits
Various hallmark sociopath traits are listed below. It is important to note that not all traits will be present in all the sociopaths.According to ICD-10 criteria, presence of 3 or more of the following qualifies for the diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder (sociopathy):
- Callous unconcern for the feelings of others.
- Gross and persistent attitude of irresponsibility and disregard for social norms, and obligations.
- Incapacity to maintain enduring relationships, though having no difficulty in establishing them.
- Very low tolerance to frustration, a low threshold for discharge of aggression, including violence.
- Incapacity to experience guilt or to profit from experience, particularly punishment.
- Markedly prone to blame others or to offer plausible rationalization for the behavior that has brought the person into conflict with society.
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