Sociopath question?? (I am confused!!)

Question

I have looked through some questions regarding sociopaths on here. Some people say that you have to choose to become one, other people say that you cannot become one, even if you tried, because it is something you simply have no control of.

Can somebody clear this up for me??

So do you make yourself have it??

Or is it something that you just HAVE??

Answer 1

That's a disease, not a choice.  If people perceive themselves as becoming that way, then they may have it.  They are recognizing the disease, not creating it.  Seek help through a professional.

Answer 2

It is a mental disease, just like depression or bi polar disorder. And no, it does not just pop up overnight. And no, it is not sometrhing that you can choose to have. You can try to have it, but that would be stupid, because you never would. Sociopaths are created through genetics and a bad childhood. Sometimes if a traumatic event happens to someone they can become one, but that is very very rare. Now, you can mimic the ACTIONS, but it is different from a sociopath because you would still have feelings and know right from wrong.

Answer 3

Sociopathy is an outdated term.  In current practice, two terms are used to describe this condition - antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy.  

Antisocial Personality disorder is a set of observable, clinical behaviors characterized by a general and pervasive disregard for the rights and property of others.  These individuals are manipulative, decietful, and generally not good.

Psychopathy, while not referring to a DSM-IV-TR disorder, is a term used in forensic psychology referring to a set of behaviors similar to antisocial personality disorder as well as a set of biological and cognitive patterns.  It is distinct from antisocial personality disorder.

The general consensus is that psychopathy is a condition that results from both genetic predisposition and environmental stimuli.  Antisocial personality disorder, in contrast, is primarily learned (like most personality disorders).  

Answer 4

I dont think it works like that I think people are born that way or turn out that way from chid hood into adult hood.

Answer 5

Its a disorder, you can't just decide to have it. There is a difference between being a sociopath and being anti-social, is this what your getting confused with???

Answer 6

It's not a disease, it's a personality type. It supposedly takes both genetic and environmental influences for the person to develop as one. If caught early enough in their life, intervention can prevent the person from developing into an adult sociopath (having antisocial personality disorder). I don't quite understand *how* it can be prevented, but that's what the professionals say.

As for making yourself one, no, you cannot do that. Anyone can act like a sociopath, but that doesn't mean they are one inside.

A sociopath at their core is somebody who has no emotional connections/attachments/bonds towards other people, and is incapable of forming them. That isn't something people can just choose to do, they're either born that way or it comes about during their childhood.

In my case, that's how I've been since the time I was a small child. It wasn't a choice I made, and it wasn't a change that I can say happened at any particular age. It's simply who I always have been, and I would not be able to change that even if I had the desire to.

Answer 7

The term sociopath isn't as widely used anymore. Most psychs classify it as anti-social personality disorder. it's an axis II personality disorder. it's traits are egocentricity, manipulativeness, lack of empathy, stuff like that. That being said, anyone can choose to act like that, but it really depends on how you let it affect your life.

If you decide to be a complete jerk, then you can act like a sociopath, but if you were raised with that being acceptable or never got any help for it then there isn't much you can do. For example, if you really really don't care about starving children in Africa, no one is going to change that. Not every sociopath is locked up in a mental ward or a prison, so I'm sure that if the urge struck the person, they could seek therapy to modify their behaviors, not their feeling so much.