Antisocial personality: what it is, symptoms and treatment

Antisocial personality is actually a disorder, known as antisocial personality disorder, which can also be known as sociopathy, and which is characterized by a pattern of behavior of indifference, disregard and disregard for right and wrong, or violation of rights or other people’s feelings.

Generally, people who have this disorder exhibit aggressive, impulsive or irresponsible behavior, manipulate or treat other people with indifference or lack of sensitivity, and have great difficulty adapting to society’s rules, disrespecting and violating them, without showing guilt or remorse for the behavior.

The causes of antisocial personality disorder can be hereditary, related to changes in brain structures or even influenced by the environment in which the person lives. Treatment of this disorder must be carried out by a psychiatrist and/or psychologist and usually includes psychotherapy or the use of antipsychotics or antidepressants, for example.

Main signs and symptoms

The signs and symptoms of antisocial personality disorder can vary from person to person, the main ones being:

• Lack of empathy and sensitivity to the feelings of others, violating their rights;
• Compulsively lying or deceiving other people;
• Using charm to manipulate other people for personal gain or pleasure;
• Show a feeling of superiority in relation to other people;
• Inability to submit to the rules imposed by society;
• Lack of ability to perceive the suffering of others;
• Not understanding or not caring about what society considers right or wrong;
• Having inappropriate behavior without showing any type of regret;
• Irritability, agitation, aggression or violence;
• Difficulty following a life plan, constantly changing jobs or not knowing how to manage your expenses.

The first signs of antisocial personality disorder usually emerge in childhood or early adolescence, in which children begin to show inappropriate behaviors such as aggression towards people or animals, destroying property, cheating or stealing, violating social rules relevant and appropriate for them. the age.

Is having antisocial personality disorder the same as being a psychopath?

Psychopathy is considered a more severe form of antisocial personality disorder, however, only a third of people with antisocial personality disorder are diagnosed with psychopathy.

Although he has similar characteristics to antisocial personality disorder, the psychopath is less impulsive, has more controlled and calculated behavior, in addition to having apparently normal social relationships, being polite and able to get along well with other people, despite not creating bonds. , not getting attached and being highly manipulative.

How to confirm the diagnosis

Antisocial personality disorder is difficult to diagnose, as there is great difficulty in distinguishing it from other situations that may present similar symptoms, such as schizophrenia, temporal lobe epilepsy, the presence of lesions and tumors in the brain, or even the use of psychoactive substances. Therefore, all these factors must be excluded before confirming the diagnosis.

The diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder is made by a psychiatrist or psychologist through the evaluation of the signs and symptoms presented and the history of behavioral changes in childhood, before the age of 15, which can be done with the help of reports from the person themselves and of close family members and a rigorous psychological evaluation.

Possible causes

The causes of this disorder are not yet fully known, but it is thought that antisocial personality disorder may be hereditary, and the children of people with this type of disorder have a greater risk of developing it.

Antisocial personality disorder can also be the result of the use of cigarettes, alcoholic beverages or drugs during pregnancy, which can alter the baby’s brain development, causing deficiencies in brain structures.

Furthermore, during a child’s development, the family environment also contributes to their emotional development, and it is very important that a good relationship is established between mother and child from an early age, as separations, abuse and neglect can reflected later in adulthood, which can make them aggressive and increase the chances of developing antisocial personality disorder.

How the treatment is carried out

The treatment of antisocial personality disorder must be guided by a psychiatrist or psychologist and depends on the severity of the symptoms and the person’s collaboration.

Treatment can be done with:

• Psychotherapy, to help control anger, aggression or violence;
• Cognitive behavioral therapy, to help the person manage their problems, changing the way they think and behave;
• Therapy based on mentalization, which consists of the psychologist encouraging the person to understand the way they think and how their mental state can affect their behavior;
• Use of medicines, such as antipsychotics or antidepressants, to treat symptoms of aggression or impulsivity, or conditions that may be associated with personality disorders such as anxiety or depression.

Additionally, community work programs can be a long-term treatment for people with antisocial personality disorder, as they help understand the emotional and psychological needs of others, encourage working as part of the community, promote decision-making, and They teach people to obey the rules, and this type of treatment is mainly recommended for people in prisons.

It is important that family members of people with antisocial personality disorder also have professional help to help establish limits and protect themselves from violence or aggression.