Understanding Antisocial Personality Disorder
By: Christine Hammond, LMHC
I’m not sure who came up with the name “Antisocial” as this
does not even begin to explain the disorder.
It would be like calling an aggressively trained pit bull a puppy who
isn’t nice to people. The former names
of psychopath or sociopath are much more understandable names which create a
more immediate understanding. Since APDs
(Antisocial Personality Disorder) tend not to care too
much about what other people think, I’m guessing that this name is not the result
of some political correctness however, it is the name now.
So what is APD? Here
is the technical DSM-V definition:
·
Identity: Self-esteem derived from personal
gain, power, or pleasure
·
Self-direction: Personal gratification directed with
failure to conform to laws or ethics
·
Empathy: Lack of concern for feelings, needs or
suffering of others
·
Intimacy: Incapacity for intimate relationships
·
Manipulativeness: Use of subterfuge to control others
·
Deceitfulness: Dishonesty and fraudulence
·
Callousness: Lack of remorse about one’s actions,
aggression, or sadism
·
Hostility: Frequent angry feelings, insults, or
vengeful behavior
·
Irresponsibility: Failure to honor financial agreements
or promises
·
Impulsivity: Acting on the spur of the moment
without consideration of outcomes
·
Risk
taking: Engagement in dangerous,
risky, and potentially self-damaging activities
The practical definition looks
more like this:
·
No regard for morality
·
Lies all the time
·
Uses charm to manipulate
·
Sense of superiority
·
Recurring difficulties with all authority
·
Repeatedly violates the rights of others through
intimidation
·
Hostility, aggression or violence
·
Lack of empathy or remorse about causing harm
·
Dangerous behaviors
·
Abusive relationships
·
Irresponsible work behavior
·
Failure to learn from the negative consequences
If you are wondering what this
looks like in person, imagine Anthony Hopkins in his role as Hannibal in
“Silence of the Lambs” or Angelina Jolie in her role as Lisa in “Girl,
Interrupted”. Both of them did an excellent
job portraying APD. Several studies have
estimated that anywhere between 50-75% of the prison population has APD.
So how do you deal with a person
who might have APD? Here are a few
suggestions:
·
Because they are gifted liars, don’t believe
what they say. Actions speak louder than
words.
·
Don’t waste your time being fake; they can smell
a phony a mile away.
·
Be direct, firm and calmly unwavering in your
decisions.
·
No emotion, they see this as weakness.
·
Their stories of people they have harmed is an
intimidation tactic, show no reaction.
·
They threaten violence when backed into a corner,
don’t look away as they can smell fear.
·
Don’t underestimate them; alcohol/drugs can
empower and physically strengthen them.
·
Don’t threaten back; it is a waste of time. If you say, “I’m going to call the police”
then do it.
More often than not, counseling is
very helpful in learning to deal with a person who has APD. Relationships with APDs are not easy and
often require boundaries with steel reinforcement and a strong support
network. This is not a time to tough it
out alone.